Evening journal., 1920-11-13
WOULD ABOLISH
PAWN SHOPS
This Suggestion Made BY
Grand Jury in Report
to Court
WANT SPEED LAWS
OF STATE ENFORCED

~ - a - A~A - - -
Members Of the New Castle
County Grand Jury in their annual re-
port to the court yesterday state they |
can sea no benefit. that pswnbrokers
render the community and expressed
the opinion Siat ii would be best 70
entirely prohibit the business. The
jury in this report also states that It
has be found that the rate OF m
terest charged by pawnbrokers in
some instances was found to be above
that allowed by law.
The jury also suggests that some
/ way be found 10 save witnesses from
| having 10 appear so many times in
court when summoned on a case. The
report 10 part follows:
Your Grand Jury Is OF the opinion
that witnesses subpoen d are COM
PEELED 10 attend court on too many
occasions. 10 S found that witnesses
In a given case are required TO be In
Municipal Court one or two days, an
other day before the Attorney Cen
eral another day before the Grand
Jury, and from one 10 flve days in
IIMMIN niAWAE AlAf AnHN - AAAAAAAN
posed or Not only does such result In
heavy expense TO the county. but, die
10 the fact that witnesses are re
quired TO be away from their homes,
places OF business or emplOym mt, 10
Is found that witnesses are reluctant
to appear In a case and often refuse
so TO do. In some cases, 10 Is found
that where goods are stolen. no re-
port Of the th eft is made. due to the
a.aN hos NrTn a.. HHN Naat.a -.
waste their time In court. To require
witnesses 10 appear on a case on a
large number OF days has ad the
b tendency 10 lower. their respect for
the courts and for the administration
: OF law.
, we would therefore most respect
fully suggest that some measures be
taken TO lessen the number Of days on
! which witnesses would be required p
/ be in court
In "a constructive way. we recon-
Z mend that. Is near as possible. cases
/ be heard on the first day before the
4 committing magistrate. We N ink IL
also wise that The Grand Jury should
D sit a week before court meets for the
! actual trials, so that when witnesses
: are subpO ncd before the Attorney
= General they can be Immediately sent
10 the grand jury and when the grand
july has MfMAM ANAL NANAI1 1rNrl NW I'll
them 10 return 10 their homes and
, places Of business and that ley will
,. be notified when their case will be
/. tried. This Will result in the savine
I OF at least a day and also save some
time due TO t.e fact that the AttOr-
e ney General can subpoena witnesses
Q for the morning and other witnesses
:, for the afternoon. This process should
: be pursued until all the bills pre-
4 ~ IN frrarI tffrsnH huaHn
2 Payment OF Witnesses
1T is fOu,.d that some wtnesse
q subpOened into court are not pai'
h their witness fees, due 10 the fac
s that no provision is made for ihei
: compensation. Investigation show
: that often witnesses are subpoened Ol
i behalf OF ..e d. fendant. who make
n no provision for the payment OF sucl
- witnesses In case he should be con
= victed The grand jury Is strongly
- Of the opinion that all witnesse
= brought into court under forcibi
= process should be given some guar
= antee that they viii be paid their wit
ness fees.
r. Pawnbrokers
r THE grand jury deplOres the fac
.e that so many cases are brought be
ie fore the grand jury in which stole
d goods are sold 10 pawnbrokers, VIII
le loan very small amount on sucl
)f goods, when the. value OF such Is con
b" siderod. u Is also found that pawn
brokers also demand OF the rightfu
owner OF the property the paymen
OF the money advanced by the pawn
N broker before the rightfrl owner ca
y recover his property.
- This. your grand jury holds TO b
wrong, and that such practice shoul
h,a condpmned
10 pIt is also found that the rate {
y interest charged is above that allowe
u by law. accomplished by stating IN;
ps the Increased chaNge is for addition,
nd care and storage" Your grand iur
es is cognizant OF the fact that on
IS 3 per cent is allowed by law, 10 I
charged by Tawnbrokers. but the e,
ed acting OF a greater amount Is NJ
10 made unlawful However, Il Is four
that pawnbrOkens are required 70
on a bond in the sum OF $1,000.
I'd Conditioned for the due Obser
g ance OF all such laws OF the State
ne Delaware as may be passed or e
forced respecting pawnbrokers.
.rt The grand, jury, therefore, recoI
in mends that II the pawnbrokers co
80 tinue the collection OF a greater
pr, steps be taken by the court to decla
- their bond Teiled. The grand jul
sar in fact, can SEE no great beneflt N
Gus pawnbrokers render 10 the col
es, munity and 5 OF the opinion that
sea may be wise for the business
- pawnbrokers to be entirely prohibit
In The State Of Delaware.
isit Automobiles
- The driving OF motor vehicles
an excessive rate OF speed over
highways Of this county Is a pract
that should be broken up. II Is a
found that there is practically no
forcement OF the laws GOV ring
use Of headlights. We therefore m-
an strongly recommend that tho ST.
lie law in respect TO these subjects
loit most rsHdly enforced
I'VE further recommend that a
hts vehicle. automobile, carriage, etc.
the required 10 show lights, both 20
the front and rear OF such vehicle, at
an lines