The New York herald., 1874-07-31
Fight Between Sheriff Conner
and Comptroller Green.
THE SHERIFrS CLAIMS RESISTED.
More Suits Threatened Against
the City.
Interesting Statistics and Figures from the
Official Record Interviews with Sheriff
Conner and County Auditor Earla

nay safely be estimated that ten Thousand clvll |
ases are adjudicated yearly in the State courts,
nd u number Of citizens interested in the proper
ND lily administration OF justice, as well az
rom this standpoint
The most important medium Of our city govern
uent in carrying out the process jurisdiction OF
nese courts the sherin's once. presided over by
VILLAIN c. Conner who was elected to that ONCE
ast fall. The emOuments OF this position have
'een vari0usly estimated at rom $780, 900 to
400 900 annually. The sources OF revenue are
regulated by statute, and it IS made an
ndictable offence for any Sheriff to demand or re-
eive emOluments considered extortionate or ille-
,al The Sheriff can also be impeached or removed
~ the Governor for cause in the same manner as
n similar proceedings instituted against Mayors
Dur worthy antediluvian Chief Magistrate, Have |
meyer, being an example Of now proceedings may
be instituted in this connection.
GREEN SHOWS HAND.
The bills OF the Sheriff against the county are
made out quarterly, and since the smasb-up OF the
Ring have been the subject OF dissection intrigue,
bad blood and indlscrlminate slaughter all around
the political arena. The Sheriff holds vigorous
political pull IN the councils OF Tammany Hall from
the large patronage IN his hands, and in former
days those bills were held back by the Comptroller
as check rein upon any aggressive movements
the Sheriff might be tempted TO make against the
party which elected him. During O'Brlen's admin
istrat0n this was particularly noticeable and par
italy resulted In the organization OF the 'y0uDg
democracy" the attack upon Tweed and his
laDorers by O'Brten and followers and other desul
tory skirmishes which the poor innocent people
supposed was the result OF honest Indignation ana
aroused v1rtuous sentiment The citizen Is easily
fooled by the promises and asseveratons OF blatant
hork do in
business it Is to throw dust the eyes OF the
payer aud pocket the stealings, while glamour
OF honesty and virtue seems 10 pervade the whole
transaction.
But right or wrong, just claim, blackmailing or
dishonest claim, Green is bound to stick, qutbbe
and disturb. The validity ana justice OF these
Sherih'S claims against the county, a. sent in to
tne Comptroller, are matters OF heated discussion
now. Other CLAIMS are coming, IN process Of set
tlement and being prepared. Bitter feeling and
recrimina alton are aroused, charges and counter
charges made, indictments by the Ora nd Jury and
impeachment by the Governor threatened, while
the innocent public watches and waits for some
quietus to this boisterOus political whirlpool.
Green and Conner are understood TO be at daggers'
points. The drama has been opened IN real ear
nest. The people regaled with the comedy-per-
haps tragedy-of tho Beecher scandal are prom
ised new political sensation OF the real Ring"
aERALD attache, big with the rumors that
blacken the sky, sailed forth yesterday for IN or
nation on these matters. BE was told that about
three Thousand lawyers and thousands ofhrgants
III this city were interested in these questions OF
Sherfr's fees and charges. Surely the subject was
then OF q class necessary for the HERALD TO look
into.
SHERIFF CONNER
was found at his Office al the new Court House.
dressed in light summer costume and engaged in
the routine matters OF his department. The
HERALD represent tative stated the object OF his
visit; that rumors were IN circulation OF bitter
fight between himself and Comptroller Green in
the matter of his county bills, and that the public
and the legal profession particularly were III.
terested in the matter.
rhe Sner,n feplied tnae ne nao pre- presented nis
have not yet been paid. He claimed that they
were all perfectly legitimate and that II Green did
not pay him Immediately he would commence
snlt. HIS bills were smaller than those presented
by any other Sheriff.
The HERALD representative remarked that he
understood Mr.. kelly's county bills were the
smallest presented by any sheriff for years past,
TO which Conner replied that the business Of the
courts had materially increased since that time.
al will visit Mr.. Green to-day" concluded the
Shern, land ascertain from him what are his
This ended the interview, no questions being
asked as to any other bills issued by the Sheriff
and claims put forward IN ms behalf II IS under
for every prisoner committed 10y police magis-
trate; bnt this item does not appear upon his two
quarters bills, although 1t Ii one OF the largest
sources Of emoument II recognized as valid by
the county.
UP srAIRS-AN INTERVIEW WITH COUNTY AUDITOR
EARLE
From the Shern's once to the Comptroner's oe
parnnent is but one night of stairs in the new
found the mpenetrable marble-visaCed man,
county Auditor Earle, VINO has stepped into the
shoes OF the notorious watson, OF Ring celebrity.
While the HERALD man stood apart waiting for an
interview, in the space OF five minutes at least one
dozen claimants against the city shouted across
the railing az the doomed Earle. Questions
OF ali sorts were hurled at him with tele.
graphic rapidity, while he bore assault
with amazing coolness and seeming candor an.
each question aDDrDprlAtptY. bPiHQ
asked a. TO the difficulty regarding the Sherin's
bills, he remarked in substance thandlng the bills
for examination 70 the HERALD represen tatlvcl as
foiiows:-'1 have been annoyed considerably rela-
tive to those sccounts- have asked for explana
tlons frequently from the Under Sheriff, Jonn 7.
Cumming, and he has ianed to give them TO me
properly. There are several items IN those bills
which are outrageous | nave nothing personal
PIES interests while sm County Auditor and pre-
vent them IRON being robbed There is an item
the Penitentiary House OF Refuge &c, and it does
not say where irOm The same cnarRe Is made Tor
bringing prisoners from the Tombs TO the Court OF
over and Terminer and Special Sessions. Why,
the work be easily done for thirty cents a
head. Thousands OF dollars can be saved to the
county In tins way. Then discrepancy appears
as TO the reports OF convictions IN the Courts OF
oyer and Terminer and General and Special
Sessions TO the Secretary OF State, for which the
Snenn claims fifty cents per head, and also twelve
and hall cents per head for all reports As TO
victions IN Police Courts. ] asked for an explana-
In an amended statement in which the twelve and
a half cent item Is lett out propose 10 allow him
81 apiece ior bringing prisoners from the Tombs
TO the institutions. l think this is entirely fair
and liberal. The whole item for one month for
bringing prisoners from the Tombs to the Courts
ioots up to about 81, 400 This Is simply monstrous
Then for summonlng Grand Jurors $40 is allowed
by statute for each panel-twenty cents apiece
The Sherin bills the county Tor thirty-fve cents
head for summopipg petit jurors. propose TO
allow him the same remuneration which he re-
ceves for summoning Grand Jurors-twenty cents
q head. His bills TO the county at the present RATIO
will amount 10 about $4,000 per annum, which Is
but an Item OF his enormous income, when Is
simply incaculabe. He certainly receives sum-
cient from civil cases and other sources Without
overcharging the county,
The County Auditor then HANDED the reporter
the following extract OF a report in The matter ne
proposed TO hand in to the Comptroller wnen com
pleted. IL was prepared yesterday -
4. II. GREEN, Comptroller -
siR-The bills OF sheriff Conner for January Feb
ruary and March are made up as iolows- -
For conveying 5Se convies 20 BlaokweIs aud 20, >,
Randalrs Islands, at 81 10 =. 0' 20
For ewing 6s6 prisoners from CITY PRISON TO , an
Court OF oyer and Terminer, al t9..'...... -ooV "