The Washington herald., 1906-10-22

can be bought. but scale OF prices IS
mentioned. One of the magistrates, ac-
cording to this talk, viii turn out excise
arrests for as low as SO 4 case. A dis
orderly house arrest is worth from $50 TO
500. In the days of vice-squad arrests
the price used To run as high as 500.
Certain lawyers always practice success
fully before certain magistrates, and in
one case il is common scandal that a
bondsman who is practically the only one
a certain magistrate will accept always
divides with the magistrate the fee of $50
or more that he exacts. This matter is so
notorious that frequenters Of the police
courts talk about it openly.
one story which is something more than
gossip is that one of the magistrates now
sitting on the bench received within less
than q year 81 GO for discharging n GER
tain prisoner. The charge was States
prison offense. The case was adjourned
and adjourned time and again. All the
Witnesses FOR the prosecution were tired
ord. Finally. after an intermediary, who
.sustafns the closest relations with the
magistrate in question. had come on the
case was dismissed, and the intermediary
boosted that he and the judge got $1,000
UIt of it.
The Intermediary was a Broadway law
Yer. and large part of his income. it is
commonly said, arises from his ability 20
settle cases before at least one magis-
uate
Famous Pickle Trust Revived.
Those who are familiar with police court
corruption say that there is every indica-
ton that the famous pickle trust that
used TO exist in Essex Market Police Court
when a certain magistrate sat there has
been revived Why the combination for
extracting money from prisoners. was
called the pickle trust is not definitely
known. unless the name came from the
expression "a rod In pickle" and that
certain men controlled the rod. Those in
the trust were a magistrate, a favorite
bondsman, and two lawyers. It was no.
tOriOUs that if prisoner wanted to be
discharged or fined lightly instead Of hav-
ing his case sent to Special Sessions or TO
the grand jury, there had TO be something
put in the pickle to overcome the rod that
was already there in the shape Of mag
istrate's power to make it uncomfortable.
The way to do business with the pickle
trust was 90 ask for an adjournment.
Sometimes the magistrate would say:
This seems to be a serious case. Don't
You think YOU had better have an ad-
5ournment so as to prepare a defense thor
oushly?"
The prisoner or his lawyer seldom failed
To take the hint. unless the prisoner was
innocent Those concerned scarcely got
outside of the court before they were ap-
preached by the right person and in
formed Of the existence OF the pickle trust
and the best way of meeting the situation.
The result was that money rolled into the
Golfers Of the trust The operations be-
came so fragrant some time ago that there
was imminent danger Of exposure. The
pickle works were shut down for time
and since then are said TO have started up
in only one department actively
That department has to do with furnish
ing bonds for good behavior. Scores of
these cases come before a magistrate i'm
week Probably the cCmmrnest remark
heard upon the bench is
We'll. / sHaH havt 10 put this man
under bonds If You insist ON pressing the
charges or II shall pct you under
bonds Can YOU get bondsman2'
Graft I'm Furnishing Bondsmen.
IN most OF The cases it is a hardship
10 get a bondsman- Although It was
never known that any OF the thousands
upon thousands OF these bonds were
ever forfeited. thy ordinary police court
prisoner has difficulty in finding a man
who VIII pledge himself with real es-
tate security TO the extent of 500 fer
the prisoners good behavior There IS
whore the professional bondsmen comes
in, He knows that even if the prisoner
does not behave himself the bond will
never be forfeited He charges from So
10 $50 for going ON q bond IF the vic /
tim demurs TO the charge the magis- +
trate can help things along. He can
Keep the man locked up until his friends +.
raise the money. To sometimes takes /
two or three days. but the man STAYS 4
in jail until the bOndsmans fees are
obtained.
Where the magistrate can make his
graft is by dividing with the bondsman. /
The magistrate has discretionary powers /
as 20 accepting boudsmeu By refusing 4
every one that is offered and hv Civ /
ing finally an intinatiOn that "a certain 4
man would be acceptable he can Dractf- /
cally cOnfne the business I'm his court
TO one man. To the profit of that man
and himself In certain police courts
estimates are freely Sven as 10 the
sum certain magistrates make. The
pickle trusts profits in the bondsman de-
partmeut have been as high as from
$4,000 10 S15.000 year.
Petty Larceny from Prisoners.
The practice Of finding out which
prisoners have money and Of stcerin.,
lawyers 10 these persons was never more
fragrant in the police courts than il has
been in recent months. Within two
months one OF these lawyers with pull
with the magistrate pull that could he
measured in dollars-Was stecred upon
prisoner and took Slj from him. an that
ne mad The pulceWan who had the
prisoner was one who didn't graft lie
objected To having The lawyers forced
ON the prisoner. for he knew thaf 5be
punishment Tor Che crime tviolation of 4
city ordnance would be slight II the
most dispute arose and disturbed the
court The judge raped for order. and
Wheh the case came IN the LAWYER 60
blum the matter out. said.
This policeman accuses me of taking
money from the prisoner
Never mind, never mind. said the
magistrate. Lets hear the evidence In
the case before the court
But want to show that am right
said the lawyer.
Go ahead with the case said the
magistrate. Practical larceny had been
committed almost under the magistrates
hose.
certain Of the magistrates have fsvorit7
lawyers who are practically their b11si-
ness partners. They have copied tba
system of the pickle trust III a case
against q prisoner IS strong and it looks