The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-10-31
TO KEEP NIGHT COURT OPEN.
senator Agnew VIII Introduce . Dtn Pre-
yfding for 3 O'Clock Sessions.

senator Agnew VIII Introduce . BIN Pre-
vfdlns for 3 O'Clock Sessions.
Senator George r. Agnew, who intro
duoed the bill for the night police court
and who secured its passage against bitter
opposition, said yesterday that unless the
Board Of Magistrates evoked their action
shortening the hours OF the court he would
introduce a bill making it mandatory on
the Magistrates TO sit until 3 A. NJ.
Il confess ! was greatly surprised said
Senator Agnew, "at the decision Of the
Magistrates. 1 introduced the bill pro-
viding for the court because the Magis-
trates voted unanimously last winter jim
favor OF such a court. Judge Whitman
was then president Of the board. L repre-
scented his Senate district. He as the pre-
siding officer of the Magistrates asked me
to put the bill in and push it through. Al
though l am his friend there was nothing
political in my action. I regarded the
matter as a direct request from the Magis-
trates themselves. l fought for the bill
and ultimately it was passed. It war n
move for civic decency and nothing else.
and the purpose was to crush the calling OF
professional bondsmen. There we're other
purposes behind the bill, such as spsring
innocent persons the humiliation Of being
locked up all night and also providing a
certain place where a Magistrate could be
found late at night to take bail.
In view Of the original attitude OF the
Magistrates toward tho court l cannot
understand what their new move means.
lnasmuch as there was no politics in the
securing the passage or the bill 1 have
no desire to bring politics into what l am
saving. II may be that the move was in
tended to injure Whitman's candidacy.
Those who think 40 nave good grounds, |
am told, for their belief. But aside from
that, I am sure that if anybody was de-
lighted at the prospect Of shorter hours in
this court il was those bondsmen whose
terrible graft we sought to kill, and as / an
informed h~avekilled.
Now We do not want any step taken in
connection with rhe night court that will
please in he slightest degree the profess
sional bondsmen. Nothing would delight
them more than TO see Judge Whitman de-
feated and the court he originated crippled
at the same time. Regardless OF the out
come of the election. therefore. l intend 70
see that thoSeb ondsmen shall not have even
a small chance 10 resume their calling.
With the night court running until A VI.
the session each night IN only i've hours.
allowing an hour for recess OF luncheon.
To sit five hours a night is surely not a
hardship for a Judge who gets 81 900 a year
and sits only two weeks each month. The
day police courts are in session six hours q
day. ~ the night court adjourns at $50
A. NJ il means e session Of only three anti
one-half hours. The mere statement Of
the matter carries conviction that the court
should remain open until 3 A. M.
AT any rate. as the one who introduced
the bill and fought for its passage ] feel
that IL is my duty to Introduce a bill com-
pelling the longer sessions OF the court
because the people so want it,. II will be
one OF h first measures shall present at
Albany next winter"