The Washington herald., 1922-01-27
COURT OFFICIALS
CLEARING DOCKETS
OF LIQUOR CASES
Several Hundred Cleaned
Up Since Drive Started
On january First.

The liquor situation in Police
Court. which has for some months
caused the District Attorneys Office
no end of worry. Is clearing up,
according to Assistant District All
torneys OIeary and .Heffernan.
They announced yesterday that sew
eral hundred liquor cases which
have been pending since January
1. 1919. are nearing disposition.
These officials during the past
two weeks have been responsible
for the appearance OF nearly 100
persons In court to plead to VIOLA
tions of the liquor laws. In all
these cases. which have for the
most part involved a half pint OF
liquor. nominal fines have been
paid. In some instances the Offend
ers have been placed on probation.
It was announced. In the latter
cases a full investigation has been
made first.
Must Ctear Deckets.
These small fines and suspended
sentences have been criticized by
persons unacquainted with actual
conditions, but, according to Assist
ant District Attorney O'Leary, some
thing had to be done to clear the
docket.
The practice of the police and
revenue agents in accepting Tor
FIXTURES of collateral in liquor cases
has also been criticised. IT was "N-
planned that the ever increasing
number of violators warranted this
stem. In no case. it was declared,
was a forfeiture allowed without
investigation and the consent OF the
prosecuting officials.
Mr.. OLeary's plans for the fu-
ture include no forfeitures of col
lateral and all persons arrested
must stand trial. In this way there
will be a record OF convictions and
second offenders will be Immediate
ly recognized and jail sentences i'm
posed thereafter.
Advantage Of Sentence.
The advantages OF the probation
system for minos Offenders. Mr.
O'Leary declared, would be that
when a man is sentenced to serve
say ninety days in jail-he would
be in the custody OF the probation
officer for a year and il he broke
any law at all during that period
his probation would be revoked and
he would have to serve the sem
tence. 1t is claimed that this prac-
tice will not only prevent an Of
fender from again engaging in the
liquor business. but will have a
tendency TO make him respect all
laws.
In case a man H. brought in
while under probation and charged
with a second offense. Mr.. OLeary
stated. he will have two sentences
to serve instead of one.
Two weeks ago when O'Leary
and Heffernan were detailed to the
Police Court there were more than
$50 cases on the docket and
the machinery Of the court was
clogged Thirty-four of these de-
PENDANTS have since come into
court, pleaded guilty to irst Of
lenses. and paid their fines. In al
most every case since January 1,
1919. motions have been filed to
quash search warrants because Of
alleged defects and the arguments
on those motions have delayed the
clearing Of the docket more than
the casual observer realizes
Mai Peyton Gordon. the district
attorney. stated that in view % the
large number OF new cases coming
into court daily. Il was advisa BILE
to do something TO get the old ones
out OF the. way. Many Of these
old ones are not nearly such nagrant
cases as the recent ones. II was
learned.
The now system. Mai Gordon
stated. will result in much closer
cooperation between the courts the
prosecutors and the police and pro-
hibition agent. as the old scheme
OF delaying matters indefinitely
will be done away with and quick
action will be had.