The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-08


to allow the appointment OF we
man as a master in chancery particu-
Ian iy for cases involving girls ThS
constitutional provision against wo.
men in public Office might not hold
In this instance IL It were interpreted
to mean that master in chancery is
not n public officer within &lle mean
Ing Of the consultation.
The court requires the services 81
two additional probation officers. ms
the present probation officers have en-
tirely too many cases to handle, and
1t is recommended that one male and
one female probation officer be APP
pointed. The services OF a competent
physician qualified to attend and ex-
anime children should also he retain
ed on a part time basis. The three po-
lice officers who are assigned as pro-
baton officers in connection with do
nestle relations cases should be re-
turned to active police duty and their
places taken by three civilian pro-
betion officers.
The business methods of the court
in connection with records. fling and
control over collections need tn be re-
weed. and It Is recommended that this
be done as outlined In the text OF the
report.
Detention Homes.
There are two detention homes. one
for white and one for colored children.
which are subject to control by tho
Judge Of the Juvenile court and the
mayor. The mayor appoints the en-
ployes and directs the management but
the court is held responsible for the
care OF the children. This division OF
responsibility should be ended by CIV
ing complete control OF the homes TO
the Judge OF the Juvenile court
Conditions In the home for white
children were not of the best. 1t evil
IDENTITY required more care and soap
and water. An effort should be made
TO make them more attractive and
the so-called strong rooms" should
be given up. The emphasis should be
upon the idea of home" rather than
on detention" The home for colored
children was found to be scrupulouslv
clean, but otherwise, just as bare and
unattractive as the home for white
children. More attention should be
given to the meals furnished the chill
Gren and the system of furnishing
meals for a fixed charge per day
should be abandoned
Justices of the Peace or Magistrates.
Richmond has a civil court for the
trial OF civil suits of a minor char
acter. police court for the hearing
OF CT. minal cases and a Juvenile and
domestic relations court. There ap-
pears TO be no logical reason for the
continuance of twelve Justices OF the
pence or magistrates In connection
with civil warrants. the magistrates
retain the fees which should be turn
ed into the city treasury and go to-
wards the support of the civil court.
ne ease with which warrants may
ne obtained from justices OF the peace
IN police and criminal cases because
the magistrates depend on these fees
Tor their remuneration indicates hu.
a slight regard for the right of fiber
" or persons The magistrates exer-
else powers not vested in them by law
In what they term minor cases by I'M
posing the fine that they believe ia
uAhnlly imposed by the Judge of the
police court and d!scharRing the pris-
oner on payment fthe fine. The mag
!.trate2~ accent haii-e44A- .f--r~--r-rt-
uncollected forfeited ball bonds in6f
Gates that the magistrates are not very
careful about the quality Of the sure
Ky offered I'm many cases The police
captains and sergeanss on desk duty
could do at least as we'll In accepting
bail
"hereforeS II IS recommended that
the position of magistrate 90 Justice OF
the peace be abolish ed that cfyfI war
rants be issued by the clerk Of me
c'Vii court, criminal warrants by the
police justice at the police court and
ponce captains and sergeauts empon-
cred to accept bail.
tisii Court
AS already recommended. the law
should he amended SO as 10 provide
that R4l warrants In civil cases be is
sued by the clerk Of the efv,I-c6,yrt and
The fees therefore he turned into the
city treasury. The amount collected
by the magistra ties for the issuance Of
these warrants during 1915 was esti
mated 10 he In the neighborhood Of
Ss'ooo which. II paid into the city
treasury would more than pay for the
of The civil court The
procedure followed in the court and
the records kept are In accordance
with good pra ctice. but the clerk
should make & more detailed annual
report as suggested in the text.
Commonwealth Attorney.
The commonwealth attorney IN An
important officers of Tire state whose
compensation should not he dependent
u pon fees or upon his success in secur-
ing convictions. He Is limited to n
of 81 $50 year in fees from
criminal cases and is allowed 10 col
lect fees from delinquent taxpayers
but refuses To do go. In addition. the
city pays him $1,000 year. The
Lee SNsteIsa-kas- 4esEas- since t--~e-r-r-o-r-
demned In many communities as
against public policy
he statute should ne amended so
as TO provide for the payment of an
annual salary TO the commonwealth
by the state. The city should
make no payment towards the com
pensation OF this official since he is a
state officer and not a city employee.
Any fees collected by his once should
he paid into the public treasury OF
the state, Ii should further be enact
ed that this CONNIE 18th attorney
should not engage In private nrac-
tice since, although the present in
cumbent voluntarily refrains from do
Ing SO, his successors. might not view
he matter with such scrupuious care
sThe commonwealth requires assist
ance. He needs an assistant and a
stenoera pher. His records should be
,aretully kept and he should be repuir-
"a by law to file n report with the
Judge fthe hastings court which
shall accurately describe all the ser
ices performed by him during the
'ear II is recommended that the law
% amended In these respects
In many communities. 1t has been
found most profitable from the point