New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-12-21
STEALINGS IN COURT.

Yesterday there appeared in the official report of the
proceedings of the Supervisors resolution increasing
the salaries Of the attendants of the Court Of Common
Pleas, Superior, Supreme and Marine Courts, and
General Sessions and District Courts, to $1,000 The
fact that these officers have been thought worthy OF
the salary 10 which the law has limited the Clerks of
the Court of Records-men who have grave RESPONSE
bltos and must necessarily have some education and
no little labor-ha5 provoked inquiry into the number
and tho duties of these attendants"
The Controllers reports show that tho muster OF
these attendants exclusive of clerks librarians steno
graphers crerS. and interpreters, is one hundred and
one, distributed as follows: Twenty-nine to the Su-
prcme Court which, during nine months of the year,
has five terms in session; eighteen to tho Superior
Court, with ordinarily four and an extreme limit OF
five terms eighteen to the Court Of General Sessions,
with a single court; nine to the Court of Common
Pleas which has three terms at most; ten to the Ma
rine Court which has two terms two to each of tho
first seven District Courts and three to the eighth.
This exclusive of attendance at the Court of Oyer
and Terminer at its occasional sessions. Evenncluding
dooropcners scarcely three can be than partially
employed in any Court. The District Courts it will
be seen, and several Of the other Courts are actually
attended by two only.
Let us observe the labors and high responsibilities
for which these gentlemen have been receiving
SlOl coo per annum. 1t is well understood that some
of them seldom appear in court at ALL Their
chief duty appears to be to sign (or in case the
requirement of writing has been denied them, make
their mark on) the monthly pay-ros. Some fulfill the
irksome and complicated duties of doOrkeepcrs.
Others have tho solemn responsibility OF placing the
Bible in the hands of witnesses and crying their
names aloud to tho great confusion of sensitive people,
not emitting to shout "Scnce :" and rap the desk or
railing. Occasionally one of them undorgoeS the
real labor Of keeping jury in charge, which once or
twice in a year involves the necessity of remaining
up all night This, with occasional enand for the
court, or for couusel-(politeneSs is probably too
heavy a tax considering the salary)-is the bulk OF
the work now performed for $lOl 600 per annum, but
which after January is considered by the Supervisors
to be worth Sl2l 200.
How much time do these gentlemen give in return
for their wages In tho Courts OF Record the general
hour of assembling is 10 a. m; but on many days no
business is done and the Court sits beyond three
in tho afternoon. Even four hours day is large
average of work Nor do the District Courts, though
somewhat more irregular, exact any more time or
labor They sit sometimes only three weeks of the
torn, though instances, like memorable cold winters
Of oldest inhabitants have been treasured up By
veteran attendants, when the terms had actually
run into five weeks. There usually nino terms in
the year, though in the General Sessions more.
One hundred and sixty days Of four hours each
are as much as tho majority of these costly attend
ants can possibly allow, without grumblng' from
their private employmeHts. For the rest, Sl2O,COO
per year, extracted from our grooming Taxpayers,
seems prodgal waste of wages; and the reckloSsnoss
with which this sum is appropriated and spent by our
Board of Supervisors is the more deplorable since 1t
is supposed only portion of the sum finally reaches
the nockets Of those who ore deuded BY its bounty