New-York tribune., 1866-12-24
SUPERVISING SwTNDLES.

We lately called attention to the action Of tho Boaa
of Supervisors who at their meeting on Wednesday
added 5000 to the salary Of each Of the Ol attendants
on the City and County Courts thus putting $4,000
into the annual tax-levy. The announcement that
so largo number of persons in addition to the regu
lar corps Of clerks, Librarians, senographers, oriers
and interpreters, are employed as Court attendants
at cost Of moro than $4,000 per aDnum has sur
prsed many of our readers, it being well known 10
those who are familiar with the Courts that not more
than one-third of that number discharge any duty
beyond drawing their salaries
Those supernumersry attendants have been ap-
pointed By the Board of Supervisors (most OF them
during the last three years. in defiance OF the opinion
of Corporation Counsel Bronson who decided that
such appointments were Illegal The number oil these
extra attendants has been doubled in consequence OF
the peculiar construction Of the Board OF Supervisors
that body being composed of an equal number Of
each political party. This non-partisan arrangement
necessates trade being made upon every job, either
large small that is put through the Board so that
whenever a Democratic Supervisor finds it desirable
TO provide for pugilistc satellite by placing him
on the payroll as attendant one Of the courts,
similar compliment must be paid to Republican
Supervisor in order to keep the account oven. Such
arrangements keep matters moving pleasantly in the
Board, but are not profitable to taxpayers. In
illustration of this subject. circumstance of recent
occurrence may be interesting to our readers.
During the past two years there have been eighteen
persons receiving pay as regular attendants on the
Court of Sessions, but in consequence of the non
attendance Of most Of these gentlemen the Judges OF
the Court found themselves in want of couple OF
officers TO convey prisoners TO and from the Tombs
Fully understanding what was necessary to obtain
their desires the Judges sent communication to the
Supervisors asking for the appointment OF four addi'
tional attendants. The communication was received
and referred to a Committee, who in due time re-
ported fsyorably andsubmtted resolution appointing
the four extra men, at a salary of $1,000 per annum
for each The "Ring" in tho Board, however, desired
to give it further nursing and the resolution was
laid over until the next meeting, at which time the
matter was again considered, the word !" four" was
stricken out and "ten substituted, and the resolu-
ton thus amended was passed and sent 10 the Mayer.
His Honor Mayor Hoffman, notdeeming ten additional
attendants necessary, vetoed the, resolution and re
turned to the Supervisors who holding it until
the proper time arrives to pass it the veto. That
these ten men will eventually be sadded upon the
sued in regard to a similar veto Of the Mayors,
which was sent to the Board on the 18th OF
August last, and was passed over the
veto at their last meeting This resolution
appointed John Hogan Clerk of one of the Courts,
at an annual salary of $4,000. The objections Of
Mayor Hoffman were: First, That the appointment
was not legally made; and Second, That the Tax-levy
expressly provides that no liability shall be incurred
sin excess of the appropriation" and that there was no
appropriation from which the salary could be paid
Notwithstanding these objections the resolution was
again passed by vote of eight against two.
The Legislature will probably abolish the Board q
Supervisors this Winter, but must be taken that
provision is ass made for removing from office the
swarm Of sinecure place-holders which has been
created by the Board during the nine years of its ex-
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