Show Motorists In Illinois Can Be Imprisoned for Failing To Pay Injury Judgments EVANSTON Ill m Sept 18 18 Moro More and more lawyers of or 1111 Illi Illinois nois noli are learning that a 0 motorist can be Imprisoned It If he ho falls tails to pay a judgment tor for personal In- In Injury Injury In Injury jury On Saturday last a 0 CM- CM Chi Chicago cago cage morning paper printed a picture of ot Gus Fet Fetz noted ath ath- ath athlete lete Jete who was behind the tho bars barB be- be because because bc cause ho could not pay a 0 judg judge judgement Judgment judgment ment for tor on an automo automo- automobile automobile automobile bile accident Last fall taU The National Under Under- Underwriter Underwriter Underwriter writer printed some lomo comment I showing the value ot or the tho Imprisonment Imprisonment law as a check on reek reck- leas leM drivers The Tho article was reo re- reprinted re reprinted printed at the tho time In a Chicago go newspaper and since th then n the number or of o Imprisonments hill been steadily growing It seems likely that putting the tho defend defend- defendant defendant ant In jail will become a 0 a routine practice In automobile cases casel where the motorist Is unable to I the judgment and the tho practice practice tice will Ill undoubtedly have strong I public support It will do more I than anything else to make maks reckless reck- reck less Jeu drivers careful car JU JUSTICE TICE 01 Ot PEACE Ce I IV IN JAIL Some time ago aiO Walter Ahern justice of or the tho Dace p ace In Evergreen Park near Chicago spent two hours In tho the Cook county jail because he ho failed tailed to pay 1200 to Miss Jennie PolaskI who obtain obtain- obtained obtained ed judgment as a result of ot In- In Injuries In Injuries juries while motoring In Aherns Ahern's auto Recently Frank titer Deter or of o CM- CM Chi Chicago cago suffered a judgment of 1000 and spent a day In Jail before he could effect his hll re- re release release re release lease PUBLIC APPROVAL Most people will sympathIze with the Imprisonment or of o motor motor- motorIsts motorists motorists who fall tall to pay damage judgments While there thero h 1 i no lm- lm Imprisonment Im Imprisonment tor for ordinary debt un- un under un under der del most laws the tho Illinois law permits Imprisonment where there element element Is Ii an da element of or wrong doing wrong I As an automobile claimants usually usually ally allege allego violation o of speed laws or way ot laws the tho technical wrong doing rong oln Is seldom lacking where judgment Is suf- suf suffered suf suffered ere Thus Thul In practically all cases Imprisonment Is certain if IC the claimants claimant's lawyer awyer is posted on the law and the tho judgment is II not paid C CANNOT COT OT flu BE FIXED Too many speeders are selfishly indifferent o o 0 others on the road It Is easy to fix a 0 ticket or at worst a fine Ine will be only a afew afew few teW dollars and they do not get caught very ery often otten They are arc either judgment proof or carry In- In Insurance insurance In Insurance Even It if the Insurance Is cancelled many of at them figure they can conceal their property In incase Incase case caso of an adverse verdict The imprisonment feature Is the one thing that Is and can not be bo fixed If Ie It were Invoked more often otten the reckless speeders would hav have have- somethIng serious to think about In traffic and ond at dangerous l intersections IS INEXORABLE Not all of ot those arrested go to jail Every two or three days In Cook county a a deputy sheriff brIngs In a defendant on a capias caplas but after atter a 1001 look at the bars the prisoner decides to pay The Tho Inexorable nature of ot the tho writ In such a case Is sho shown n by bythe bythe bythe the fact tact that Sheriff Hoffman Hottman has Issued orders to the tho deputies that no concessions are ro to be 7 made ade to the prisoners except the privilege of ot telephoning their families or lawyers They are aro areto areto to be taken at once to the jail The reason tor for this Is nothing but payment of at the judgment can keep them out and the scurrying around usual In cases cales of or arrest can have hae no effect Deputies have the usual human sYmpathies and when a man Is taken from rom his family to be thrust behind the bars blUs he ho Is e often otten allowed every courtesy that can lead to a hope or of treed freedom om On a a writ of or capla nd ad satisfaciendum there Is no- no nothing nothing no nothing thing to be done but pw pay or com com- compromise com compromiser promise with with- tho the claimant or go goto goto goto to jail Thus the courtesies given given given en In tn other cases are useless The Tho above story I Is reprinted tram from the August 19 Issue of or The National Underwriter |