The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-12-18

entirety. a credit to its distinguished
author. o G.. Walter Mapp, and q
wonderful achievement in legislation"
When Officers Are Embarrassed.
Referring to some OF the embar-
easements that rave arisen in the en-.
forcement OF the law. the report says.
Very great embarrassment FIRE.
q~uentIy arises with peace officers III
arrcsting misdemeanants without u
warrant, which Is necessary In many
cases and entirely lawful when tho
misdemeanor is committed In the pres
ence OF an officer. But 1t often hap
pens that there Is the strongest sus'
biciol of ardent spirits concealed in
baggage or vehicle. Then ~enbarrass@
ment begins.
And the difficulty OF obtaining war
rants from an officer within the prop
err Jurisdiction when suspected parties
are IN transit upon railroad rains
steamboats, and automobiles Is very
great. Some method should be pro-
vided by which warrants may be is
sued for the arrest Of persons In n
Jurisdiction OF Virginia.
justices Slow to Understand.
at took some time for all Of The
Justices OF the peace 10 understand
that they could not try persons ac-
3 cused or violating the law and that
the circuit and hustings courts had
original Jurisdiction. And in some
cases It has been hard to convince
%hese justices that they were TO send
these defendants on TO the grand jury
IL there was evidence indicating prob
able guilt. Our legal representatives
devoted much time to these courts In
an effort TO aid these Justices IS far
as possible. In this effort they actual
ily attended Justices courts in the pre-
'l%iIninary examination OF four hundred
and twenty-five Nlses.
There was little difficulty. except
az Hopewell. with grand juries. They
are almost always composed of>tho
highest type OF citizenship and al
ways return a true bill when the priraa
facie evidence warrants II, and al
ways dismiss the charge when the evt"
dence is ridiculous. preposterous or
insufficient to Justify a trial.
During the year attorneys from the
office Of the department assisted COM
monwealth's attorneys in the prose-
cution OF 465 cases, attending seventy
eight courts and i42 terms of these
courts. with one or two exceptions
the attorneys for. the commonwealth
have treated the legal representatives
of this department with exceptional
courtesy"
fTGTSsSfOnAt oufpfN-
Referring TO the often repeated rs.
sertion tia convictions imposing jail
sentence for liquor violations could
mot be generally secured IN Virginia,
the commissioner SAYS: 1T was wide
ly feared that juries in Virginia wou
not stand tho strain OF imposing & jail
sentence upon the guilty for these vio-
l~lations and hat they would dissgree
or acquit. This has been the case In
, many instances In Norfolk city and In
Richmond and Hopeweil. In These
municipalities have occurred frequent
: di~.creditable acquittals IN the face OF
Iindisputable evidence OF guilt and
: plain instructions from the court. but
!, there IL manifest Improvement in this
service OF the Jurors, and many OF
|, these disgracefui acquittais arise from
the fact that Mr.. Good Citizen Is
busy and bsgs this Judge to excuse
him from this service, the kin judge
, is imposed upon and excuses him
: Whsreupon, by ways and means well
known 10 court hnbitues, the profess
/ sionai juror promptly takes his place
), The professional juror in Hopewei'
' Richmond and Norfolk ts easily inocu'
lated with the defensive atmosphere
, breathed out our these urt
A little diligence by the Judges. somt
I nrmness In rejecting alert
= less in watching for the appearance
of the professional Juror and the in
\ teres.ed who would become jurors
will largely overcome this difficulty.
4 I'm other jurisdictions the trial jn'
2 ries have done their full duty In near
!. ly every case and h jail sentences
= seems to be indicated by results.
a Investigations 1897 in Year.
: In the section Of his report treat
! ing of the activities of the force o.
the ldepartna ut high tribute Is pair
Tthe few men at the disposal of th'
a department who have conducted 1.35f
Investigations in the curse OF thu
year, some OF them taking weeks u
d Develop. Thousands OF complaints, In
q carnations and requests for assistance
e have not been met or have been post
poned on occur of lack of force
g The commissioner declares that stis
- fcient information comes from Tn,
CITY of Richmond alone to keep tn
8 entire force AT his disposal busy IT
= entire time. Fully a third of the tim
Il OF the force in the eYn ploy OF the de
e partment Is required as witnesses II
81 Continued on Sixth Page.1