New-York tribune., 1908-12-08
INDEX FOR SPEEDERS
TABS on OLD OFFENDERS.
Magistrate Bar}ogr Tells Where His
Court Needs More Porrer.

z-sola;ors of the motor vehicle speed ordinance
n This county sTa having card index kept their
records. Their own handwriting. in statements
made ~ them when they convicted IS being
rse6 70 determine their Identity when TO the
7,rt Of Special Sessions for trial for subsequent
,~ences. This was developed yesterday the
inquiry into the courts inferior criminal iIrfsdic
-ior rs the special commission, Of which Senator
Page IS chairman
George " whitesde deputy assistant district
attorney in charge of the work in the Court Of
SPECIAL Sessions explained the card index system
o. the stand. Under the law the penalty for speed
Increases according 10 the number of times the
offender has been previously convicted OF the same
offence For first conviction the fine is generally
go the minimum for the second conviction is So
fne or Imprisonment for thirty days for third
conviction The penalty is Imprisonment TO which
FIRE cf 500 mRy be added
The city magistrates have means % deter
mining whether man has been convicted before
when he is brought before them for speeding. II
70 pleads guilty he gets OF with the lowest
reraltv. when he decides TO put in a defence
however. he Is held for Special Sessions i'm
-redately his Is sent TO that court Mr.. White
SIDE gets busy with his card index II the offender
appears there having been previously convicted
me information complaint against him is made
cut n sccordanoe with that fact
ON account ef the crowded condition OF the cal
e1da- in she court Of Special Sessions. however II
o- rfrecuenty happens that the third case against
q man gets into the court before he IS brought to
trfzl On The first violation. In this case the in
formation can be made out only for first Of
fierce"
TIE Court OF Special Sessions is some six thousand
-qees behind 81 its work. and scores Of cases have
20 be dismissed because the witnesses cannot be
found a[ter the year that not infrequentIy eapses
between he time the case first comes up and its
coming 70 trial.
Magistrate Barlow. president OF the Board Of
city Magistrates. the stand, enumerated six
classes q where re thought BY slight changes
IN TIE charter and the code city magistrates could
take summary action, thus relieving the Court Of
Special Sessions materially All were cases where
g unnecessary 10 have expert testimony, and
Only clear questions Of fact were involved They
F--zr-whe-e pleas Of guilty offered IN petty
ls-reuv cases
Seccn6-5The-e q man Is arrested for carrying q
Thlrd-AH Society for the Prevention OF Cruelty
~ Animals cases. where the cruelty consists IN
} .ttrg harness over sore places
Al cases under the sanitary code, except
those involving violation Of the code regarding
MIX The adulteratiOn OF drugs, foods, etc infec-
-l-us diseases smoke cases and the fling OF vital
statistics CBoth Health Commissioner Darlington
and District Attorney Jerome have recommended
s. Al simple assaults. committed without pre-
recitation
q. Violation Of The motor vehicle law regarding
re display OF license numbers. lamps, etc.
Magistrate Barlow suggested a law by which a
"a gts--are might lie able handle speed viola
tons L involves Tie issuance ot license in the
-u--u Of 3 durable book. in which The record CT 4
'he holders previous Violations Il any. should be 4
Inscribed, heavy penalty being attached for fail /
u7s 10 carry his license hen driving car
Justice Joseph II DueI. = The Court ot Spe-
cal Sessions, offers q synopsis Of d measure cal
Cuat=d 10 relieve the court by placing some OF /
irs WORK tie city magistrates Both he and 4
Magistrate Barlow rejected the suggestion of max
rg another term Of the court by assigning
sg-sfEzI=s 10 sit with justice Of the higher
l1-rr tending 10 power.
on account Of the illness OF Julius y. Mayer, /
auls-l for The commission Frank B. Lord con |
i1s-e5 The ilquiry. which was adjourned until To-
-5--.W q Il d IL