Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-13

yers coming from court found him in pos
session of the new building, and they ad-
mitted that they were outwitted and beaten.
That was July II. 1878.
N. G. Harper, the present chief deputy
clerk Of the Police Court, was appointed
to a position in the clerks Office January
l. 1884. Joseph Harper, now clerk of the
Juvenile Court, who had been clerk in the
office, was made deputy clerk of the
court at that time. About the same time
William c. Harper, father of Joseph and
N. c. Harper, was appointed acting Judge
Of the court.
In the year 1888, on account of the
change of politics at the White House,
there was a change in judges, and Judge
Smell was superseded, May 16 of that year,
by Thomas F. Miller, appointed by Presi-
dent Cleveland With the change in Judges
the following changes in officials were made:
Howard c. C1agett appointed clerk, to sue
coed H. c. Prince, and Samuel B. Kendig
was appointed bailiff Mr.. Kendig is still
on the official staff of the court.
Joseph Y. Potts Appointed.
Joseph Y. Potts, the present clerk Of the
court. was appointed to that position by
Judge Miller September 80. 1890, and he
has served efficiently since that time.
The year 1891 marked the beginning of a
new epoch for the court, for, in several
ways, it took on a broader scope. The first
change came as the result of action taken
by the attorneys in a well-known labor
conspiracy case. When they appeared be-
fore Judge Miller they demanded a trial by
jury. AS there was no precedent for grant
ing such a demand, Judge Miller refused a
jury trial. The question was carried to a
higher court, and 1t was finally declared
that the men had right to a jury trial if
they preferred it. Steps were then at once
taken to provide for jury in police court
cases.
The second change came as the result of
the increasing volume of business that was
being taken before the court and of the
larger scope which the granting of the jury
trials necessitated BY an act Of Congress-
approved March 8, 1891. provision was made
for the appointment of a second judge and
for the division of the court into two
branches, one to try the offenses against
the United States and the second to try
the offenses against the District. In carry
ing out the provisions of this law Ivory G.
Kimball was appointed Judge of the Po-
lice Court March "a, 1891. He has served
two full terms of six years each and is now
In his third term.
Creation for Two Branches.
The creation of two branches of the court
to take the place of the one that had pre-
viously existed made necessary additions
to the court building, and In the same year
preliminary work toward putting another
story on the building was done. The
work was completed the following year and
It was then thought that 1t would provide
ample quarters for the court for many
years to come.
Judge Miller died in the harness in the
fall of 1897, and to fill the vacancy Charles
F. Scott, justice of the peace, was appoint
ed. John B. Peyton deputy clerk, was APP
pointed July /, 1902, and Charles ]. SWEET
ger was made bailtff In the same year.
Frank A. Sebring was appointed finan-s
cial clerk of the Police Court in 1902, when
IT. tod 10
since that time
The latest change in the official staff of
the Police Court followed the death of
Judge Charles F. Scott in September, 1905.
Judge Scott had been failing in health for
long time and he passed away not unex-
pected1y. Alexander R. Mullowny. who had
been assistant United States attorney and
prosecuting officer in the United States
branch of the court for about ten years,
was the choice of President Roosevelt for
the bench.