The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-29
SEEKS SWIFT TRIALS.
Jerome Asks Reform of New
York Judicial System.
WANTS ANOTHER GRAND JURY
Proposes Law ABOIishIng Recorder
and City Judge, Creating Sixth
Mere Statutory Assistant District
Attorneys-Goes to Albany To-day.

New York, April $50 dispose of the
criminal business of the county in sat
isfactory manner the machinery for that
purpose is entirely inadequate and should
be increased. in the opinion OF District
Attorney Jerome In order TO increase
the machinery Mr. Jerome has drawn
four bills which provide for an extra
part of the Court of General Sessions,
two grand juries sitting monthly, more
assistant district ,ttorneys, and an in
creased number OF judges.
Mr.. Jerome will go from his home at
Lakeville, Conn, tomorrow morning to
Albany with the bills. 1t has not been
decided who viii introduce the bills.
District Attorney Jerome thinks that they
will be passed before the legislature ad-
journs, and, while he has no personal in
terest in any OF them, he believes that,
owing 10 the increase in population and
the proportionate increase in crime. the
changes provided for in the bill should be
adopted
Abolish Recorder and City Judge.
If the bills are passed it will mean that
the office Of recorder will be abolished.
as III AltE 0AAAiN "a NiNf JAAbNs AAAIAN Ga
now five judges who sit in the four parts
Of the General Sessions-the recorder. city
judge. and three general sessions judges.
The Jerome bills provide that all the
judges shall be known as judges Of Cen
erel Sessions. and that there shall be
another part, and therefore another judge,
making six in all,
Under the present law there can be only
one grand jury drawn every month IN
General Sessions. A grand jury may be
continued from month to month. but that
Is very clumsy work. Mr. jerome and
his assistants feel that at the present
rate of increasing crime 1t is Impossible
for one grand jury 10 attend 10 the bus
mess of the county with proper dispatch.
There Is too much of Il,
Wants More Statutory Deputies.
If the bills that provide for an extra
General Sessions judge and two grand
juries monthly are passed there is am
other bill under which two more fun as
sistant district attorneys can be ap-
pointed. Mr. Jerome says he has all the
assistants he wants now. but if there is
another court and another grand jury he
should have two more assistants. There
are now eight ASSISTANTS. which viii make
ten in all.
Another important change contained IN
one of the bills is that any one of the
district attorneys assistants may go be
fore the grand jury. As the law nov
stands, or as it Is interpreted by persons
outside Of the district attorneys Office.
but never admitted by those inside, only
a statutory assistant district attorney
can present a ease TO the grand jury. Dir.
Jerome feels that any one OF the deputies
should be allowed TO go before the grand
Jury. His reason for this is that
often deputy spends long time investi-
eating a case and IS familiar with every
phase Of IL
Would increase, Judges Salaries.
When it comes to presenting it 10 the
grand jury. the evidence must De turned
over TO a fun assistant. who naturally is
not familiar with the case. ANY man
who takes an oath when he becomes
member of the district attorneys staff
should be allowed to go before the grand
jury and present evidence in cases, in the
opinion Of Mr.. Jerome.
A General Sessions judge Is row paid
$4,000 a year Mr.. Jerome proposes that
their salaries should be jumped 10 Sl5,000.
There IS nothing in the bills increasing
the salaries Of the district attorney or any
of his staff Mr.. Jerome says that the
things provided for in the bills are need
ed. Something along this line should have,
been done before this. but he thought
somebody else would undertake the job.
If the bills are not passed he viii lose
nothing, and the responsibility for the
Tombs being OvercrOwded. and for the
criminal calendars being clogged. will not
be on him.
Mr.. Jerome will stay in Albany until
Tuesday II has not been decided who
will introduce the bills for him, bat 1t is
understood that he Will first have a talk
with Gov Hughes