Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-01-06
ALDERMAN COWLES' BOMB
Arraigned Local Methods of Pro-
cedure in Criminal Gases.
introduced RcsO1utiOn. which WAS
Passed. Directing Prosecuting Ohi-
GERS TO Patronixc City Court
instead of Justice.

The regular monthly meeting OF the
board of aldermen, Monday evening at
Inc city hall. started with suspicious
quiet, but went along smoothly and even
IS until Alderman Cowles exploded
bomb in the shape OF an arrangement OF
the local methods OF procedure In Grim
lnal cases. Owing to the fact that some
amended charges preferred by Mayor
James T.. Burke against Police Commits
sioner NJ G. Powers were not read, this
proved tc bo the event Of the evening.
After n lot of bills had been paid,
which will be noted hereafter. and other
routine business gone through with, AL
ucrman Cowles arose ana introduced a
resolution to the effect that 1t is the duty
of the grand juror and the city attorney
tc hringf all criminal cases. VIII" eveI
possible, before the city court ill.,
f'"ad Of before n justice OF the
peace, and also to make a full annual re-
port showing the number of cases, etc.
Alderr- III Cowles then made long
verbal report giving in detail the situa-
ton in this city in relation to the trial
Of criminal cases. In brief. his state
monts were as follows:
For the trial OF breach Of the peace
cases the city pays. for intoxication
courts have been established by The
LEGISLATURE for the purpose of doing
away with a part of the expense attach
ed to these trials, and the judges Of such
courts are paid a regular salary.
1t largely depends upon the prosecut-
Ing officer whether the case is taken into
court or brought before justice Of the
peace. The States attorney, the city at
torney and the grand juror are the prose-
cutting officers, and each has jurisdiction
In certain classes Of cases. Where n case
i brought before a Justice of the peace
The State or city is paying the Justice
for doing something for which 1t already
las salaried officer.
In this city the States attorney and
the city attorney are In the habit Of
bringing their cases into city court. but
Ii has not been the custom of the grand
Juror to do so. The official reports SHOW
That for tho year ending October /, 1909,
The grand Juror nos taken only 40 cases
Into city court rs against l7S which he
mas brought ,:p for trial before Justice G..
W Debcrvlle.
II is the custom of the sheriff and
Tho police officers to bring their prison.
YRS into city court, but the grand Juror
laS used his influence to bring as many
rs possible of the city cases before JUS
tice DeberVile
This method OF procedure. Mr.. COW
les said, has been criticised by the State
papers and he has letters from IL NUM-
ciDal judges of the State in relation to
the matter These letters and other evil
aence show that only in three courts in
the state is the practice of often bring
Ing city cases before justice in vogue.
These places are Rutland, st. Adams
and Burlington. Rutland county's States
attorney and the grand juror of St. AL
uans are doing it.
Mr. Cowles virtually said that Grand
Juror Webster has appointed an assist
rnt Judge to the city court with a salary
derived from the said cases. exceeding
mat paid the side judges of the county
court. He then went on to state further
that the methods now used do not i'm
move the course Of Justice.
Mr.. Cowlcr said that the grand juror
and he justice in question say that the
oi,y cour, Is not open when the cases
me ready for trial, but he asserted that
the city judge and the city clerk were
ready to do their duty and needed only
10 he notified. At the conclusion of his
remarks his verbal repor; was accepted
md the resolution passed by the board.
Bills of the water department to the
amount Of $3,o2452. the electric light de-