New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-15
TRAP SPEEDERS
BY FINGER PRINTS
WOODS ADVISES
Commissioner Seeks Way
to Revoke Licenses of
Reckless AutOiStS.
M'ADOO WILL WORK
ON DIFFERENT PLAN
Magistrate Told of Offenders
Escapes and Police Handicap
i'm Protecting Life.

Police Commissioner Arthur Woods
and Judge William McAdoo, chief city
MAGISTRATE, are cooperating to invent
some court machinery that will bring
the full pressure Of the law to bear
on chauffeurs arrested for offences IN
dicatinc gross carelessness. reckless
ness and disregard of human life. How
TO prove cases where second ana
third offence Is charged. so that the
maximum penalty-even revocation OF
the chauffeur's license-may be ex-
acted. is the problem confronting the
magistrates.
"Why not take hngerprints of chauf-
feurs. that the penalty may be grsdu-
ated according to the number Of Of
fences committed ?" asks Commissioner
Woods in & letter to Judge McAdoo.
81 shall try TO work with the Com
missioner to devise some machinery
that will obviate fngerprints," said the
chief magistrate in commenting on the
letter.
The Police Commissioner suggests
that CITY magistrates be more strict IN
having the whole power of the trial
Judge exercised in recommending the
revocation of licenses to the Secretary
Of State.
Woods's Note to McAdOo.
T-nder date Of November IL Commits
sioner Woods wrote Judge McAdoo as
"As ! understand it, the Secretary
Of State has power TO suspend or re-
woke the license of the operator OF
motor vehicle in the following three
cases:
persons who operate motor We
hicle while intoxicated, including both
chauffeurs and owners.
Persons who, in the operation OF
motor vehicles, cause injury to person
or property, and knowing they have
caused such injury and that the same
was due to their negligence, leave the
place of the injury or accident without
giving their name, residence, license
number, etc. to the injured party or
TO a police officer, or reporting 1t to the
nearest station house. This applies TO
both owners and chauffeurs.
sChauffeurs who have been convicted
three times of violation of the laws or
ordinances covering speeding.
Under the provision of the law the
records in all such cases are to be
forwarded 10 the Secretary of State by
the clerk of the court, where the
offender is tried. and if the trial judge
recommends it, the Secretary of State
is required TO revoke the license in all
cases above mentioned, and also the
certificate OF registration Of the owner
i'm groups and >. The wording of the
statute seems to make this mandatory
on the part of the Secretary of State
in case the trial Judge recommends IT,"
The Commissioner then calls Judge
McAdoo's attention to four cases
where men have been convicted and
this procedure has not, apparently,
been carried out.
EFF my information is right in these
cases." he continued, land il these men
with such records have still been per-
mitted 10 retain their licenses, do you
not think that it would be a good plan.
in order TO reduce the great number OF
accidents in the street and curb reck-
less driving, to be more strict in these
matters. and TO have the whole power
OF the trial judge exercised by recon-
mending the revocation of the licenses
TO the Secretary of State?
Handicap for Police.
THE police and the magistrates in
their attempts to enforce the law
against speeders and reckless drivers
are severely handicapped. as you and
have often talked over, by the fact
that there is no sure way of proving
second ard third offences. | know
that you feel il would help in the en-
forcement of this law. which is so inn
portsnt to the safety of the public. if
iingerprints should be taken Of chauf-
feurs in order that the intent of the
law may be carried out. and that the
penalty may be graduated according
TO the number Of offences committed.
There is no sure way of doing this un-
less fngerprints be taken. Do YOU not
think that the seriousness of the sit
uaton requires that fngerprnts be
taken in the magistrates courts, at
any rate of all offenders where the
character Of the offence indicates gross
carelessness, recklessness and disre-
gard Of human life?"
Naturally there are objections TO
fingerprints," said Judge McAdoo last
night at his apartment in the Hotel
Patterson. So West Forty-seventh
Street. "A large number of automo-
biles are owned and operated by hard
working, honest men If moderate
means, who would object to having
their finger-prints taken.
"For three years ! have asked the
Secretary Of State TO leave space on
the back Of the chauffeur's license card
where the magistrate may enter a
record Of his convictions. Since he
must always have the card with him,
he could be compelled to produce his
record in court
Judge McAdoo said that he would
issue a statement to-day in reply TO
Commissioner Woods suggestion Of
more stringent action IN reyoking
ehaufeurs' licenses.