The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-17
WANTS ID ABOLISH JUSTICES COURTS
Judge H. B. Abernethy Will
 Work for Judge Bill
GOES TO THE CAPITAL
The Inferior Court Judge Talks in No Uncertain Terms of the Evils of the Justice Court
 System

For the purpose of fighting for the abolishment of the remaining Justice courts In Greater Birmingham, as con- templated in a bill drawn by former Representative Jere King, Judge Hustus B. Abernethy of the inferior court left yesterday for Montgomery.
 He styled the system as Ubiquitous and putrid," and said the commercial inter ests of this city should rise up against the system as it has prevailed in the past and to a certain extent now pre- vails.
 Judge Abernethy about four years ago voluntarily requested the legislature to abolish his job as justice of the peace and to create the present inferior court because, he said, the system was wholly without defense and was a disgrace to any community. He secured the adop- tion of his measure providing for the abolishment of justice courts in beats 21 and 37 of Birmingham.
 Tn talking of the justice system yes terday he said:
 '"rhe system of garnishments and other cases arising in the justice courts is bad, extremely bad. I have been a jus tice of the peace for a long number of years and I asked the legislature to abolish my office because my sense of right and justice had been outraged time and time again. I waited until the only proper time and they did away with it. Outside of Birmingham the system still prevails and I earnestly hope the legis- lature will do away with the remaining justice courts
 They frequently commit acts against decency and justice, perhaps uninten- tional but just as effective. When I oper- ated my court of justice of the peace peddlers and loan sharks patronized me to such an extent that they almost pos- sessed the impudence to dictate what judgments should be rendered in their cases.
 q have actually known these men and others with many cases wherein the jus tices get fees, to say, Unless certain &C., tion is taken I will remove my work to another judge, who will give me what I demand
 " iCH d touil Ol JuStlCS DcCOIlltS d place where the question of right or wrong Is set aside and commercial earn ings overpower the administratio ton of jus tice, then it is time to give up. The lawyers, as a rule, do not stand spon- sors to this sort of work. Most lawyers are in all emergencies high-toned men. Frequently the lawyer rights more wrong than any one man, and after all Is said and done the enthroning of one act of justice is a title to nobility But the practices of others who come to court without any lawyer, depending upon their commercial influence to get them ver- diets, are what have eaten the system to it's doom.
 ''Our inferior court has proven It's merit We have paid the county money by our operations. We have administered jus tice without the presence of an enticing fee, and the fee will conquer man un- less in the stress of temptation he can assert his mastery over himself.
 T favor the abolition of this crude system of commercial bartering because it is founded on illogical conditions. With the establishment of an inferior court every attache Is paid in salaries and the frequent miscarriage of justice can not occur.
 q have no criticism of the justices, personally, but only of the system. do not charge that they are corrupt, but when a Jewish peddler or loan shark can dictate his causes at court with his patronage the time Is ripe for a re- form"
 The King measure, advocated by Judge Abernethy, is to be introduced in a few days by Representative Judge of Jeffer- son calIntv