The Washington herald., 1921-08-06
CONDITION
FIVE PER CENT OF SPEEDERS
GET TO COURT, JUDGE SAYS
Mcmahon Suggests Commissioners Oyste,
Raise and Regulate Amount Of Collateral.


greater menace to the community,
the intoxicated. citizen or the aop-
orator of an automobile who speeds
through onr streets at all hours Of
the day and night In such reckless
manner as TO jeopardize the lives
and limbs of men. women and chill
dren?
several Qsestiens- s.
IF of the 1.43s speeders arrested
during the months OF May and June.
only 81 appeared in court for trial.
why has the Police Department.
which is under the supervision of
Commissioner oyster. permitted the
arresting officers, or-station keep
ers, to exercise their discretion i'm
this class OF cases as too what
amounts. Of ~collaterals shall be de-
posted at the various police sta
tions. while in cases of intoxicated
citizens the arresting officers. or
station keepers are not only not
permitted to exercise any .discre-
tion whatever, but specific orders
have been issued to all police sta
tions that a cash collateral OF s2S
in each case shall be denanded?.
''If Commissioner Oysters men
arrested 1883 speeders in the msnths
of May and June. and 1,372 of these
offenders failed TO appear in court
for trial because they were not re-
quired at the time of their arrests
to deposit suficient money as coll
lateral security for heir-appearance
in court, why did not Commissioners
Oyster pursue them further. as he
must know he<had the right to do,
and request the corporation counsel,
who Is his legal adviser as well as
prosecuting offlcer in traffic cases. to
apply to the police court judges to
issue writs of attachment for these
1872 violaters OF the law. which
would have compelled their appear
ance in court for trial.
IF this course had been followed
and these 1,S72 speeders brought
| into court for trial and proven guilty
, the Importance OF such convictions
will appear when II is known that
there are three offenses Of speeding
| and the penalties for such offenses.
| as set forth in the Act of Congress
approved June 20. 1906, are as fol-
! lows:
upon conviction for the first
offense, a fine Of not less than -
nor more than $50"
Upon conviction for the second
offense within one year from the
first offense, a finc of not less than
so nor more than 500 or imprisen.
ment for not less than five days nor
more than thirty days, at the dis
cretion of the court"
And upon conviction for the third
offense within one year from the
commission Of the first offense. anc
for any and all subsequent offenses
a fine Of no. less than $50 nor more
than $3.50 and imprisonment In the
workhouse for not less than thirty
days nor more than six months.
A Matter of Record.
Commissioner Oysters letter To
Senator Underwood indicates that
yoluminous records are being kept
by the Police Department. contain
ing a the number of arrests for
traffic violations made from day
to day and the particular regula-
tions violated. l assume these
records also contain the names OF
the offenders and show whether OF
not they have previously been con-
victed of violating the speed law
II this be so, and Commissioner
Oyster will compel the appearance
in court for trial of all offenders
against the speed laws and direct
his men to file charges of second
and third offenses of speeding where
the records show prior conviction
CT convictions. l incline to think
that the speeding of automobiles
over our streets would shortly be
thing of the past.
IF it be that the records OF the
Police Department do. not contain
the names of traffic violators and do
not sho whether or not they have
previously been convicted of speed
ing, it would he a very easy matter
for Commissioner Oysters men
either directly or through the cor
poration counsel. to obtain these
facts from the dockets of the Police
Court. II is not the duty OF the
judges to prepare and file charges
against violators of the@trafflc laws
JOHN p. MCMAHON.
Judge, Police Court. d. c."