New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-22
ABUSES IN THE PUBLIC OFFICES.

EXAMINATION INTO COUNTY CLERKS AND RE-
GIsTER's OFFICES-EXCEsSIYE CHARGES.
The sub division of the Judiciary Committee
on the abuses OF the Registers Office met il
the Fifth Avenue Hotel last evening, MI
Niles, presiding Samuel b. Higginbottom, cOuD-
seorat-aw testified Have had business in the County
Clerks and Registers offices; the charges In Goth offices
are from three five times the legal statutory allow
ances have been the habit OF paying yearly about
$1,000 than Obliged TO pay according to law
this was in connection with the law business Of Day,
Lord & Day the Mutual Life Insurance Company and
the Equitable Life Insurance Company have each
about 800 searches made annually in the Registers Office
charges made usually four times what they ought
be- recording deeds and mortgages s. IS charged
whe at the rate Of four cents foo the legal charge,
they should be 81; it Is matter of comment
among lawyers that the Register realizes
$4,000 annually aside from his legal cnarges'
the that the legal fee for searches shall be 10
for each year, and five cents for each return
witnesses produced search for which the Register had
been paid s5 but which, II charged for at the prescribed
rate would have cost only 81 SOL In 1853 law was
passed FORGETTING the Registers ne In any case
detan search more than 20 days have frequently had
searches detained over 80 days have had ltte or no
experenc in the Registers office since Gen sgel came
but know that the old system OF excessive charges Is
o. Have Won any personal knowledge that Gen. sigel
makes Illegal charges A. have Investigated, and
have searches which fees were charged
The witness namea SEVERN fbe FSuabe lie and
Richard McCurdy of the Mutual Life, who would testify
10 having been charged Illegal fees.
Mr. Higgnbottom also testified before the subCem-
mitee the County Clerks office 10 similar abuses Dt
mentioned specific The witness asserted that
Mr. Loew, the County Clerk charged four times more
than he was entitled to charge.
Both OF THE subcommittee adjourned until Saturday
the Committee in the Registers office To 1880 a. In ana
the Committee the County Clerks office TO $50 p m
Mr.. Strahan, Chairman OF the subcommittee to lnyes
ticate the Distrct-A ttOrneys Office Is having list
prepared from the books OF that Office OF all complaints
and indictments which have been sent to the DISTRICT
hnNa oh
1869 All cases which have record OF final action
are looked up and the Committee will require explana-
lions concerning them. They have found large number
OF cases 20 through with and their investigation s
likely to be Frotraeted one. The committee VIII
also take cogniZance OF any complaints that may
be made with adequate proofs OF irreguaritles con
ueced with the DistrictAtt0rney's once nv way Oh
ouoshng indictments or granting avOrs in criminal pro-
coed ngs IA "A result OF political Influences Any cOmmu
ncatuus any such subjects may be addressed 10 the
Hon Robert IL. strahan, at the Futh Avenue HOTEL Oh
Saturday. -,
The Committee has already been furnished with q
statement OF number Of passing through the
DisrictAttorney's office for the past three years. Ou
Of o of these cases during the year 1871 there 80
convictions and 10 acqutas In the Court OF oyer ana
Terminer and $50 convictions and 332 acquttas IN the
Court Of General Sessions The remaining 1853, IL Il
stated, include such IA were dismissed by the
Grand Jury discharged by the Court or sent 10 the
Court of Special Sessions for trial where the com
painants failed TO appear and could not be FOUND com
Their examination and now awaiting trial There
O5 con ycOns In the Court of Special Sessions and
sl1 aoGuttas during ;S7 and 80 sent from
that Court General Sessions Some OF the cases
tried by special Sessions frOra the District
Attorneys office not coming properly beforeHhe Gen
eral The average OF cases. as ABOVE enuet-
aad for 1869 and 1870 about the same ~ for ISL
IL is fair say that Mr. Strahan has not yet discovered
any Irregularities in connection with the
news office as every which an explanation mas
seemed necessary has far been satisfactorily ex-
planned.