New-York tribune., 1919-07-31
Judge Mcintyre Criticises
Careless and Imprudent'
Methods in Magistrates
Courts; Police Are Scored
Jury Asks Change in Law
Miss Edwards, of Los An
geles, Denies Man Was in
Her Room When Arrested

Helen Edwards, twenty-four years
old, the Los Angeles girl who was
convicted of vagrancy by Magistrate
Mancuso in the Womens Night Court
on March a and appealed, was ac-
quilted yesterday by jury before
Judge Mcintyre in General Sessions.
The girl was originally found guilty
on the uncorroborated testimony of De-
tectves Walsh and Brady of Inspector
Henry's staff.
In commenting on the verdict Judge
Mcintyre criticised "the careless and
imprudcnt way that matters are deter
mined in magistrates courts and
made special reference to Magistrate
Mancuso in this connection.
Jesse Spcver, of 676 Riverside Drive,
foreman of the jury, in announcing the
verdict, added:
"The jury urges that the law be
prostitution cannot be convicted on the
uncorroborated testimony of policemen"
Wise Idea, Says Judge
"That is @ wise idea" said Judge
Mcintyre. "If the evidence N the mag
istrate's court is the same as the evi-
dencc in this court conviction such
as this shocks the moral sense, and in
addition discredits the administration
of justice. 1t was an outrage to CON
vict this woman on the testimony
have heard in this court.
"The magistrates courts ought to be
courts exercising care and caution.
since they are the fountain heads O.
Justice.
"If they would do their work in their
courts in the conscientious and eau
tiouS manner that the Judges of the
higher courts try to do their work
these courts would not be overrun with
criminal litigation. Day after day
am beset with appeals which l am
9ound to reverse in consequence of the
eareless and imprudent way that mat
sers are determined in magistrates
courts.
lrate (Mancuso) who convicted this
woman convicted negro because he
was seen in the company OF a white
woman, and The white woman turned
out afterward to be a negro woman"
Negro Proves Innocence
The case of the negro to which
Judge Mcintyre referred was also re-
versed. Warren G. Blackman, q Pull
man porter, living at 253 West 137th
Street, was fined $40 by Magistrate
Nancuso in Washington Heights Court
who said Blackman was walking with
l white woman when arrested.
John W. Smith, counsel for Black
man, told Judge Mcintyre that the
white woman" was Sadie Mason, an
octoroon of Jacksonville, Fla, who
was staying with friends of Blackman.
Miss Edwards testified that she had
come here from Los Angeles last fall
to be married. The wedding was post
Il r.
Time, she said, she lived at the Hotel
Enaicott and then moved to board
ing-house at 63 West Fifty-fourth
Street.
The day she went there, she testi-
fed, Walsh and Brady followed her
and arrested her while she was talking
to her landlady.
Denies Man Was in Room
The detectives said on the witness
| stand that they found a man named
| Thompson with her in her room. When
asked by counsel for Miss Edwards
concerning this man they said that
they believed he lived at the Biltmore,
! but had made no effort to learn any
thing about him.
"lt is absolutely false" said the de-
fendant "I swear to God there was
no man. Detective Walsh laid hands
on me and said, 'I'd like to have a
good time with you myself So help
me God"
Earle Scott, of counsel for Miss Ed
wards. denounced the detectives as
1.-TWO miserable dogs who would try to
frame up a young girl"
Denounces Trick of Trade
"They have concocted myth he
said. There never was man, and it
is their trick Of the trade; this system
Is going to be wiped out"
Counsel for Miss Edwards through
Charles A. Oberwager, also appearing
for Miss Edwards, moved at the CON
clusion of the trial that the records
be placed before the grand jury to de-
termine if perjury had been COM
mitted, and that commitments be
served against the detectives for al
legged perjury. Judge Mcintyre said
that it was close question of law,
but that he would take ths matter un-
der consideration.
"But there is going to be an end to
these practices" he said. "PoIicemen
are not going to swear away the fair
name and liberty of women, nor are
women going to be picked up and &C
cused unless there is genuine evidence
to support the charge"
Wi1es Of WiIo Lost