The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1904-10-31

Through a system % credit. the
legality Of which IL open 90 question.
and the expose 81 which must az
found the citizens Of Seattle. more
than tie.e80 In unsolicited fines has
been host % the city during the past
four years THIS loss il shown By
the police court records. and he who
runs may read. AZ the figures. some
% which are given below. are open
10 every taxpayer who care 10 in
vesiieate.
This system. which f. shown b.
the police court records tn have been
followed regularly for the past four
years. shows not only gross neEii-
gence and delinquency Ia official
duty on the part u those whose Of
flee Il has been TO look 20 che col
lection Of the eity's funds. bat Il
shows also a EiarlnF discrimination
In favor Of the worst class OF Of
tenders against the citx's laws b.
extending unauestioninE credit In
the matter - fines % the lowest
criminal element Of the city.
by this system Of credit a long
procession OF criminals. gamblers
aud habltuea q the restricted dis
trict. pronounced by the law guilty
OF crimes common 70 the lives they
Head. and with punitive fines
charged against their homes on the
official records Of the police courts.
have been allowed to go their way
or their bare and worthless promise
% pay az sonae later date the PEN
atty IMPOSED upon them By the
court and rarely. indeed IL it shown
on the records that in such In
stances the criminal has made good
his promise.
BY this nov regularly established
system "a friendliHeas which Dr. any
hing but conducive % an honest
respect Tor the law has been shown
% the hahituai law breakers % the
city. and a fine OF 90 Or $40 imposed
for a crime against the common
wealth
HAS COME To- MEAN LITTLE
of nothing 90 the crook or criminal
who can find a police court lawyer
20 see 20 It that bis worthless prom
ise a. entered upon the books of the
court 81 lieu 81 the payment 81 cash.
Criminals. gamblers and habitues
% the restricted district. through
process u this system. the records
show. have enjoyed the privilege 81
thus evading payment OF the fines
imposei upon them for their crimes.
where offenders % more respectable
status have had their fines exaetcd
Vigorously without privilege Of
credit
In this fact that taxpayer and
citizen viii find additional cause for
Indignation n he vill but study the
records u the city's police courts.
Tor from such a study Il Rill be evil
dent. not only that more than 10000
have been diverted from the clfy's
funds. but also that the deficit has
gone O. enrich the pockets ~ the
city's worst enemiea the habltual
criminals u low type who ply their
tricks end trades from headquarters
IN the darkest and most corrupt
portion ~ the municipality.
Repeatedly during the past six
years criminals crooks and women
from below the line have pleaded
guilty o. been proved guilty Of the
crimes common 70 their lives. and
have been fined and allowed 10 have
their freedom upon the promise that
they would pay their fine a. q future
date. Others have paid q little on
account and given credit for the
rest The same offender has repeat
eds come into court. been fined for
the Offeuae and extended credit.
even when the records showed that
past fines had not been paid IN fuil.
The general public should know
that the court which was primarily
instituted 20 suppress crime, has
entered Into d credit system with
breakers. thereby losing 10 the
city thousands Of dollars every year
A wOrkingman who IL 80 uufortu-
nate ~ 20 be thrown into jail be-
cause he happens to get drunk la
sEST TO a FILTHY JAIL
% serve his sentence but inmates
Or houses Of ili-fome are allowed 10
- ron the court 20 continuation
q The same crimes with credit
ehafge against their names IN the
police court.
The records ~ the court show
- The same offender has been ex-
thatd credit time and again. Gam
'ts ana persistent law breakers
.ie W debt - ute city nov IA the
snhe Of several thousand dollars aud
rss' slioft seems 10 haYe bees made 20
e., ihs deficit The list Of those
""oHf credit has bsH elusG teca