The New York herald., 1922-01-20
BARS BONDING BILL
TIGHTENS LICENSING
Moral Character Will Count
Heavily in Granting Per-
mits for Bail Business.

The bail bonding business, pointed to
as one OF the causes of the wide spread
of crime in the last few years. and fire.
quently mentioned as the basis of an al
legged partnership between politicians
and crooks, will be firmly under the con-
troll Of the State government for the first
time II measure drawn up by the law
reform committee of the Bar Associa-
ton is passed by the Legislature.
A copy OF the proposed new law was
obtained yesterday from Edward ].
Mcclure, chairman of the committee. 1t
IS one OF the most important pieces of
new legislation in recent years. accord
ing TO Magistrates, Judges Of the higher
bers OF the bar.
An attempt was made last year to put
through a similar bill drawn by Chief
Magistrate McAdoo. 1t failed to pass,
one of the reasons being, 1t was said,
desperate opposition by concerns tha:
would have been affected by its passage.
With the framing of that bill the Bar
Association had nothing 10 do. While
IT was in sympathy, It disagreed on Sow
eral provisions. especially on who should
license the bail bond concerns or indi-
vidual. Judge McAdoo would have had
the licensing power In the hands Of the
Mayor. The Bar Association insists that
1t be placed with the State Superinten-
dent OF Insurance.
The most important feature Of the
new bill is the licensing requirement.
aimed to bar criminal or semi-criminai
characters from the business. The pro-
vision dealing with this matter says:
Every corporation engaging in such
business In a city OF the first class shall
procure license for each OF the en-
ployees and officers acting for It. and
shall file with the District Attorney OF
each county contained In said city or
in which such city Is contained. the Chief
City Magistrate of the city of New
York. and the clerks OF the Supreme
and County courts and courts Of General
and Special Sessions of the city OF New
York. certified statements OF the names
Of all persons so authorized 20 do such
business. or to execute bail bonds In its
behalf. Such license may be issued only
by the Superintendent of Insurance of
the Insurance Department and the
license fee shall be fixed by him and
shall be not less than fifty dollars (S50)
per annun'. and each corporation and
person engaging In such business OF
giving bail shall. before receiving such
license. file a bond in a penalty of
five thousand dollars (s5,000) for the
faithful performance OF its or his duty
No person shall be licensed as aforesaid
until he has satisfied such Superinten.
dent OF Insurance of the Insurance De-
partment that he is a person of good
character and reputation and has never
been convicted of any crime or offense.
and TO this end shall file in the office
of said Superintendent OF Insurance OF
the Insurance Department written evil
dence from those who know him as to
character and reputation. The granting
OF n license in all such cases shall be
discretionsry- with the said Superin-
tendent OF Insurance OF the Insurance
Department. and such license shall be
subject to revocation by him whenever
he deems 1t advisable for the public in
terest."
Tho piii provides that no higher
premium than 3 per cent. can be
charged. and that anyone who accepts
a fee or compensation for obtaining a
bondsman or bail bond shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor. and liable to treble
uaNlHHes. II IL provided that any mem
Der OF the bar having any financial In
terest by which he would profit from the
giving of bail shall be guilty Of misde-
neanor.
Bail bondsnen, runners and others
connected with the business of freeing
men arrested for crime were driven from
the corridors of the Federal Building in
Brooklyn yesterday following an order
by Ralph c. Greene, United States At
torney.
Similar action is contemplated in the
Federal Building in Manhattan, il was
learned