The sun., 1919-06-13
BREAKS SPEED LAW
TO FINE SPEEDERS
Magistrate Gives Up His Day
Off and Races to Traffic
Court.

The sudden and terrible efficiency Of
the traffic cops who havo been crusadinR
since May 2s, and seem not to be put
to 1t to find their favored i've victims a
day. became 80 sudden ana terrible yes
terday that they caused q Magistrate,
speeding to the relief of an overcrowded
court calendar. to break every traffic or
dinance on the books.
At least Magistrate Mancuso said he
did. He was putting in . day on paint
ing his summer house at City Island
when Chief Clerk Oliver called him on
the phone and informed him that all was
distress In Trafic Court. All the cops, It
appeared, had simultaneously striven for .
high record of pinches on that particular
day. and were waiting with strings Of
fifteen and twenty prisoners each fog a
chance at any one of the Magistrates.
The strain on the Traffic Court. which
has been at the breaking point for sew
eral days, Clerk oliver said. had reached
Its limit, and there was no telling when
the crowd might overwhelm the court
room and cause a disaster
Speeds in to FIJI Breach.
Magistrate Mancuso was as upset as
was Clerk Oliver at the situation and
felt he ought to go to the aid Of his
brother Magistrates. but he suggested to
Clerk Oliver that It would take him two
hours by the usual route to get to court.
Hire a carr sang Clerk oliver over
the wire and hung UP.
II did," said Magistrate Mancuso. one
hour and fifteen minutes later by his
own count. telling the story to his as
sociates, land believe smashed about
all the speed regulations"
He arrived unshaven and dappled
with paint from his efforts on the side
Of his house, and took his seat on the
bench. He cleaned away 10s of the
pending cases and turned the rest over
to Magistrate Brough. The calendar
was finally cleared shortly after 2
o'clock. the only remaining defendants
being the fifteen who had jail sentences.
Chief Magistrate McAdoo took the
Traffic Court situation into consideration
for the fortieth or fiftieth time since the
crusade started, after paying a visit to
the crowded chambers, and sent a letter
to Commissioner Enright asking him to
gpend $4,000 to $4,000 at once for fitting
up another room where a Part Two
could be opened He said that II extra
quarters were not provided the police
were likely to lose credit for the round
UP. 1t was estimated that $50 patrol
men and 800 defendants were In the
court during the day.
Magistrate McAdoo's Appeal.
In his letter Magistrate McAdoo said :
I'VE have been compelled to herd
crowds of 100 or 200 people in large,
vacant room and make them stsnd up
almost for a whole day. Public support
of the crusade will naturally be affected
by the protest of those who are brought
here, because OF the unfortunate recep-
ton which our limited facilities COM
Ial tn
THE officers now, while waiting the
call of their cases, stand around in halls
and are extremely uncomfortable and.
am informed, very much displeased with
the lack of a suitable place to wait
I have not money enough in our budget
to convert another room into court
room or to furnish It II might cost
$4,000 or 5000. Can you do this for
me and pay for Il?
IF you will do SO I am confident you
will note Immediately cessation OF the
protest which is gradually growing and
which Is in danger OF taking away from
the police the credit for the public ser
vice now being rendered"
The room proposed for the new Part
II. Is below the present court room. I'M
lighted and implanted. The cost OF Mt
ting 1t up represents one days business
OF the traffic court in fines at the present
rate of business.