The sun., 1879-02-21
Constable eoGsTS,s BILL
Developments in N TrsnI that Judge wester-
welt said Mortified Him.

The bill OF Constable Robert Goggin Of
Middotown. Staten Island. for services rem
dered to the town in criminal cascs from Jan. 2.
1873. to Oct. 20. 1878. was s1.053.35. The town
auditors cut the bill down to s30l.G0. Bills pre-
sented by Constable Goggin TO the county and
TO the town OF Southneld would have Rwelled his
income from criminal cases alone to about
$4,000. He was allowed on all three bills only
81 100. In 1872 the total Of the town bills Of
Mddletown amounted to only 5000. In 1878.
with about the same population and the same
amount OF business. the bills amounted to over
$4,000. Tho main reason. 1t is alleged. for this
increase is that in 1875 law was passed pro-
hbiting Justices and constables In the village
Of Edgewatcr (which includes most of the two
towns OF Middletown and Southnedl from
charging for CRIMINAL seryices. es.,,
Goggin had made affidavit thnt he Ind per-
formed all OF the services charged for in his
81 .O53 bill against the town Of Middletown. The
items in the bill referred to 33S separate crini-
nal cuses. and consisted OF mileage for taking
prisoners to and from jail. fees for services VI
subpdncs and warrants ami charges Tor nt-
tendance Mt court. On comparison of tho cases
Brown it was found in lj7 cases there was no
record ot Il corresponding receipt Of prison
attention oi tie Grand jury An in
dtctment Tor perjury in swearing TO mo
c2rrcr,nefs dn 2 ,l es s WIS l2n3d 2Eain,st
Court, the sheriff WIS the principal witness
called by District Attorney Cronk. Seven sam
pie cases wero taken from the bill. Gog0in
testified that he had in fact. taken TO iai every
one OF the seven prisoners Goggius case wns
helped by the testimony OF two men who swur0
thov were rompluluuuts in two OF the seven al
legged bogus cases ON which tho Indictment WIS
based. A large number OF tho 1877 rrsoners.
GOggin testified. had been sentenced hy Justice
Of the Peace Garrett. The latter WIS subppnard
as II witness md ordered 10 bring the records Of
his court He brought. instead. book which
did not contain records OF cascs, and the Jus
tice was sent hnck to bring the records Pre-
siding Judge W,sterNo said that aitcr llsten-
ing To Justice CARROTS testimony he hud no
hope OF receiving much MD from any pnp rs ho
might bring. The cuHe was closed without Jus-
tleo GnrEetttsgccords IN his charge to the
As this case has proceeded confess t',cre
hns come over mo q sense OF mortiilcutiun, n
sense of disgust Mt the official wickednr-s. ig-
norance. and incapacity thnt have been shown.
One Justice Of the Peace. who says he has iilleI
that he utterly ils to comply with tho plaincst
and most necessary requirements of his duty.
Another Justice Of the Peace testiilcs that le
once signed complaint and didn't know what
IL contained We have had an officer here who
didn't know the items OF the hil hc swore 10.
Nevertheless. In considering this ease these
things. painful as they are. must not influence
the iurymen, after being out from o'clock
until q, declared, euch. in answer % question
Dy tue Judge. TINT II was imp9sslbie th9t tncy
should agree. They were DISCHARGED. IL WIS
understood that they. stood eight 10 four In ia;
vor Of conviction. The court tncn adjourned
until the fourth Monday In June.
The case Of Constable Davis. indicted on q
similar charge with that against GOggin. was
postponed until the next session OF the court.
The cases Of cN-raX Collectors Nhelihan ly-
man OF SOuthhed. and Gilbert Decker OF West
field who were indicted because they mad not
pud over AL the money they collected. were put
over. the first two TO the next session OF tho
County Court. and the last 60 tho Oyer and Ter
miner on stipulation 10y each that ne would
make good his drilriency The ease Of Daniel
Dempsey. indicted Tor ASSEMBLING Thomas
Humphrey. editor Of the Richmond County
sentinel. and that Of Coroner james Dempsey.
indicted for charging fees FOR services never
performed. were also pos, ,poned on representa-
tions from each defendant tuut he was too sick
to attend court. Tho case against Dr. AruouX.
indicted Tor presenting a bill Tor services hot
rendered as represented. 10 Coroner Dempsey.
was sent to the Court OF Oyer and Terminer.
which Will sit ON The third MOnlny In May.