Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-31
PERSONAL BONDS ISSUE
MATTER FOR CONSIDERATION OF
THE AUTHORITIES.
Alleged Loss Of Time in Prosecuting
Offenders Under the Health
Regulations.

From Semi-official statements made at the
District building with increasing frequency
of late. 1t may be predicted that the much
mCoted question of acceptance Of personal
bonds IN many District cases in the Police
Court will again come up for serious consid-
GRAFTON. Only little more than a year
ago, when Assistant Corporation Counsel A.
Leftwich Sinclair was temporarily assigned
to the office of prosecuting attorney for the
District, in the absence of the incumbent
Attorney James Pugh an upheaval fol-
lowed his statement that he would not in
any way attempt to dispose of cases in his
office and an order from the Commissioners
making it compulsory that every defendant
be hailed before the court was the result
In the discussion, now in its incipient
stage, there is no hint that this order is not
now being rigidly enforced. but the princi-
pal cause of complaint is that so many Of
tenders escape without paying penalty even
after conviction.
Violations Of Health Laws
Probably foremost, in percentage, at
least. in this respect are among cases
brought before the court on charges
involving violations of the health regu-
lations-and 1t is pointed out that a net
loss to the District could be shown in the
enforced absence from duty of the sani-
ton of cases in the Police Court, with lit
tie return to the District Golfers in fines
in lieu of the money paid out to the in
spectors in salaries The inspectors draw
full pay for the many hours which it is
necessary that they shall spend in court
In seeking by that last resort to enforce
obedience to the laws which have prac-
tically been set at naught by owners or
occupants of property who refuse neg
lect to repair sanitary defects discovered
on their premises.
1t is obvious that the time spent by
these inspectors in court is time lost to
the District, because just as long as they
are In court their regular duties must be
neglected. Just what this loss would to-
tai in hours and in dollars and cents can
not be stated by the health office, because
no record is kept of the time nor of the
fines imposed, which latter item IL de-
Quoted from the parts of salaries paid to
the inspectors for work in the courts,
would give the net loss to the munich
pality.
Policy Of the Office.
An inquiry Instituted in the health office
today developed the fact that cases are
never taken into the Police Court until 1t
has been discovered that the owner or oc-
cupant of premises on which sanitary de-
fects are found has no disposition to make
repairs until forced to do so. 1t Is the in
variable rule for an inspector who is maxi
Ing his rounds and finds an unhealthy con-
dition existing to first leave a notice to
that effect with the owner or occupant.
Several days later a second inspection Ia
made. and then. even IL disposition to do
right is manifested, q longer delay is al
lowed. Finally, II 1t is evident that the
person responsible for the property has
made no effort to call in the plumber or
other artisan. the case is reported to the
health Office and from there referred to the
corporation counsel for preparation Of the
form of warrant. This paper In turn 10