The Washington herald., 1921-08-07
fishing tackle

Charging laxity on the part Of
the officials of the Metropolitan
Folice Department in the handling
of traffic violators. and urging
Commissioner Oyster to better en-
force the laws were made Friday
by Judge John p. Mcmahon, of the
District Police Court, in a reply
to Commissioner Oysters recent de-
cla-ation that the police were not
receiving the proper cooperation
from the court. Judge McMah9n
asks the Commissioner why some
effort is not being made to bring
the violators to court, either by
increasing the amount of required
collateral, or by other means.
Judge McMahon explains that of
the 1,43s speeders arrested py the
police during May and June. only
81, or less than 5 per cent, ap-
peared in court.
In commenting on the failure of
the other 1872 speeders to appear
before the Police Court, Judge Nc
Mahon says. The only plausible
reason can assign is that they
deem it more advisable to forfeit
the cash collaterals which they de-
posted at the various police sta
tions to which they were taken or
to which they were directed to re-
port by the arresting officer"
should Deposit More.
After suggesting that the col
lateral demanded from traffic Of
tenders be substantially increased,
Judge Mcmahon calls to the atten-
tion of Commissioner Oyster that
the Commissioner has the right to
pursue the offenders who forfeit
their collaterals further, by re-
questing the corporation counsel to
apply to the Police Court judges
for writs of attachment! which
court for trial.
Judge Mcmahon cites the present
law, which provides a fine Of from
IS to $50 for the first offense; fine
of fro m$10 to 500 or imprison-
ment of from five days to thirty
days on conviction Of the second
offense within one year from the
commission. of the first offense, and
a fine of from $50 to $3.50 and I'M
prisonment in the workhouse for
from thirty days to six months
upon conviction for the third Of
Tense within a year from commits,
sion OF the first offense.
Text Of Letter.
The judges response to Commits
sioner Oyster follows:
"On July 12, 1921, The Washing
ton Herald published an article on
traffic conditions in the District OF
Columbia, setting forth a letter
written [by Commissioner James F.
Oyster to Senator Underwood. of
Alabama, in which 1t is stated that
in the months of May and June
1921, 4,702 offenders against the
traffic laws were arrested. 1,439 OF
them being speeders. Commits
sioner Oyster charges in his letter
that the Police Court has failed to
support the Commissioners in their
efforts to clean up traffic conditions.
and that the action of the Police
Court Is very diseouraging to him
because his men are held all day in
court and deprived of their rest,
and that these thousands OF
offenders against. the traffic laws
are partly encouraged by the small
penalties imposed upon them and
by the consideration they receive
in court. --r.
The effect of Commissioner Oys-
ter's letter, whether Sc intended or
not, was to create the impression
that the police department, in an
effort to clean up traffic conditions
and put a stop to the reckless driv-
ing which has been indulged in for
so long a time upon our streets,
acting under the orders and direc-
tions Of Commissioner Oyster, has
been waging war upon traffic vio-
iaters: that during the months OF
May and June they arrested almost
5000 of these offenders, 1,439 OF
whom were speeders, and vigorously
prosecuted them in the Police Court.
and that Commissioner Oysters ef-
forts were rewarded by having the
Police Court judges keep his men
all day in court, and that the judges
imposed such small penalties upon
these fragrant violators of the law
and extended them such considera-
tion in court that they were partly
encouraged in their disregard for
the law. and that the Police Court
judges are, therefore, responsible
for the conditions existing from
a .