The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-21
HENDERSON URGED ID SIGN BILL FOR ADDITIONAL JUDGE Solicitor Black Points Out Pressing Need in the
 Criminal Court
IMPOSSIBLE NOW
 TO CLEAR DOCKET
If Not Another Arrest Was Made Would Require Two Years, He Says--"Time Is the Best
 Criminal Lawyer"

Governor Henderson is urged by Soici- tor Hugo L.. Black of Jefferson county to sign bill recently passed by the legis- ature which provides for the appoint ment of a temporary additional judge of the criminal court in an open letter which sets forth some of the current abuses of the laws delay.
 Solicitor Black points out to the gov ernor that at the present time the coun- ty jail records show a total of 374 prison- CTS awaiting trial on felony charges It is further pointed out that the cost of these prisoners is 30 cents per day for each man and by prompt trials some thing like $36,o00 a year could be saved the state of Alabama
 The solicitor further points out to Gov ernor Henderson that the constitution of the United States has always guaran- teed a defendant a speedy trial but that owing to the clogging of the courts in this county the constitution is violated every day. He emphasizes that if not another arrest were made by the police and county authorities it would take at least two years for the courts to clear the dockets.
 The attention of Governor Henderson is called to the fact that there are cases on the Jefferson county court dockets which have been pending for the past nine years and the writer makes the point that time is the best criminal lawyer" The letter of the solicitor closes with an earnest request that the governor affix his signature to the bill in order that the dignity of the law be main- tained in Jefferson county.
 Yesterday flood of telegrams from prominent Birmingham men and the lead ing attorneys was sent to Governor Hen derson urging that the bifl granting Jeff ferson county an additional criminal judge be signed
 Solicitor Blacks Letter
 The letter of the solicitor to the gov ernor follows:
 Birmingham, Feb. 20 1915. '"ro the Governor of the State of Ala bama, Montgomery. Ala:
 'Sir-In view of the fact that there is a bill upon your desk passed by the leg islature and senate, providing for the appointment of temporary additional judge of the criminal court of Jefferson county I desire to apprise you of cer-
  of the dockets of this court. The bill to which I refer does not create a perma nent office, but is purely an emergency measure, rendered necessary by a docket which is hopelessiy cogged unless some relief is given.
 "rhe docket on December 21 1914, showed the following:
 Capital cases dncluding murder, rob
 bery and rape) .........,..........-... " Noncapital felony eases dncluding
 murder second degree. manslaugh-
 ter, burglary, grand larceny, assault
 with intent to murder rob or ray
 ish, keeping gaming table, forgery,
 ctc.) ....'.............. ooo Misdemeanors (where jury demanded) 566 Misdemeanors (nonjury) ................ .13I6 Appeal from city court of Birming-
 ham ..........,-........... Jio
 Total s23s
 'There were 4S43 arrests made during the year 1914, and presuming that there will be as many as two-thirds of that number arrested in 1915 it needs no ar gument to demonstrated that 1t is.a phys ical impossiblity for two men to try this number and also dispose of the pending causes
 'The jail records today show total of 374 prisoners held on the following charges:
 Murder ..............+............ 'i Robbery .........,............... 22 Assault with intent to murder ......... g Burglary and grand larceny ............ 92 Grand larceny ............,...........-... yo Assault and battery .............-........ lJ Carrying concealed weapons .....,.... 5 Forgery ........-.......'....'.,,. ...''''.-'. 10