Evening journal., 1903-01-31
CASES
A GREAT EXPENSE
Bill to Dispose of Them in
Municipal Court to be
introduced
WILL SAVE COUNTY LARGE AMOUNT

Attorney General Ward, City Solicitor
Reinhardt and Judges to Con-
fer-other Measures Of Interest TO
Police Department.
There is some talk Of a bill being
introduced in the Legislature during
the present term which, if passed, will
give the judge OF the Municipal Court
the authority to dispose Of a majority
of larceny cases instead of holding
them an for the upper court Such
an act, if passed, would relieve the
Attorney-General of a large amount of
work and would save the county thou
sands of dollars. 1t would also shorten
the Court of General Sessions from
two to three days each term.
General Ward and City So
licitor Reinhardt have discussed such
a measure, and they will hold a confer
ence with the judges some time next
week, when the matter will be talked
over linden the present law the Mu
nicipal Court has no jurisdiction over
larceny cases amy more than to hold
them for the Court Of General Sessions,
as they came under the head of felony.
If such a bill be passed it would di-
wide larceny cases into two classes
petit larceny as a misdemeanor, and
grand larceny a felony. This would
give the City Court authority to sem
tence the former class, but the prison
ers would have the privilege TO appeal
to the upper court if they so desired. All
grand larceny cases would have to be
tried in the Court of General Sessions
the same as at present.
How the classes would be divided
has not been determined, but it would
probably be according to the value of
the goods stolen. The advisability of
such a bin has been discussed for a
number of years.
1T is not unusual for persons charged
with the larceny of goods not valued
lover twenty-five cents TO be kept ia
the workhouse for several months
lawaiting trial. When the trial comes
iup there are n number of witnesses,
average Of at least $50. All this ex-
lpense could be saved if the petit lar
lceny cases could be disposed of in the
municipal Court.
Representative Monaghan yesterday
gave notice of several bills which are
lof great interest to the local Police
lDepartment. The bills were prepared
by City Solicitor Reinhardt and will be
introduced on Monday.
The most important Of the bills is
lone which. If passed, will give the Mu-
ndcipal Court the jurisdiction over
cases of carrying concealed deadly
weapons. Such cases at present have tc
be held for the upper court at a great
expense to the county. and the penalty
usually does not exceed ten days.
Another bill has to do with the re-
/. wards offered for the capture of per
sons who have committed some offens'
lin another State. Under the present
statue the police officers can
mot receive it, and the Po
lice Commissioners do not know
what disposition to make o
= the rewards. The bill provides for tn
3 commissioners to use their own discre
? ton as to whether the rewards shal
e. be given the officer who makes tine ar
= rest, OF handed over TO the department
{ funds.
T A third bill gives the chief of polio
authority to serve requisition papers
li At present the State detectives Onl
q can serve the papers and sometime
- when they are both busy it cause
S much delay.