New-York tribune., 1869-04-10
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
THE sHERIFF'S FEES.
AUDAcIoUs ATTEMPT TO INCREASE AN INCOME
OF $200000-THE BILL BEFORE THE LEGIs.
LATuRE.

A bill was yesterday passed by the Assembly
to increase the fees OF the Sheriff OF the City OF New
York It's necessity is based the statement Of Mr. o.
Brien the present incumbent that the Office yielded him
last year only $500 This extraordinary statement as to
the emouments Of the shrevalty has read with
prise by every citizen who has bur the slightest idea o.
this department. and the amount supposed be realized
by the Sheriff, while every really acquainted with
tand there at least 500 lawyers In New York wha
have throughout the business with the
shers oficeregards the assertion Of only $500 being
realized by Sheriff 0Bren for the past year. as not only
false but O stupid absurlity. Il..il..
Mr. OBriens two immediate predecessors. Messrs
Kelly and Lynchthe former Of whom served two terms
one before and the other after Lynchboh retired from
the office wealthy II is said that Mr. Kelly, after
his first term was wealthy enough to build number Of
brownstone houses uptown and Lynch retired from the
Office worth some s5oOo0 Sheriff Kelly retired from his
second term worth 100000 Neither of these officials
ever dreamt Of going to the Legislature for oal to
their fees being too well satisfied with the fees
they were receiving Nor is it pretended that although
they charged enormously the proper statuabe fees
OBren charges less On the contrary the concurrent
testimony of the members Of the legal profession who
have had business to transact with the shers oce Tor
more than ten years past is that OBrien's fees, in
every are far in of either Kelly or Lynch
In considering the subject there two branches OF
rascay TO be exposed the enormty OF the overehages
In the fees regulated by the Revised Code and the Gre
alton offices by the Sheriff not warranted by law. But
let 0rst glance at some sources Sueflu
oBrien's present income, and then Judge whether is
ought to satisfy him as 1t Is. t""
THE LUDLow-sT. PRISON.
On the assumption Of office by tho Sheriff he has to
make various appointments Those within his Office
may not possibly, be soid however lucrative they
be. OBren being subject to the dication OF the Ring"
who gave him his nomination and carried his election,
in all probability the clerks, assistants and deputies
the appontees OF this precious body There Is however
one oce which has been Invariably sold, at least by bis
immediate predecessors, at bonus Of from $500 to
s25OOc, namely, the keepershp OF Ludow-st Prison.
Mr. Moore the keeper Of this prison under Mr. Kelly, is
said to have paid $4,000 to that Sheriff When OBen
came into Office 1t Is also said that Moore offered him
$4,000 for the place. 1t was, however given to Joe"
Tracy of the Nineteenth Ward and what he paid Is not
known the "Ring" coming in to obtain for him the pref
erence. 1t s however said that he paid $4,000 for it,
and the place worth far money can be coined
there For nero board debtors pay an average OF SIS TO
so week. which realizes profit Of cent per cent Then
there is the milk meat bread and grocery contracts
which large percentage is made, doubtless mutually
profitable TO both contracting parties. But what Is
little Ell Dorado to the keeper is the supply Of
the wines liquors, cigars billiard table and other lux
uries which the creditor who at all afford them wll
have; and it Ia principle in human natule that If man
will drink and play and enjoy other luxures when moving
abroad, he will double his allowance Of such luxuries
when confined within the walls Of prison to keep hun
self from painful reflections Ludlow-st. Prison. from
debtors there throughout the In addition to tho
other fees debtors undergo bleeding each enter
ing and leaving pays fee Of ST. "gOng out and coming
in" SO that the keeper well afford to pay $4,000 to
10000 for the situation. and make fortune into the bar
gain. This directly into the pocket OF tho
Sheriff. frIrs
THE COURT CALENDARS 'iF9m
This source OF the sherrs income is gre item and
often altogether overlooked calculating tho sheffHs
income On IN average, there are at least 1900 names
OF suits on three calendars OF the Supreme Court
Superior Court and Common Pleas On each SUIT named
therein the Sheriff paid 50c often collected from Doth
plantif and defendant This fee is for summoning jaro
Take for instance the month Of January OF the present
year which Is generally very low month In the NUMBER
of SUITS the calendars for that month being ordinarily
made up OF renanets from the previous year Supreme
Court 4,25O; Superior Court, 1885, Common fleaS
$685. At 50 cents each S3l46. ta- 49,.
Rut the average throughout the year would give fof
each month names OF SUITS which would yeiu so"
and which beng multiplied by nine would give sSsOcs
year into the sheriffs office. y ...
The other sources OF income are attachments agansi
property orders of arrest executions and sales and bail
bonds. sf ~ ri.4I
ATTACHMENTS, ORDERS ARREST &C. i....E
against property where the debtor supposed to be
about to defraud his creditors is not very large source
of income, believed to amount to s4eO) year y
Orders OF arrest amount about the the fee ~
each being wnud according 10 the closest
calculation amount to about - 900 year. ...L,
EXECUTIONS AND SALES.
These are the grand oncome in the sherfs de
,rt,nen and throw all the others into the shade. The
foes realized on sales 1t impossible 70 calculate Some
times thousands a day. sometimes thousands week;
some months tens OF thousands made by fees on exc
cutons and sales On the proceeds OF every sae tue
Sheriff charges per cent the sherls anctioneer hye
nor cant: pouudage "a fictitious item but charged,
?, per cent; the keeping $40 day Tor ono
man who receives s. a day, the balance going TO
the sheriff; with half dozen lother charges, which
we cannot stop to enuerate charged Oh the amount re-
alized three fourths OF which go Into the sherIhs
nocet In fact as lawyers say the charges are any
thing that the Sheriff may choose TO make and they are
go questioned one instance may he incidentally re-
,orrad to Property was levied upon for debt OF c
ba goods seized did not amount to more than 6Q When
the sberifs bill was furnished his fees alone amounted
70 s1othat to collect s2Ool On this subject may DO
remarked In passing that the law does not give the
sheriff authority to appoint auetioneer TO sell goods
,rder execution he being obliged to do this him.
self as part of bis official duty without charging any ee
, .l.., .,It THE BAIL BOND swINDLE
Rnt OF All the swldles connected With the sherns de-
nartment there is which stands out with peculiar
proneuce because IN tins case we are able 10 una da
when debtor s baied the law provides that ne sha os
charged fee Of "a 5O but Mr. OBren nerer charges e
than Ell u.s. Bail can always be procured In the sheas
for any man who pay for it, aud 1t some
times costs him as much $50. This however, Is mat
Tar f contract between debtor prisoner ana the
sbers Office but 1t most dishonestuse OF the duties
~ the Office turning bail brokerage tyields
~ thousands or dollars into the department or those
who are dependent upon IT, ra. Do .rI-u.
Thus We may roughly calculate the sources Of income
of the sheriffs office: u
Bonus on the Ludlow st. prison keepershp'- No%o N
. Galenusrs. - 80; =. $1,000
Executions and sales
Oyeroharge on bail bonds |''VSN
ON keepng OF levied goods, orders or arrests
= attachments, lodgment Of execution DO ,.oAo
fore levy, &c, &c.......-'...-'..''''-'''' -1,Y
. SFonoo