The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-10
A WEEK OF The NIGHT COURT
VIM MD ARREST DR. STREET
WOMEN DROP so PER CENT:

Maybe a. Much Graf HAS Been clipped
Frem the Pockets Of Professional
Eiondsmen 1t SHOWS the Police 10 Their
rrue CoIOrs. says Magistrate House.
President House Of the Board of City
Magist rates called before him at the West
Side Court yesterday afternoon oil the chief
clerks OF the oourts In Manhattan and Tho
Bronx and obtained from them statistics
OF the number Of arrests in the city for the
one week the night court has been In session
OF women for soliciting. He asked Judge
Whitman TO confer with him and Magistrate
Cofrigan, who Is sitting In the West Side
court, a. to the meaning Of the figures.
The reportA showed that for the week
Of July Is to 81 inclusive, just before tho
night court was opened, the arrests Of
m Of the street numbered ISL. For
the week OF August I 20 Z inclusive, when
the night court was In session, the arrests
for this offence numbered only eighty-four
in day and night courts all told. or the
eighty -four, ffty-three were arrsigned
in the night court.
There were srraigned In the Yorkville
court In the daytime seven cases, arrested
at night. no explanation being made A.
to why they were not taken 70 the night
court. There were a~rrsigned at the West
Side court, in the daytime, twelve cases,
with no explanation a. TO Why they wers
not taken to the night oourt.
Tho largest number Of these cases In the
night court vas on tho opening night when
there were 20. The smallest number was on
August s. when there were only three. The
statistics also showed that in the week
nraoNdlnA thu lNAnt0S ~ RhA nknht Nnttrf
there were no less than forty-ssven such
cases srraiEnsd in jefferson Market and
forty-eight cases s%rraigned in the York.
vile court.
The figures showed that as a result OF
the night court there had been q decrease
in the arrest OF street women. counting
both day and night courts. Of exactly
$3.50 per cent The decrease. il tho ar
rests Of the week Of July Is to 81 were COM
pared with the arrests brought before the
night court-isl as compared with So
amounted 10 nearly 10 per cent. Magis-
trste House pointed out that the records
OF the Magistrates courts showed that
the largest number OF arrests OF women
Of the street always occurred in the months
Of July and August He was amazed at
the showing the figures made OF police
established. and added:
1T was asserted both before and after
the night court bill became q law that the
women Of the street were arrested by the
police not because they were guilty OF
this offence. although | am convinced
that they were guilty IN practically every
case. but because OF their ability to pay
q professional station house bondsman.
II was asserted by the friends OF the bill
that when the night court was established
the number Of arrests would be greatly
diFniniabQd haCauaN Of fhp 6iYmlnlQbad
opportunities for police graft, The results
speak for themselves. and I am simply
astonished that the police have put them
selves in the position they have. The
figures tell the story.
.As TO the present condition Of the
streets and the protection Of the public
on the streets at night, ] wish 10 say that
il 10 now entirely a meter for the con
sideration Of those in charge Of the Police
Department. OF course a large number
Of women may be arrested from time to
time to apparently discredit this position.
If this is done II will not need much COM
ment."
Magistrate House had this to say as to
the effect OF the night court on the day
courts:
"The night court. il has been found, has
relieved the day courts to an extent that
plesses va all. There Ia more time now
for orderly and judicial examination Of
cases. We have time now to go more
thoroughly into complaints brought before
us. We can give more careful considera-
ton 70 husband and wife and abandonment
cases. There IL better opportunity for ex-
animation cases. We can coop crate more
fully with the Health, Tenement House.
Street Cleaning. Board Of Education and
other city departments. The night court
therefore has been Of unreasonable benefit
TO the administration Of justice in the day
courts"
Magistrate House said he would ask the
Police Department TO amend the order
relative TO the arrest IT women at night.
The order said that those held for felonies
should NOT be sent to the night court.
Magistrate House will ask that all women.
arrested for whatever cause, be sent 10 the
night court. Il shall request this change"
he said, for humanitarian reasons II for no
other. The immediate a~rraignment OF
women arrested at night was one Of the
strongest reasons urged for the passage OF
the act. II all women are brought before
the night court there will be no way whereby
the police can Ak UP matters for the pro-
fessional bondsmen."