The Topeka state journal., 1913-11-17
Make A REPORT
City Commissioners Check
Huron Matter Up to Mayor.
He Doesn't Need Clerk and His
Fines Are Excessive.

A clerk for tho police judge II not
needed, IL the substance of the report
made by Commissioners Tandy ana
Bone, after investigating the way
Judge George A. Huron conducts the
affairs of his office-that is. clerk
is not needed unless the present policy
of the police court Is to be continued
and the commissioners very grace
fully check it up to the mayor TO say
whether the present policy is to be
continued or not. They declined to
make any recommendations, saying
that any recommendations in the mat
ter should come from the mayor. as
the police judge 10 in his department.
and police expenses are payable from
his budget.
quest of Judge Huron. after he mao
been informed that he would no long
er be allowed the assistance of clerk.
He has had q clerk for the past rive
months, something no other ponce
Judge in Topeka ever had or express
that he had more work than he coulo
do. The investigators, in their report.
point out how, they believe. the Juoge
misspends a good deal Of his time.
The report is al follows:
Since the present encumbent as
sumed the duties Of police Judge, ZOO
cases have been commenced ana near
ly half of these were cases wherein
''John Doe" warrants were issued and
where no arrests were made. In ao-
dition to this. there appears to be quite
a number Of cases that have been dis
missed for lack of prosecuting VIZ
nesses or for other causes Unoer
the present system, the John Doe"
cases are given the same attention. IN
sOfar as clerical work Is concerned, az
the cases wherein an arrest IL mace.
The work, however Is not burdensome
49, - a
printed form. The same is true In
connection with the dismissed cases.
for they, like the John Doe" cases,
are short and require much less time
than where the case is tried.
Lecture Take Time.
We believe that a more simpliffed
method could be arranged for the
handling Of these cases just mention
ed, one which would take less time
and yet answer all the requirements.
but in this we differ from Judge
Huron. We find, further, that the
present judge deems it necessary to
deliver lectures of uncertain length to
different offenders who are brought
before him and that considerable time
is spent in this manner.
Policemen Lose Sleep.
We further find that there Is a lack
of system in the handling Of cases
wherein policemen are the complain
being on duty all night, are called
upon to appear in police court at $3.50
o'clock in the afternoon to testify In
cases in which they are interested.
Oftimes the officers fail to appear,
thus causing a delay and sometimes
causing the dismissal, of a case for
want of a prosecuting witness. The
reason for their failure to appear, we
believe to be due to the fact that these
policemen often appear at court at
the time stated and are compelled to
wait through cases in which officers
are not used and when their case
might just as well be handled early in
the day. allowing the policemen to
return to their homes We believe that
all cases in which police officers are
witnesses should be given first atten-
ton SO these officers would have to
spend as little time as possible at
these trials.
Excessive Fines Blamed.
Your commissioners do not agree
with the judge in his present method
offenses and against first offenders.
and we believe a great deal OF his time
has been taken up in hearing remon-
strances from people SO fined.
Checked Up to Mayor.
We believe that the matter which
we have been called upon to investf-
gate, depends largely, If not altOgeth-
cTp as I'D WHcIucK- tic PACSCAl POAACy OA
the police court is continued, and In
view of this and the further fact that
the police judge is in the mayors de-
partment and the expense of conduct
ing same is payable from his budget,
we believe that the mayor Is more
directly interested and believe that
any Recommendation in the matter
should come from him."
R0llnllEI * 0RDEREn.