Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-26
MAGISTRATE SYSTEM
MAJOR SYLvESTER'S ARGUMENT
FOR ITS RESTORATION.
Persons Who Are Charged With Minor
0ffenses, He Believes, Should
Have Prompt Trial.

magistrate system for disposing Of many of
the police cases. Is made by Superintendent
of Police Sylvester In his recent annual
report. He says:
THE reasonable enforcement Of the multi
pllcity of regulations which prevail for
keeping the seat OF government orderly and
sanitary necessarily results In the pre-
sentation Of many minor cases for dispo-
sition by what would bs termed elsewhere
the city court. The institution here Is
known as the Police Court with two Judges
sitting-one for the trial Of offenses against
the United States statutes relating to the
District OF Columbia. the other for hearing
cases OF lesser magnitude wherein the
police regulations and kindred laws have
been violated. Warrants are issued from
the Police Court upon sworn Information.
and trials by jury are afforded the dcfen-
dants when invoked. where there has been
a statutory violation charged.
All Before One Tribunal.
The police cases for the territory OF the
District OF Columbia must all be deter
mined at this court. In other words. cases
of arrests made within Washington and
Georgetown or In any of the several villages
included in area of about seventy square
miles. where forfeiture OF collateral Is not
recorded. must be brought to the one Police
Court. This condition necessitateS the
transportation by vehicles to the place Of
trial of prisoners who may have been con-
fined within period of twenty-four hours
In any one of the eleven station houses.
THE persons arrested who may be for
tunate enough to have security for appear
ance in court at time of arrest may avoid
night in cell and conveyance with
others in the morning round up of the van
and reincarceratioD at the Police Court,
pending hearing OF his or her case The less
fortunate must undergo the all night re-
straint, conveyance to court and. If con-
victed. removal to the work house or JAIL
Members of the police force who have
made arrests for the day or night before
are required to be in attendance upon the
court at o'clock the following morning.
Policemen who have been On duty during
the early morning hours must follow
rests made within those hours to court and
by reason of the large number of cases
awaiting trial are frequently delayed for
hours until their cases are called. Some
of these members are compelled to proceed
long distances from their precincts or
places of duty, and the delays incident to
the system at times depleteS district or
precinct of the police patrol or supervision
to which 1t Is entitled and should receive.
1t is not in line with effective police effort
to have the thickly built and well popu-
lated sections thus exposed for want of
adequate facilities for the hearing OF cases
and early REIMBURSEMENT of members of the
force who may be detained as prosecutors
or witnesses neither Is ii just that trials
condition. The most humble unfortunate
should have the benefits which might follow
a complete presentation of the charge
against him.
Suggestions Made.
1T has never been the purpose intent
OF this department to deprecate the court,
but to offer facts which might lead to an
extension or change Of the system, which
might add facilities whereby the budding
together or excessive concentration of
troubled humanity might be avoided. police
protection be more adequate. and time and
embarrassment be saved to citizens who
might be called to appear for the govern
ment and witnesses. In this effort your
superintendent has been personally criti
cised, which he is generous enough to pre-
sumo was not intended.
The suggestion was ventured that in an
extensive Jurisdiction like the territory of
the District of Columbia, the magistrate
system, not eliminating the opportunity for
trial by jury. would alleviate the condition.
Not magistrates of old. who would try
both civil and misdemeanor cases, but at
least three who could dispose of petty VIOLA
lions at the several stations In many
parts of the District daily. If not the
magistrate arrangement for the disposal of
such cases, two more district police courts.
one for the northwest and one for the
southeast, with one additional judge, would
relieve the situation.
This community Is and has been striving
to elevate conditions, to more effectually
provide for the common welfare and bring
about the establishment of affairs so that
it's institutions could be referred to as ad-
vanced and satisfactory. Aside from the
economical features, 1t goes without argu-
ment that the herding and concentration of
large numbers of prisoners In common. even
for brief period of time, is not conducive
to good. Where men and women, some
charged with trihing ofrenses, many with
the first offense. and others hardened In
crime. are transported together In vans
contamination. shame and all that demon
alizes follow.
Prompt Trials Urged.
1.-THE prompter an individual charged with
an offense is given hearing the better for
all concerned. One may thereby be given
his liberty before being introduced to the
vulgar criminal in the police van, before
undergoing the depressing. If not demoraliz-
ing, effects which follow. 1t is almost as
important that one guilty OF first trivial
misdemeanor should be segregated from the
should be separated from the older offender.
and II the chances for consolidating the
good. bad and Indifferent for even day
can be reduced 1t is in keeping with prog
ress and spirit of the times.
There were 1913 District OF Columbia
cases presented to the court during the past
year and SOB United States cases, in all
% 0s6. or an average OF about seventy cases
a day. excluding Sundays. Members of the
force were detained after IL o'clock in the
mornings in .9S9 instances. While the av-
erage of cases was about seventy a day, Ii
must be understood that on some mornings
II would exceed this average and on others