The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-05
CATALAN IMPOSES
 FINES ON SHERIFF Total Of $150 Against Officer
 Yesterday BEDDOW IS ALSO FINED Not In Court When Clients Case Was CsIled-Lawycr's Fine, However,
 Was Reunited During
 Afternoon
BEDDOW IS ALSO FINED

Carrying out his stated intention of enforcing expeditions work in the crimi- nal court. Senior Criminal Judge Frank Cahalan yesterday placed three fines of $50 each on Sheriff Higdon for alleged failure to have papers returned in three cases and fine of $10 on Attorney c. P. Beddow for failure to be in court on time when his clients case was called.
 The cases in which the papers were not returned were those of Frank Lee, charged with burglary; Pearl Monroe, charged with grand larceny, and Pellan Rabb charged with assault with intent to murder. The sheriff was fined $50 in each of these cases and s25 in the case of Will Brown, charged with burglary and grand larceny, which came up Tues day. iH ii
 The sheriff was ordered to appear be- fore Judge Cahalan Saturday and give cause why he should not be made to pay the fines.
 Attorney Beddow's fine was remitted by Judge Cahalan yesterday afternoon at the close of the case in which the at torney was interested. Judge Cahalan stated that since it was shown that MT. Beddow was not personally responsible for his tardiness, as he was not aware the case had been set, he would remit the fine. He paid MT Beddow and his firm compliment, saying they were al- ways among the most prompt and that he was sorry the court had deemed such action necessary.
 Attorney B. K. Samuels was fined s5 for tardiness Tuesday and Sheriff Hig- don was fined $25. The total of fines for two days is thus s190
 Judge Cahalan reiterates his statement that procedure in the criminal court must be expedited. When cases are passed on account of the laxity of lawyers or the sheriff's men, he states, it Is only the unfortunate prisoner who suffers, as his chances for an early trial are slim
 '1 have no criticism to make of Judge Cahalan's action in fining me-" said Sher- if Higdon last night. 'The judges action is only carrying out what I have ad- vocated during my term of office. If there were more fining of those who seek to delay the proceedings of the court the judicial business of Jefferson county would be transacted much more quickly.
 Sometimes, however, it is very diff cult to serve a paper and have the re- turn made In time. Take, for example, one of the papers about which I was fined. The subpoena was given to me with the address of one witness marked Avenue D and Eighteenth street. A depu- ty was sent there and no such man was found. I then thought that it might be in Bessemer and the subpoena was sent there. There was no such man in Besse- mer As a last resort I sent the paper to Ensley and the man was found. The subpoena was returned this morning. That process took time. The subpoena went through the hands of three depu- ties and had the man not been in Ems ley it would have gone into the hands of fourth.
 This is happening every day People are constantly moving from one part of the city to another. from one town in the county to another and it is practically im- possible to keep up with them.
 q feel sure that Judge Cahalan will remit the fine when he understands the facts in the case Whenever a paper is not returned properly the judge may rest assured that I have good excuse"