The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-22
COMMISSIONER DUNLAP.
His Right to Exact Fines from
Delinquent Jurors.
DOUGLAS TAYLOR'S VIEWS
The Duties of the Board for
Enforcing Fines.


Commissioner OF Jurors Dunlap IN exacIlng $50 fine
from Mr. Charles Hauselt, OF No. 17s William street.
II appears that Mr. Hauselt excused Tor one year
juror paying this line, receipt for the money
being given by Commissioner Dunlap. TINS AFFAIR was
brought the attention OF Judge Van Hoesen, OF Tue
Court OF Common Pleas, and the Board for the En-
forcement of Jury Fines will, IL is stated, enter upon
an Investigation the 18th inst This Board consists
OF the following gentlemen Chef Justice Noah Davis
Supreme Court; Chief Justice William f. Curtis Su-
perior Court Chief Justice c. p Daily, Court of Com
mon Pleas: Chief Justice George Shea. Marine Court;
Mayor Ely, Recorder Hackcu CITY Judge sutherland
Judge Gldorsleeve Court of General Sessions and
Commissioner Dunlap
COMMISSIONERS DusLAP's EXPLANATION
Mr. Thomas Dunlap, Comm issioner OF Jurors, yes
terday issued the following explanation OF the
They say this Mr. Hauselt paid me 500 so he did,
and II IS well enough Know that this has been
the habit of paying $50 every year for number OF
years. fine for non-atten dance MS juror. This ne
has done and so have other pcopo and The matter s
not a new procedure in the office. For thirty years
back there has been system by which men who GIANT
10 duly walked up paad their deposit TO meet
any prospective tine that might be IMPOSED upon them
Tor non-attendanuc, and tnrs has cleared them
IRON duty. About every 600 liable 10 do
jury duty pay this hnc and II doesn't interfere with
money 20 the city treasury. All TINS iuss about
Mr. hauselts 500 is made up by people VINO
want 10 raise oreeze III Albany ana 70
strike at inc oflico | occupy, and so FAR as he
think he Is satisfied that mis- usual pay
ment was IN the usual way ana ior the usual purpose
THIS collecting OF money has been sanctioned by the
courts for years--a least nobody ever iound iault
with II, and the clearly the commissioner OF
Jurors the right to 90 IT. Judge WestbrooS's decision
clearly covers this matter and 1t stands Oh record in
The collection OF these deposits, fines If you
choose to call them So Tor they are payments intended
to I'LL the OF tine, be collected by law, alter
the party has been draw Tor duty and notified 10 at
tend, is SIMPLY the receiving Of the sum named AS
penalty for disregard OF the summons pay ment
IS,
order. Any who Is drawn can stay away, and
the law imposes a line OF not less than $50 or more
than $3.50, aud leaves IT discretionary with the COM
oil Jurors TO remit the whole part oil IT,
he does this the representative Of the Board Tor the
Eniorcement OF Jury Fines.
The running expenses oi the office all paid out
oil the unds received in this and after these bills
paid tue balance is deposited with the proper
officer Of the city TO receive H.
This all absolutely provided Tor in the law govern
ing the office Oi Commissioner OF Jurors, and II there
Is anything crooked IN tho procedure the law, and
not the Commissioner, is responsible Tor It.
The provisions OF LIE Law to-day are the same III
substance as the old law framed in lS4l, and re-
enacted in 1870. 1t was good enough thirty years
ngo; IL was good enough TO meet every emergency
eight years ago and 1t seems to that is good
enough tor any comm issioncr 10 stand by now. IRE
LOUD talk about this $50 payment is beneh TO me.
The people OF New YORK always want TO know some
thing and the quicker the men who pay fines Tor
attendance jurors know where the money goes to
the better all around.
RECONNAISSANCE TAYLoRs VIEWS
Dir. Douglas Taylor, formerly Commissioner OF
tive relative TO the controversy, and made the follow
ing statement
~ see by morning newspaper a statement from
Commissioner OF Jurors Dunlap that he was pushed
into the Office against his consent Tor the purpose
improving the management Of that department. and
insttutlng certain reforms. From what hear
should judge that the gentleman failed, which very
much regret. lad the laws enacted relative to the
Office OF Commissioner OF Jurors, and by my own per-
Vel ffllfls Il "A al
lett II when was forced TO 90 TO Europe IN 1870 1t
then such u state that two small buys cold
It, haven't heard Of any violent reforms since that
time
allow as to the exercising your duties and the
powers controlling youY'
.'wnat | did as 10 excusing jurors committing fines
or enforcing them strct accordance with the
law ana Win the orders OF the Board OF Enforcement
Jury Fines, whose agent l was IRON May, 1870,
until May 1870 Ali arrangements made vita either
courts uries were made under special advice, drec-
ton sanction OF the Judges OF the Board above
ALLUDED TO. The Important question IN The matter OF
Mr.. Dunlap is 10 whether the Board at meeting
siBce left Office authorized my successor 10 continue
his business the same legal manner as prescribed
when held the place"
'.Then you think the controversy solely upon
what al thority was delegated by this Board 10 Mr..
sPrecisely So But sulersiand that no meeting OF
ever, that believe Commissioner Dunlap has DIS
rged hls duties honestly and returned every dollar
paIu Tor fines nSo The CITY treasury. The am Guilty
be that lie mas not called the Board together
acted under their ordcrs.n
relation TO the subject. He however, apparently felt
much annoyed At beng drawn into The dispute by
Commissioner DUNLAP
DrSLAr's DEPUTY SPEAKS
Mr. Gunther X. Ackerman, who acted as Commits
sioner Dunap's deputy IRON the time that gentleman
took office up 10 lew weeks since, volunteered The
following explanation -
.'rnere is absolutely nothing tho charges mado
in OF the papers thus morning. livery dollar
collected by the Comm ssioner during the time
connected with the office Das been accounted Tor.
This | know Of my knowledge. fhe only
M
tho money was collected legally. Tho pres
ent act Vhe new Code) explicitly states
that the Commissioner 'snap collect all
and penalties and shall pay all the expenses OF his
Dice thcrerom, including clerk hire, printing, &c
md shall turn the balance over 10 the Guy treasury
IL also SPECIFICS how the money may be collected IN
extreme cases. There seems 10 be something behind
all this matter do not snow but That II mny have
some connection WITH the meeting OF the COMMITTEE
Cues OF tho Assembly Tomorrow, who are to hear
arguments on the bill to abolish the Office OF Commits
sioner oil Jurors IL seems somewhat singular that
nothing should be known of system That haa been in
Tor twenty years and the reports oil the receipts
Df when have been audited aud cerled 10 oy some oil
the Judges Tor ut least seven years II anything ilo
ga has done don't think the blame Will rest
with the Commissioner Of Jurors. ."
THE CITY CHAMBERLAIN.
Mr.. j. Nelson rappeu, the Guy Chamberlain re-
marked yesterday that he knew nothing whatever
relative other than Inc iuct that the Com
missioners OF Jurors had maze returns 10 him regu-
mrly of fines Two receipts Tor these moueys were
given-oue 10 the commissioner and the other To The
Comptroller. Mr.. Happen then handed the following
extracts from HIS books covering sucn moneys
Received Tor Cominissioner OF Jurors, nnes-
1865 December 20 Douglas Taylor........$5,7 92 IT
1861. January o. Douglas iaylor.....-..... IDOL 80
1905. January . Dougias Taylor. 1000 "a
1905. December 81 Douglas Taylor. 561 6S
1902 December u, Douglas Taylor........ ll33 81
lAsI December 80 Douglas Taylor. $50 81
1872. December ST. Douglas raylor......... 3UG7 02
1874 January 2 Douglas Taylor. ......... g. 159 O6
ls7s. January z Douglas Taylor .......... 620l 10
1917. January q, Thomas Dunap.......... 1881 50
1878 Jaanary 10, Thomas Dunlap ......... 55y 90
IL Will be by these figures that the paid
into the city treasury by MIR. Dunlap were respec-
" * anu Inn IN he
of the COMMISSIONS the hrst was represented
as balaEce oil the money received from Jurors
8nes from July 20 1916 10 December 81, 1870, de-
iucttug the expenses OF the Office. rne last named
.,,ount waa turued In on January lG iS7s rcuro-