New-York tribune., 1902-10-07
CRIMINAL COURTS RUSHED
WORK HAS BEEN PILED UP IN YACA-
TION-NEED OF ANOTHER PART.

There is a great deal Of work ahead for the
Court Of General Sessions on account ot the
regular summer vacation, just ended Fefhaps
it would be better To say that the court is sadly
behind in its work The closing Of two parts
OF the Court Of General Sessions and the CTimi-
nal Branch Of the Supreme Court during July
August and September, while the judges ana
most of the court attendants and part Of the
District Attorneys staff have been away from
the city, has allowed large increase in the
number Of criminal cases awaiting trial
John A Henneberry chief clerk in the District
Attorneys Office has caused three charts 10 be
placed against the wall of his outer office.
They show the conditions at the Tombs and IN
the criminal courts at a glance First, there is
chart showing the average number Of pending
indictments awaiting attention. AS II covers
each week of the present year up 90 the end OF
last week It looks much like a barometer record
in a blizzard week. 1t shows that at the be-
ginning OF the year there were 500 pending in
dctments on fIe at the District Attorneys Of
fee that the number haG been cut down in the
early part Of June 10 397 and that in the holi-
day time il has risen 70 $50
The next chart shows the average number Of
indicted persons who were in prison awaiting
trial in any week. and by comparing il with
the first chart - would be possible 70 tell the
number Of indicted persons out on bail and
awaiting trial in any week. This second chart
shows that in the first week of the year there
we're l56 indicted persons IN prison. that the
average number in the last week of June
only 80 and that the number last week was
16G
The third chart shows the average number of
persons confined in the TOmbs Prison, both those
who are indicted and those who await trial for
petty offences. The average number in the first
week OF the year was 30. in June. III. and last
week. 2l1
The record in Mr.. Henneherry's Office shows
that there are 80 persons awaiting trial in New
York County on indictments charging them with
homicide. II in the Tombs and Is out on bail
Then there are six prisoners in the Tombs ac-
CUsed Of homicide and awaiting the action Of the
grand Jury and seven more who are awaiting
action by the coroner. There are ten more homi-
eide eases in which the accused persons are at
liberty under bail while the coroner or grand
fury is considering evidence This makes
total of sixty-two homicide cases which the
Court Of General Sessions may have 10 try some
time
flee was asked Yesterday II he thought the courts
could dispose Of all the waiting criminal cases
before the beginning of next years summer
vacation. he said.
You should remember that there are seven
police courts feeding the Court Of General Ses-
sions and that they yield on an average of
one hundred cases a week We had TWO parts
OF the Court OF General Sessions running all
summer in effort 20 keep up with the pro-
Cession. and the waiting cases We're increased
in number steadily. Since the beginning of the
year disposed OF nearly four thousand cases
in the court With all the parts of General
Sessions and the Criminal Branch Of the SU-
prenle Court running again we shall try 70 cut
down the number OF waiting cases materially
during the winter
IAN effort will be made this winter 10 secure
legislation az Albany for an additional part OF
the Court OF General Sessions. which is really
needed. With one more part OF that court We
could dispose Of cases faster than they come in
and there would be no need 70 have indictments
carried over from one month 70 another