Evening star., 1939-02-19
MorshoIs, Bad News Bearers,
Get Sad 7idings This Week
Eight Men Dropped From District Office,
One of Busiest in United States

The 81 men and 4 women at
tached to the United States mar
shals Office here-long noted for
the bad news they bring-were bear
ing up yesterday after a week of
being on the receiving end of some
very sad tidings.
At last count. no less than eight
men from the marshals Office had
been suspended or had resigned
six as a result of disclosures coming
out of the trial of the brothers
Warning.
The remaining deputies. saddled
with extra work, continued on their
way as serenely as possible, per-
forming the duties which are as
signed to what is certainly one of
the oldest law enforcement agen-
cies in the country.
The United States marshal's office,
operating out of its headquarters
in the District Court Building, is
prepared to perform almost any
function from seizing and auction
ing off a downtown office building
to corraling reluctant witness.
The Office, which probably handles
more business than any other in the
country, occupies unique place in
the crazy quilt police pattern of
the District.
Base Pay S1,8O0 a Year.
Deputy marshals have the power
to make an arrest where felony
has been committed, to seize and
sell property, to summon witnesses
for civil or criminal trials and to
perform a hundred other duties.
They earn base pay of 81, 800 a
year, work long hours and are quite
used to being as welcome as the
German measles. Their pay is not
limited to 81, l,800-which is about $35
week-but may range up to 81 500
year, which is what United States
Marshal John B. Colpoys makes.
The marshal's Office in the District
is unique because this is Federal
territory. The marshal, in addi-
ton to performing the same duties
assumed by similar officers in all
parts of the country, also acts as a
sort of sheriff and justice of the
peace for the city.
Marshal Colpoys and his new
chief deputy, Michael Kearney.
supervise the work of the office OF
the remaining 80 deputies, more
than half are assigned to regular
duties in courtrooms.
The deputy marshals act as bail
ifs in the courts-four being as
signed to each of the three branches
OF the District Court and others
being stationed in police, municipal
and various other courts. They keep
order in the courtroom, guard juries
and go out with subpoenas for wit
nesSeS.
$4,000 Writs Served in Year.
Most deputies arrive at their
office about $3.50 in the morning.
Those assigned to court duty go
to their assignments and work until
late afternoon. When the court
session is over, they grab ZIP a
handful Of assorted summonses and
Writs and fare forth to get some
doors slammed in their faces. This
often keeps up far, far into the
night.
Many Of the deputies spend their
whole time delivering bad news.
In 1898 the 80 deputies succeeded
in serving 10000 writs of various
sorts. These might have been any,
thing from mandamus writs, to gar
nishees, to citations for contempt Of
court. Nobody was glad to get any
of them.
In addition to serving writs Of
this type, the deputies also hop
around with various kinds of at
tachments. Sometimes they attach
an entire building, including all the
furniture in it. Then they have to
| hire a night watchman and nov