The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-09-29

Saturday morning the grand jury,
through it's foreman, II. +. kingspury,
made it's final report to court, ana was
discharged from further duty. A large
number of true and ignored bills were
presented to the court and also recon-
mendation with reference to change
in the law which confers power on al
dermen and justices of the peace. The
report of the jury was to the erect
that 1886 bills were presented to the
1ury and Of that number 1,O23 were
ignored, 6S7 of the prosecutors in these
cases failing to appear. Continuing, the
report says:
We would estimate the costs which the
county will have to pay in cases OF the
most trivial nature. included in the cases
ibove mentioned, at not less than twelve
thousand (sl2OOW dollars. We, therefore,
recommend that steps be taken to re-
Ntrict magistrates If possible, from send
ing to court such cases as are herein
specified. Again, in some instances exor-
infant costs are apparent even on tne
transcripts. Your grand jury has made
notes in a number of cases of this ma
ture some of which we regard as repre-
hensible, which can be submitted II re-
lured.
We would also recommend that where
costs are placed upon prosecutors VINO
are Responsible tIldt d Cdpiao Siin'i A'''''o
Tor the same.
We recommend that a committee of the
bar be appointed to draft a bill to be
submitted to the next Legislature, chang-
ing the system of committing persons
charged with offences under the criminal
law. We suggest that bill contain a
provision repeating all laws In this state
giving jurisdiction to justices of the peace
and aldermen in criminal cases be passed,
and providing for the appointment OF
committing magistrates learned IN the
law, in such manner as the legislature
may see fit, to work under salary. with
out compensation other than that provid-
cd as a salary.
After reading the report, Judge Ed
wards said, with reference to aldermen
and justice of the peace
In this recommendation you really
touch the only method by which great
many wrongs can be redressed and by
which the administration of the criminal
affairs of our county can be reduced to
some kind of an economic basis. / will
submit your suggestion to the other
judges. The matter has been before the
State Bar association. A bill was pre-.
pared, considered and discussed by that
body and they have failed to find an
adequate legal and constitutional remedy.
The difficulty is that the constitution is
in the way, and that mere bill passed
by the legislature will not cure the mat
ter. Magistrates and aldermen are con-
stitutional officers and their jurisdiction
is given them by the constitution, and
if there is going to be any change in
conducting preliminary hearings 1t Will
probably have to be effected by consti-
tutional provision.
The system of having few committing
magistrates under salary is undoubtedly
the correct one, and we hope to see that
method secured some day by constitu-
tional legislation.
1t is said one justice OF the peace in
the valley above Scranton had twenty
cases of larceny and receiving before
the jury, and in not one of them did a
prosecutor appear. In each instance it
was watch that was stolen.
Among the true bills returned were
the following for selling liquor on Sun
day, in which Robert Wilson. agent for
the Municipal league. is prosecutor:
James j. Henry, Daniel Colon, Michael
O'Connor and John Walsh, Joseph
Splitter Sarah Crane. Michael Ciilboy,
Samuel a. Morris. Mary Lopatyner,
Thomas John and Mary Lukon.
Thomas A. Hendrck, of Jermyn. was
indicted for lbellng Hon. p. f. Timlin.
H. 3. Sweet and Louis Shrocco were
indicted for selling oleomargarine with
out license. Stanley j. Stevens, spe-
agriculture, was the prosecutor.