Evening star., 1924-11-25
COUNSEL DECLARES
DISTRICT DEMANDS
TWO MORE COURTS
CONTINUED from First Page. }

possible for justice to be meted out
In every case under present congested
conditions. 1t Is not the fault OF the
courts. They cannot do the impossible
They must have help.
''1t is an actual fact that traffic Of
tenders are deliberately demanding
jury trials because they hope thus to
evade punishment. They never expect
their cases to reach the jury, or II
they do they feel confident the wit
nesses will not appear against them
after so long a delay And, unfortu-
nately, many of them have had their
expectations fulfilled in the past. I'm
less extra court facilities are pro-
vided they will in the future"
Cites an Instance.
Mr.. Hart recalled a traffic case
he once handled in which the de-
fendant asked for a jury trial. with
view to delaying Indefinitely trial
of his case. Il knew he was guilty.
and l knew why he demanded a jury
trial, so l made special arrangements
TO have his case heard ahead of Il
long line of other cases. When he
learned Of my move he changed his
mind about a jury trial and pleaded
guilty"
Many of the present demands for
jury trials would be similarly chang
ed IL offenders knew their cases
would go to trial at once, the as
He pointed out that with an extra
district court night sessions for
traffic and other police cases could
be arranged, so that persons arrested
could be taken direct to court, tried
and sentenced within the space of
an hour or so. This would eliminate
the forfeiture Of collateral by offend
ers afraid to face the court.
Two extra courts would require
two extra judges. two additional
prosecutors and probably two more
clerks, Hart said. While additional
appropriations for salaries. etc.
would necessarily be required, the
Government would not lose by the
move, he contended. as two additional
courts could handle twice is many
cases and thus collect twice as much
revenue in fines.
47,5o5 "Informatfcns" This Year.
Since January I, 1924, and includ-
Ing yesterday, a total of $500 IN
formations" have been filed in the
District Of Columbia branch OF the
Police Court, Hart ascertained today
from the court That Is a rough
average of 1000 cases a month.
large part of them traffic offenses, he
explained.
Those figures will give a person
some idea of what one district court
is expected to handle he stated.
"One hundred cases week Is a Sc
rious handicap. The new regulation
increasing the fine for leaving the
scene of an accident will undoubtedly
add to the congestion, for defendants
can demand jury trials with the
larger fine. Immediate court relief is
essential
Detectives continued without let-up
today their search for the four miss
ing death-car drivers who fed after
fatally injuring three men and
woman within Il month. A trap set
in another city for one of them has
so far failed to catch its intended
rictfm In the other cases police are
conducting a careful city-wide scru
tiny of repair shops, garages and
other automobile rendezvous in the
hope of finding cars answering the
vague descriptions furnished by con-
fused spectators.
Another accident fugitive was be-
ing sought. following the running
down last night of Maurice r. Pres
telle of 11o3 Third place northeast,
while he was crossing the street at
First and NJ streets southwest. Police
after knocking the pedestrian dow II.