A Bungled Case of Robbery and Bad Paperwork
A classic instance of municipal incompetence led to suspected robbers walking free after their bail money was returned due to a clerical error in the police department.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The $150 bail money deposited by Matt Ries for John Sweeney and 'Fatty' Myers, who were accused of robbing Cyrus N. Rogers at Leschi Park, was ordered returned by Judge Glasgow. This was the climax to one of the worst cases of bungling that ever disgraced the police department and municipal court. After being booked on gambling charges as a placeholder, the suspects 'skipped out' while the court failed to hold the bail against a proper indictment. Judge Glasgow concluded the bail could not be held for any charge other than the initial one, and since the victim had already left for California, the court had no choice but to return the money.
“This was the climax to one of the worst cases of bungling that ever disgraced the police department and municipal court.”
The 'revolving door' of the 1890s justice system mirrors modern debates regarding cash bail and the efficiency of the court system. When administrative errors or procedural technicalities allow suspects to evade justice, the public trust in municipal courts often suffers the same strain observed here in 1891.
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