Evening star., 1936-11-26
ATTACKS
Of POLICE COURT
|NPR|NCE GEORGES
Keystone Automobile Club
Legislative Expert Hits
ConstitutionaIity.
W. S. CANNING DRAFTS
PROPOSED LAW CHANGES
Suggestions on Judicial and En-
forcement Methods to Be Sub.
mitted to Law Makers.

mitted to Law Makers.
Belief that the Prince Georges
County. Md, Police Court and con-
stabulary were established by uncon-
stitutional laws was expressed last
night by William s. Canning, chief
engineer and legislative expert Of the
Keystone Automobile Club.
Prompted by the current inquiry
into alleged police and bonding ir-
regularities in the county, q legisla.
tive program embodying changes in
both judicial and law enforcement
methods Is under preparation by Can
ming.
Scheduled for completion next week,
the proposals will be submitted to
Lansdale G. Sasscer, president Of the
Maryland Senate; Emmanuel Gorfine,
Speaker of the House of Delegates,
and the Board OF County Commis-
sioners. Gorfine recently said he
would press action on the program
by the General Assembly at its next
session. opening in January.
Sued for Third Time.
For the third time since the In.
vestigation began Elmer Pumphrey,
Suitland, Md, bondsman, was sued
in the Upper Marlboro Circuit Court
yesterday. The action was introduced
by Mrs. Dorothy Bowers of 1000 New
ton street, who asked $l5l.70 report
edly paid to Pumphrey for fine and
court costs" and bonding fee. Two
other Washington motorists have
sued the bondsman for return OF
funds allegedly paid under similar
circumstances.
Mrs. Bowers, in an afidavit at
tached to the declaration, said she
was arrested by county police last
April on charges of driving without
a permit, reckless driving and dam
aging private property. Released on
81 200 bond, she averred, the $151.70
later was paid to Pumphrey by her
father, James Gorrie. OF this, Mrs.
Bowers declared, $lo1.To represented
"the fine and court costs which would
be used by defendant in having the
said charges against me finally dis
posed or in police court.
Never Appeared In Court
She said she never appeared in
court, but has been Informed" that
Pumphrey did not execute and file in
said Police Court OF Prince Georges
County any bond for my appearance
in said court nor did said defendant
use sum of $101.7o. so to be applied
as aforesaid. toward the payment OF
any fine and court costs :"
Canning's legislative program will
include recommendations for more
complete police and justices Of the
peace records, he said. He will urge
a uniform, numbered and indexed
system of arrest records. warrants and
receipts be established throughout the
State. Another proposal will suggest
that authority for traffic arrests on
arterial highways be restricted to
State officers. Prince Georges police
now make apprehensions on all roads
in their territory.
The Keystone official said the cur
rent police court and constabulary
set-up violates the Maryland constitu-
ton, in his opinion. The act of 1927.
establishing the judicial system, took
away certain powers of justices Of the
peace guaranteed to them in the con-
stitution, Canning declared. Since
the Prince Georges police personnel
does not contain one man from each
election district, as prescribed in the
constitution, the county police law is
invalid, he said.
Several court motions. charging SIM
liar short comings in the statutes,
have been filed In the Circuit Court
during the past two months by Prince
Georges attorneys.