Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-29
COURTS ATTITUDE
RESENTED BY BOARD
Administrators Ask Council to
Have Crutchheld Treat City
Officers With Respect.
NOW HELD UP TO RIDICULE
Also Call Attention to Over
crowding of Courtroom in Vio-
lation of Ordinance.
NOW HELD UP TO RIDICULE

Alleged discourteous treatment nv
Police Justice Crutchfeld of officials
and employees Of the departments nm
der the Administrative Boards control
on numerous occasions when these an
peared in the Police Court as witnesses
against persons charged with vio,at
ing city ordinances. caused the board
yesterday TO adopt the following
motion:
That the Council be requested
through His Honor the Mayor. TO have
the Police Justice OF the city of Rich
mond. John J. Crutchfeld treat with
! proper respect the city officers under
the Jurisdiction Of the Administrative
Board when they appear in his court
Tor the transaction of necessary and
important city business"
The motion was offered by Commits
sioner John Hirschberg. and was
adopted without debate Shortly be-
fore this the board had adopted two
motions offered by Commissioners Beck
the first asking the Mayor to INQUIRE
, OF Justice Crutchheid why the ordi
| nance with reference TO ovcrcrowdinr
IN the Police Cour, is not enforced
and asking the Mayor. further, to have
the police force assist the custodian of
TINS building TO prevent the crowdinC
OF this court every morning
oVERCRoWDING or COURT
MENACE TO HEALTH
me second motion provided thar
chief Health Officer Levy he directed to
report TO tho board whether. in his
| opinion. the crowds that daily conEre-
gate IN the Police Court should be al
lowed. in view Of the present pre-
| ca'!"us health conditions existing in
the city Of Richmond,
According TO two members of the
administrative Board. Mr. Hirschberp
anu MT Beck, recent experiences OF
oHicia!s and employees of the depart-
hehts under the boards direction
E'hG IN the Police Court. have
been in high degree unsatisfac,ory
instead OF receiving at the hands of
'he presiding justice a ready sympathy
with its efforts 10 secure a resns,,fm,
l observance OF the health and s,p;,,r
ordinances the board asserts. it's repre-
Sentatives have been in many cases re.
ceiNed with Indifference approacbip,
contempt
kecently the onus of the Police
,ourts lack Of sympathy. il is charged
mas oeeH visited on the Health Denar-
nient. whose officers and INSPECTOR.
nave acquired dread of appearing
before Justice Crutchtield in the prose.
cution OF offenders, because of bie
readiness TO hold them UP TO ridicnla
instead of disposinE promptly of ordi-
nance violation cases and imposing the
hnes required by law. in this manner
ihculcatins a proper respec, for The
regulations, Justice Crutchfeld has r..
peatedlE postponed cases-a practice
"hich' II Is charged is initiating
"saths' 'he proper observance Of the
citys ordinances bearing on health and
sanitation
LEVY REPORTS POND
NEAR CRUTCHFIELD,S HOusE
The board adopted The Hirschbere
motion Following an unpleasant expert
ence between Justice Crutchfeld ana
Ghief Health Officer Levy. the details
OF winch were not made public. The
health Officer had complained OF a moo,
OF standing water in front OF Justice
Crutchhe!d's residence. and had filed a
copy OF his complaint with the Justice
himself. The latter called DR.. Levy
INTO his office yesterday. and the two
discussed The matter at some length
When DIR. Levy returned to the Ad
ininistrative Board after the interview
he was in Il high state OF excitement
Justice Crutchfields remarks with re-
gard 10 the complaint agains, him
could not hs learned, but they were Of
such character as to cause DR.. Levy.
acute personal distress Neither DIR
Levy nor Justice Crutchfeld would dis.
cuss the matter last night
The. boards adoption of the Hirscb :
berg resolution recalled the adoption
six or seven years ago by the Board
of Police Commissioners of a resolution
requesting Justice Crutchfield 10 aban-
don his practice of holding police of
ficers up 10 ridicule, since il had ten
dency to discredit the Police Depart
ment and its efforts in the eyes of the
criminal elements represented In the
courtroom. The resolution was offered
by former Police Commissioners w.
Douglas Gordon. and was unanimously
adopted by the Police Board
HOLDS CITY's WITNESSES
TO RIDICULE BEFORE CROWD
lFeclSely inc same complaint is now
made by the Administrative Board
During the hearing of cases in which
citizens are charged with infractions OF
the health and sanitary codes, the
court. it is charged, frequently adj
dresses remarks to the city's witnesses
which hold them up to ridicule before
the spectators. So acute has this con.
dillon become that Health Department
inspectors have come to look upon
their appearance in the Police Court
as an ordeal to be dreaded.
The motions offered by Mr. Beck are
directed towards reducing the crowd.
ing. which is an Objectionable feature
of the daily sessions OF the Police
Court. The courtroom Is located In the
basement OF the City Hall, several feet
below the sidewalk line. and the indis-
criminate packing OF spectators, white
and black, into the small basement
room frequently produces a stining
Longest stion. a..3s