The New York herald., 1875-12-05
The Senate Committee Probing
the Sherif's Office.
MR. coNNERS BAD INVESTMENT
Police Officials on Licensing
Houses Of Prostitution.
MORE OFFICERS NEEDED.
Comptroller Green's Receipts from
the Courts.

The Senate Committee on City Affairs met again yes
terday. Senators Booth Bradley and Toby pres
ent AT the opening Of the session. but the latter did not
remain throughout Commissioner Davenport con
Quoted the examination which OF rather desultory
character and consisted mainly in the Introduction Of
documentary evidence financial statements, ex-
hibits, &c
General Fitz John Porter, Commissioner Of Public
Works, the first witness called, and presen ted
several tabular statements OF amounts expended on
various contracts for Tagging paving and repairing OF
streets and avenues. In response TO questions by
Senator Bradley, General Porter declared it his
opinion that in most it advantageous to
the city to have work done by the day than by
contract He assigned a reason that the former
class of work was better inspected and thoroughly
executed In the of contractors there was COL
luson with inspectors and others. The work was
hurried through and defects constantly coming to
light after It's completion and acceptance. He denied
that additional force of laborers had been employed
for the purpose OF affecting the elections but stated
that the approach Of winter had necesstated the
rapid execution of various improvements which would
otherwise have proved failures and larger force OF La
borers had TO be employed
Sheriff William c. Conner was then called and sworn
in relation TO the management of the Shern7s Office
He entered the office January l. 1874 and has thirty
two deputies He stated that his expenditures exceeded
his receipts from all sources by $11, TAO o5, and
that taking into consideration his election ox-
penses, he already out OF pocket over
$3.50 by reason of his supposed lucrative
Office. He experienced great difficulty in collecting
from lawyers the term fees to which he was entitled
The total receipts from the regular legal business Of tho
Office including term fees attachments orders or ar
rest executions against tie person and property werc
tcr ssa sae oi year iS s1 I9r nlne months a 1872
against the county for $36 000 which Comptroller
Green had refused to allow, and which remains unpaid
The deputies receive no salaries employ their own
clerks and depend for their emoluments upon what
they can wiring out OF unfortunate debtors. They
legally entitled TO twenty 1--WE per cent Of nominal
poundage supposed to be paid to the Sheriff himself
The latter Is only allowed Office room by the county,
and all other expenses are borne by himself
Senator Bradley asked Mr.. Conner II, in his opinion
the Sherifs Office should not be made a saaried one?
He replied that the matter had been fixed by the
stitution but he himself thought a salary would be
preferable to the present mode of compensation by
fees. The main objection seemed TO be the danger OF
saddling the county with liability for ortous acts of
the Sheriff He had already taken indemnity bonds
for upward Of $780, 900. He thought these bonds
might be taken by the Court instead OF the Sheriff This
was the case in Philadelphia and seemed to work salts
factorily.
Deputy Comptroller Abraham N Earle was then
called and examined in relation to Sheriff Conners bill
against the county and the for its non-pay-
mcnL He said that the bill contained many items
which the Comptroller deemed illegal and exorbitant;
head for carrying prisoners to and from the courts.
There was legal question as to the proper tribunal by
which tho Sherin7s bill should be audited The Sheriff
claimed that the Board Of Supervisors had the power
but the Comptroller refused TO recognize their right
do 50. Ihat BODY nad already passed a resolution
it retroactive and could only apply to
future bills when rendered Sheriff Conner claims
70 have omitted many charges from his bill which had
been made by his predecessors in Office, notably Sheriff
Brennan Mr.. Earle then continued at some length in
an endcavor to show that the city burdens had been
liOhta med he
nent bonded debt Of the city had increased and
creasing. He could not give even an approximate est
mate OF the amount OF claims which had accumulated
against the city, they already numerous, many
oil them dating far back He said that he had prepared
decrease in expenditures under the present
financial administration, and the difference in
the amounts raised by taxation was to be
accounted for by the difference in valuations since
1870 The interest on the city debt in 1870
81 097 the interest in 1875 So 900 O00 making
difference of nearly S. 900, 000 The amount raised
for asyums, &C. in 1870 was $396 1885, in 1875 was
$S25 905 making increase OF $429, ,639. The
Of expenditures for 1870 was iO35; in 1872,
when the reins held 'taut /" they were reduced
TO SIT 032 1872; in 1873 they SIS 674 2S9 making
difference OF about IS 900 600 decrease since 1870 In
1874 the Westchester district annexed which made
increase in the annual expenditures OF $11s III
and, besides there we're large amount Of arrearagcs
paid OF.
The expense OF the comptroer's once proper in
1870 was $4l7 500; in 1871 $47o976; in 1872
$500 900; in 1873 $27o 600; in 1874 $3.50 0o0 and in
1875 $225 600 Mr. Earle then remarked that the busi
of the Office had swollen ourfod since 1870 Sena-
Bradley remarked that the increase of the perma
nent bonded debt should be checked somewhere and
that the only proper course for municipalities well
individuals, was 'pay you go.p Since 1870 this
debt, It seems, has increased by SS0O0,000 This is
partly attributable to the fact that departments
especially that Of docks are sustained altogether by
the issue of bonds.
Henry j. storrs clerk in the Comptrollers Office
presented tabulated statement Of the amounts paid
the city treasury from the various courts ncud.
ing district and police courts, as well as those or
record from January l. 1873, up to date The table IS
as follOws:-