The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-07-24
FEES In THE SHERlFF'S OFFICE.

THE ORDER OF ARREST CLERK BEFORE CON-
MISSIONER cURrIs-HE DENoUNcEs THE Ex-
ANIMATION AS "a FISHING EXCURSION AND
DECLARES HIS FEAR OF THE PRESS.
The investigation into the management of the
sherif's department resumed yesterday before
Commissioner George T. Curtis Messrs Bush and
Knox represented the Bar Association and Mr. La
ROGUE appeared on behalf of Sheriff Reilly. Major
Quincy Order of Arrest Clerk. called the first
witness. but he objected to testify unless copy OF
the testimony previously taken furnished him.
His wishes in this respect not acceded to, and
he was ordered to take the stand. Before his
nation commenced Mr.. Larocque took occasion to
say that he saw by the mornings papers that the
counsel for the prosecution had made application
to the Executive for order which would interfere
with and control these proceedings In their zeal to
GUST the present incumbent of the Office OF sheriff and
place somebody else in the position they had gone
Albany to mako the application without giving any
notice to counsel the other side. In all his expert
ence he never knew OF anything SO unprofessional.
Mr.. Bush denied emphatically that any such ap-
plication had been made; counsel for the Bar Asso
citation had simply filed supplementary charge. to
which, under the statute. the defendant was allowed
eight days to reply. Mr.. Larocque said he did not
have time to read the papers and asked for adj
but Mr.. Bush objected. saying that the papers
after warning Mr. Larocque against placing too much
faith in everything he read in the newspapers. de-
cded to proceed with the investigation
Major Quincy in answer to Mr.. Bush, stated that
he had been Order of Ares Clerk nearly six years;
when order OF reaches his office he gives it
to deputy to he employs eight deputies.
who are not, however. deputy sheriffs When asked
to name the deputies SO employed the question
objected to. Counsel for the prosecution said that
the object to substantiate the charge of extor-
ton and show that the sum of $l1 10 charged
general rule for procuring bail bond. and that
the charge sometimes ran up to $25, $50 and $40,
whereas the statutory fee is fixed at thryseven and
half cents in every order of arrest. The Commits
sioner said it was purely a matter of law whether
the Sheriff was responsible for the acts of his deputy
in particular cases.
Mr. Larocque said that the whole proceeding was
"only fishing excursion. and the Commissioner
very sharply rebuked the remark by SAYING that no
fishing excursions would be permitted while he con-
Quoted the investigation Mr. Bush then asked the
witness ii he received any money fees for the
taking of bail bonds during Sheriff Reilly term of
office. to which Major Quincy replied with an en-
phatc no"
DIRECTIONS TO DEPUTIES.
q. Has any person connected with your Office
ceived any money fees in your presence with
your knowledge? A. ! cannot answer that those
persons can best answer for themselves.
Q. / insist upon direct answer. A. believe
that money has been paid to them.
Q. And a fee other than thirty-seven and half
always directed my duputies to treat prisoners
courteously and make no charge. but leave it to
them and the prisoners to settle the amount which
the latter might deem just and equitable for the
deputies services. The witness here branched of
into explanation regardless of the objections of
even the Sheritfs counsel. till the Commissioners
stopped him, after he protested vigorously that he
would not be hemined in.
q. So you leave il to your deputies to make an
arrangement with the prisoners Tor such an amount
as the latter may choose to pay? A. Yes, leave it
to them, but would not permit 1t II thought the
charges were unjust, eXOrb1tant illegal.
9. Are you consulted in regard to this in every
l am admit it is the exception.
q. Do you receive salary from the Sheriff? A.
O. How are you compensated? Objected to. Mr..
Knox said he proposed to show that by an arrange
ment with the sheriff Major Quincy obtains a pro
and brought to his Office. "They don't exactly" he
said. put a pistol to your head and say.
but the witness would have us believe that
it is left to what he terms the lbraity of the per-
Quincy's Office. swore that he in the habit of
furnishing memoranda to the Major of the amounts
received in every case of arrest Even putting it in
the mild form stated by the witness the law il
stringent on the receipt of exturtionate fees
il they were directly demanded The law is
specific in fixing the fee at thirty-seven and
u half cents as to protect people from
extortion A man has threat held directly
him that he will be thrown into jail unless he yields
to the extortionate demands of deputy. The
statute declares that the Sheriff shall not charge
receive any amount for keeping out OF Jail
while in search OF ball. except the statutory fee. All
lawyers who have business with the Office know
very well that the fee of Sll 10 is charged in of
every arrest on civil process.
As the witness evaded a direct to every
question this point the question was at last put.
'Have you known of the receipt in your office of the
sum of Sll 10 for any purposeY and the answer
came, II have not"
@. DO you not know that that is the sum hnbitu-
ally paid i'll your office in cases OF arrest? A. do
not.
@. Have you not shared that with others9
MIR. Knox--f can show that the witness received
one-half-
Witness (exctedly)-That is not so: cannot
Mr.. Larocque-Keep quiet Major. will you?
witness-I cannot suffer any reflection on my in
tegrity.
not go the record.
but it may 80 into the newspapers" responded
the Major. land fear them more than do coun-
sell"
commissioner-we must make VI, our minds
not to pay too much attention to every thing that ap
pears III newspapers.
Tnx WITNESS DENIES
Mr. Bush called the attention OF the witness to
an interview between the latter and Messrs Bush
and Mclean. in which the witness admitted that the
fee or sll 70 was exacted in cases OF arrest.
Mr.. Bush-Do you deny you said SO? A. do.
g. Did you not state that you discharged deputies
because as you said. they made false roturns? A.
check signed by Mr.. Moore was handed to
Major Quincy. but he said he could not recognize
the signature.
Deputy McGonigle was then sworn. He said he
had been in the Order OF Arrest Office for eighteen
years. He was examined in relation to the amounts
and others In the of the former he acknowl-
edged that he received sums OF money varying be-
tween 500 and $500. He did not take him
to Ludlow Street Jail for two weeks af-
ter his arrc~i. Freeman paid the bills al
most entirely The witness could not
what he did with the money further than that he
tanned some OF IL. spent portion and turned the re-
mainder to Major Quiney's Office. When
asked how he paid over the amount to Major Quin-
cy lie said he handed 1t to boy named Jimmy
something other in the shcrin's office; he could
not tell the boys full name; the amount he paid
him was hale that which he had received.
The investigation adjourned till this morning.
SPINOLAS SCHEME DEFEATED.