The Washington herald., 1922-11-29
BONDING ABUSE
PROBE PLANNED
AFTER CHARGES
Police Court Judges to Hold
Executive Session Tuesday
to Push Their Investigation
POLICE SHAKE-UP HlNTED
Complaints of Collision Stir
Judges Hardison and Nc
Mahon to Take Firm Action

Wholesale shifts of policemen
and detectives who are alleged to
act in colusion with professional
bondsmen and possibly some ar
rests may result from the in
vestigation by Judges Robert N.
Hardison and John P. Mcmahon
Of the Police Court into the ac-
tivities of these individuals.
Chagrined at the failure OF the
grand jury investigation last sum-
mer. Attorney Royal A Hughes, on
behalf of himself and other members
Of the bar, secured an order from
Judge Hardison yesterday for an
executive session Of both of the
Police Court judges next Tuesday
evening at s O'Clock.
ANGRY FOR SOME TINE.
A number of attorneys have been
complaining during the last six
months about the bondsmen, but not
until yesterday did one officially call
the attention of the court to these
practices.
The gist of Hughes complaint and
the statements he has offered TO
prove at the executive session of the
judges are as follows:
THAT bondsmen are victimiZ-
ing persons arrested by charging
more than the accepted premium.
s per cent. In liquor cases where
the usual bond is 81 900, the
premium should be only $50 but
the bondsmen are charging sI5.
THE usual practice when a
person is locked up is to summon
an attorney first. The practice
now. Hughes declares. is to sum-
mon the bondsmen and let them
obtain the lawyer.
3-Lawyers who do not split"
with the bondsmen are black
listed by the bondsmen and lose
much business thereby.
4-There is direct link be-
tween the bondsmen and certain
policemen. because the bondsmen
complained of. often arrive at
the precinct before the prisoner
5-Cappers or runners employed
by the bondsmen often ride in
the patrol wagon to raids and
Interview persons who are ar
rested sometimes before the raid
ing squad takes down their
6-If the unsCrupulous lawyer
sees the prisoner first. he sum
mons a bondsman with whom he
is in alliance.
If the bondsman sees the
prisoner first. he selects "A law
yer with whom he is in alliance.
s-Certain bondsmen have been
30 active that a person arrested
often confuses a bondsmen with
lawyer. 1t is a matter OF rec
ord that when some prisoners
have been asked who their lawyer
was, they have given the name OF
q professional bondsman.
9-Thc bondsmen have the VIZ
cious habit of soaring persons ar
rested by telling them that their
offense is more serious than IT
really is.
Judge Hardison announced that
he had received complaints about
the bondsmen before and to correct
s1nn1e Of these abuses the court
adopted rule requiring all bonds
men to file an affidavit with the
court every ninety days. in which
they are required to state under
oath that they are not in collusion
with any official. and also the
amount of property owned and the
amount for which already obligated.
Should Hughes satisfy the Police
Court Judges that he is correct IT
will mean that the guilty bondsmen
may be indicted for perjury.
The names of the guilty police
men. if they are discovered. will he
turned over to-. Commissioner Oyster
for investigation. and. also. the
matter will he again referred to
rhe grand iury