The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-02-05

Thousands Of minor and some ma
jor criminal offense charges drag
along for a year or longer before
the accused is freed or convicted.
Dockets clogged in 1925 are grow
ing worse, and still more evil con.
ditions are forecast.
Choked to the limit, eighty-four
courts, reported on by seventy.hve
clerks to Director Charles Kettle
borough Of the State Legislative Bu-
reau. disposed of only 1881 crimi-
nal cases out Of 13,161 before them
in 1925.
Judge James A. Collins of Crimi-
nal Court said an equally poor con-
dition exists in Marion County, fig
ures on which are not included in
Kettleborough's total.
We've got thousand cases right
here ready for trial." Collins de.
clared, (which means we'd be busy
every hour, every calendar day
from now until the end of the term
in June, If we cleaned up and didn't
touch a case that is filed between
now and then"
More to Como
collins said at least 1000 cases
will come before his court either by
appeal from lower courts, or by the
filing of affidavits or indictments
before the. end of the term.
/ Appeals, Collins disclosed, are re-
sponsible for a major part of the
burden.
'They appeal all kinds Of cases
up here" he said, simply because
they want time before having to
serve sentences. They think, and
it has been the case here recently.
that we can't get around to them
for a year or more. When we do,
they dismiss the appeal and abide
by the lower courts order"
Collins has taken steps to remedy
matters. Under the direction of Dep
uty Prosecutor John L. Niblack, fif-
teen cases are being set for trial
daily before Municipal Judges Felt
and McAllist,r, acting as special
Criminal Court judges.
Same Rank of Judge
Under this arrangement an appeal
from municipal court convictions, in
some cases, is being heard, in effect,
by judge Of no higher status than
the judge who pronounced sentence,
though legally, the jurist hearing
the appeal is a special officer of
Criminal Court.
Niblack's effort to dispose of If
teen cases a day, started Monday,
has been successful in three cases
out of every four. OF the sixty
cases set for trial, forty.flve were
disposed of either by conviction. ac
qnittal, Dismissal or forfeiture Of the
accused persons bond.
Many Left Pending
Out Of 1924 criminal cases before
all the State courts in 1924, 1855
were left pending in 1925, according
to reports to Kettleborough. The
number Of cases left pending in
1925 for action this year is larger,
1t is indicated by reports on the
eighty.four courts.
In only one county which has re-
ported were more cases disposed of
than were left pending.
Fifty-one cases were disposed Of
in the Rush Circuit Court, Rushvllle,
presided over by Judge VIII M.
Sparks, and forty-two were pending
Jan. l, for future action.
Included in fifty-seven cases dis
posed of in the Hamilton Circuit
Court, Noblesville, out of 1872. was
the murder charge against d. c.
Stephenson, serving life in Michigan
City penitentiary for killing Madge
Oberholtzer. indianapolis. Sparks
presided at this trial besides keeping
ahead Of his own docket.
In Madison County, 397 cases were
disposed of out of 916. Lake County's
three courts disposed of 1,155 out Of
1,7S3 cases. Many of these disposi-
tions We're by dismissal.