Evening star., 1925-06-28
JURORS ASK SPACE
FOR POLICE COURTS
Will Ask Congress to Probe
Congested Condition Which
Hampers Justice.
BY GEORGE ADAMS HOWARD.

INiuehce VI tHe congestion At TO
lice Court that Ia hampering admin
istration of justice in police cases
was given proponents OF q new and
adequate court building last week, In
the action of a jury in organizing a
committee to urge Congress to in
vestigate conditions.
The action of the jurors Is unpar-
alleled in court annals. The members
of the panel became aroused to the
seriousness Of the situation when they
found they were called on to try only
two cases, while receiving from tax
payers the sum Of 500 for their serv-
ices for the day. Some Of the jurors
were required to sit only half an
hour during the entire period
VIII Notify Congress.
Upon conclusion of court session
the jurors held a mass meeting
elected a chairman and made tenta :
tive plans for presenting to Congress
the facts regarding Washington's in
adequate Police Court facilities. AL
though officially discharged since
from jury duty. the members have
maintained their organization.
Officials of the court itself are now
awaiting only the opening of the mex,
session OF Congress In December tc
present a plea of their own. Should
an extra session be called by the
President, 1t is likely that the mat
ter OF new court building will be
called to attention then.
Last Monday conditions were con
sidered unbearable. The assistan,
corporation counsels office, where
the greatest volume of business II
transacted. was jammed The line
or policemen waiting to swear ou,
their fnformations stretched far alons
the corridors. The line stretched as
far as the assistant United States
attorneys office. where also a multi
tude were waiting their turns
Let-Up Yesterday.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday the throngs were verv much
the same. Yesterday only was there
slight let-up I'm the crowds Sat
urday, which is usually a light day
IN the courts business, equalled the
neaVy Monday crowds of a few years
ago.
1t was pointed out recently that the
oid ldea that as it was only the law
Violators that were inconvenienced
and therefore let them suffer, is no,
borne out by actual fact. Along with
every case there are on an average
nVe innocent witnesses who. along
with the rest, are required to stay
around for long intervals of time. tc
say nothing of the policemen and law
yers.
Many witnesses of various crimes
and traffic violations refuse to give
their names to policemen, because
they know of the existing conditions
They may be criticised as being negli
Danf nf thait. duty hut rfE {ufS ~ ~
court openly state that the origina
negligence is with those charged with
giving the District the proper appro
priations.
Only few days ago Judge Gus \
Schuldt pointed out a noteworthy eX
ample of the inadequacies of the pres
ent traffic courtroom. Judge Schuld
spoke of the case of a theater manager
who was recently tried there for al
| lowing an indecent show and later &C
| quilted. During the trial. the judge
stated. fully a score of witnesses wer.
heard, and. along with a few other.
who were awaiting later cases. the
room was completely filled.
Case Lasted Several Days.
The same judge recently made men
ton of the vaccination case that last
ed before him several days. During
that time perhaps 10 witnesses were
heard. but the courtroom was crowd
ed with persons interested in the case
This case was heard in one of thu
larger courtrooms, and during its tria
no other case of the District of Co
lumbia could be tried. Consequent,
even the daily routine business of tn,
court was necessarily continued unit
later date.
,>11 II ID,
district attorney. that space be al
lowed in the District Supreme Court
for the hearing of Police Court cases
SO that the four Judges could sit AT tbs
same time. and thus serve the pending
jury cases and the daily work as wei
up to the present time, has been un
answered, probably due to the lacl
of space and personnel in the larger
court building. Maj. Gordon has Sent
over two more q sSistant United States
attorneys. but their aid has been cur
tailed by lack of room.
The prohibition attorneys, by threat
ening more jury trials and a possibil
ity of another courtroom, have helped
that docket. considerably. Monday.
have been added to the former foul
Jury days week, making Saturday
and Sunday the only days the jury
does not meet This has disposed o,
many cases and has helped i'm
mensely but in reality proves but {
drop in the bucket.
However, 1t has shown that all the
personnel of the Police Court 4!
functioning to the best Of it's abilit,
despite their limitations. During thu
recent illness of Judge Macdonald on,
of the three remaining judges eacf
day was forced to sit through thu
days hearing and then take up thu
night traffic court. But now, will
Judge Macdonald back again, eacf
Judge feels that If all were able t
preside over different, courts, and 81
make four courts in constant opera
ton. each ones duties would be mini
mized and a greater amount of worl
done.