The sun., 1907-08-27
BUTTS AND MAGISTRATES ROW
HE THINKS THEY WORK TOO
HARD FOR THEIR "a. 600 YEARLY.

Magistrate Butts threw a scare into the
Board u City Magistrates yesterday after
noon when he introduced a resolution that
most Of them considered would curtsil
their liberty II H. were adopted. Msgs-
trate BUTTS thinks that the Magistrates
work too hard for the 81 900 salary they
get. and his resolution was to the effect
that the work be lightened by splitting
each Of the courts. except the ones at Nor
risania and West Chester into two parts.
In one part he proposed that only examins-
tion cases and cases Of abandonment be
heard. while the other part should attend 20
cases that could he disposed of summarily.
Magistrate Butts said that he felt that
more up to date methods we're necessary.
Tho methods had not been changed in the
last fifty years. and q court that handled
1sO. 900 cases in a year was a great court and
should be conducted on modern methods.
There are sixteen Ma sgistrates. eight
Of whom are on duty all Of the time, while
eight are or duty. II is not right that eight
men should do the work Of sixteen he
said. "The work in the courts is not only
exacting. 10 10 excessive. and the wonder
to me is that so many Of the Magistrates
survive II. II the Magistrates who are
not sitting in the regular court would sit
TO hear cases where there had TO be an
examination and abandonment cases. then
the work would be lightened considerably
for all concerned. IL would not mean
that a Magistrate would get no vacation.
IA he does now. In fact he would get ten
days on in every forty"
While Magistrate Butts was speaking
there we're murmurs of dissent and each Of
the Magistrates seemed anxious to get to
his feet. but Magistrate Butts continued
without interruption.
Examination Of cases is most import ant.
The other day in jefferson Market court
l had eighteen examination cases. With
the Interruptions that came IL was i'm
possible to hear them as fairly as the law
imposes should be done. I hope you
gentlemen will give this matter serious
consideration. II we divided each court
into two parts we would do the work better
and we would be doing our duty"
Magistrate Butts had not resumed his
chair before half OF the Magistrates were
on their feet. Magistrate Wahle was
recognized first by Chairman House.
Il will not let go unchallenged the in
ference that our work has not been and
is not being attended to properly. Under
the present rule We are sitting two-thirds
OF our time and we sit eleven days on a
stretch. with Sundays and holidays in
cluded. When We sit sixteen days We sit
more than the Judges OF any court in the
land.
Il don't know how Judge Butts gets
along, but ! do know that recently when
followed him in the Fifth court i found
twenty examination cases that he had left
behind for me to hear IL seems 10 me
that he would have done better to have
set some Of those cases for a hearing on
days when he was of. Magistrates fire.
quently get cases that cannot be finished
but it is a simple matter TO set them for a
time when they can be attended to properly.
We can get along under the present rules
Il am not obstinate enough TO say that
there is not room for Improvement in
everything" said Magistrate Cornell.
but | do say after twelve years on the
bench that the methods Of the Msgistrate's &
court are up to date. l am opposed to
any resolution seeking TO make the men
OF duty do any work | have never failed
20 clear up my calendar before | left a
court or TO finish IL so az not to leave any
business for the Magistrate who came
after me. wouldn't be a Magistrate
If had to sit the days that l am supposed
TO be on vacation. Judge Butts is wrong
in his ideas. There are many times when
lawyers appear on both sides in very trivial
cases Such cases can be disposed of
without long examinations.
Il am going away from here tomorrow
and ! am not coming back until September
5. | am going on a yacht and go as far
away from New York and the criminals
as | can" ,.,
| the Magistrates.
Magistrate Butts declared that he had
meant no reflection on the work Of any
Magistrate.
II have learned for the first time that "A
! Magistrate cannot attend 20 the cases that
| come before him." said Magistrate Barlow
| Il move that the matter be referred to the
charter committee The resolution went
! over to the next meeting.
| The Magistrates had met for the purpose
! Of electing a president, as IL had been held
/ that when Magistrate House resigned 10
| accept the vacancy made by the resig-
nation Of Magistrate Whitman the presi-
dency also became vacant. On the first
ballot Magistrate Moss was a candidate
having been nominated by Magistrate
Wahle and seconded by Magistrate Finn.
| Magistrate House who was nominated by
| Magistrate Harris. got the most votes.
| though not enough TO elect, Magistrate
Moss's name was then withdrawn and Magis-
trate House was reelected. The only vote
against him was the one he himself cast for
Magistrate Barlow. who was presiding
| temporarily.
! Magistrate House some days ago ap-
pointed Magistrates Cornell, Corrigsn and
! Wahle as a committee TO confer with a
similar committee of Magistrates Of the
! second division with regard TO changes in
the Charter affecting the Magistrates'
| courts. Magistrate Barlow thought that
one of the most important things would
be TO have something done so that bonds
| for good behavior would be forfeited when
persons under bond failed TO meet the re-
| quirements Of the bond. He had never
heard of a forfeiture and believed that
a $40 bond that was forfeitable was far bet
ter than 1000 bond that was never
J forfeited.
Magistrate Droege thought there should
be concerted action on the part of the
Magistrates in regard TO the fining Of auto
mobile 81 peeders. Discussion developed the
fact that most Of the Magistrates had
been imposing SO fine since the decision
OF Justice TrIax on the subject. II was
suggested that the Board Of Aldermen be
asked to raise the fine IL Magistrates are tC
continue to fine autom obilists for violating
the city ordinance