New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-02-24
4 COUNTY PLUNDERED.
THr DEMOCRATIC RING OF ULSTER.

Ih' DEMOCRAIlC RING OF ULSTER.
copNrY OFFICIALS STEALING THE Peoples MONEY
| CORRUPTION RUNNING RIoT-A FILTHY CoCRT
! HOUSE, AND DEFICIENT TREASURY.
! lTEo" As OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT THE rRBUse.l
! hNGsIoS. Feb. 2l.-Recent developments have
brought to light q system OF wholesale plumber and
/ n'Eiant dishonesty that has been practIsed by
various Dfmocratic officials Of this county for
three ears past which surpasses oil previous opera
tom o. the kind known here. From Sheriff down to
CoCrt-crier. and the Innumerabe retlnue Of hungry
/ court officials. whose only service was 10 lean on
srai:7 and draw their Day, the great aim seems
! O. have been TO pile up fees, and to eItOrt money
| from the county. regardless of law and common
! ncaor. And the various methods and devices re-
I serted 70 by few of the more prominent and
/ clumsy irtrguers have been 20 fragrant and
notorious that brief outline can scarcely fail TO
interest ne General reader, 10 whatsoever political
party he may belong Indeed, since the dIsgrsceful
facts conhcc eG with the systematic robbery have
4 Lc' oule huowm. public sentiment is everywhere
aroused, and tie shameless servants of the people
~. denounced III the strongest terms by of all
/ parties. Many Of the old line Democrats are
/ brc3Aug away from the ring and its influences.
and I-e new the front ranks of reform, willing
and an1'ocs TO !ol the Republicans in defending
The rights Of the people against these political
+ uorant,.
]
! fraud peen carried on IN thi. county that the
buai taXc- for county expenses have risen from
5000 In I-GI 10 $122, 900 in 1878. And so
/ sh tled ~ tac came nave a few of the present
3 ,oIn,t lLLCuOuauc, become that they have been
. able e. increase these enormous charges $4,000
during tbs la,t year alone. The Present average
ta1 RAJ" for he cLtre State is .0175i per dollar.
lie rate fer stor CoGutY Is nov .03654 the next
/ highest county rate /, that OF Kings County. being
VI
.12t2I. Nhilr | seer County Is only the twenty,
! lard lnNcalta II l. the sixth IN ta1atlon; and
willie tie neigh oOriug county of Dutcncss has an
agar, ga.c v3luItIOu Considerably more than dou-
I tv, ti-t,- Days nearly LWIco ds much for taxes.
4 These HguIe-, taken from the last report OF the
>t.to A>~--s =, sill serve ~ basis for compre-
hrDrrye idea nf lie situation here, and the burdens
/ incident thereto.
low lHE SHERIFF DID IT.
( For The year 1878 che bills Of Sheriff W. B Webb
4c3nst the county amounted TO $4,000. This
amount was allowed hun by tho Board Of superyi-
..~. composed vi seventeen Democrats and eight
Republicans Ii 1877 the same officer, lacking off,
: cal experience, got $500 less from the county.
TIE 5,ar previous 10 that, SIlas SaXton the Repub
lean incumbent. not being Yersed IN tue graduat-
ing scheme f reckoning could only figure his fees
at Sd,fs1, winch decrease upon former
bills sheriff Webb charged the county with 1902
works buar4 tor prisoners II 1875, amounting to
$5.917. Tor these the bill for washing was *751
whether ,his ,ludcs an attendant at their daily
addition, he e. not state but that the little item
o. mcniing vas not SO included IA apparent from
,nc specific charge Of 1903 which his bill contains
II ,lc occupants Of the Ulster County Jail have
ben tltss specially favored By the magnauimous
,l,if, TIE people should know il. The next troub-
.,.,g, ana costly duty he has had 10 per
form las been attending court, which has
cost the county the sum Of Sl,i44. Some
Of thc Getliis OF this charge would also be Of inter-
c,t % those unfamiliar with the Democratic system
Of political economy but will pass on 10 another
and more remarkable portion Of hs bill, which Is for
| "Articles furnished the Court House." which seems
To- nave been a bOnaUzJ Of profit 20 somebody except
the taxpayrrs From this it appears II has cost the
county 81 .O15 10 keep the Court house clean TOR
| the pas. year and while everybody supposed the
! prisoners were required 10 do this work free Of
! change, sheriff Web hdd his men AT WoIk SCRUB
bug Ih brushing up 100 EaI4S ana 'oI1dOrs o. JUS
tee - per Gay foI 3Js days III the year; and he
! saws they looked Ike plgsues hair me tlne at
tult. lie ha, also carried on quite speculation IN
J straw and bedding. straw costing ~ cost VII
more after II was tucked into Oedtlcks, and the
wBnl, ITEM oil bedding alone cost the county $40.
Tie article Of tobacco, being considered necessary
10 the comfort Of the prisoners during their ncaTce-
ration for criminal offences. was furnished them TO
thc amount ct 50. The sheriff has Also performed
/ some very remarkable feat5 IN travelling Tor the
benefit OF the county, as ne claims covering 6+Zo
miles du. !ug the year, at a cost Oh $50 he seems
10 nave, deru IN the best condition Tor Onclai 0utE
/ Ju tie month Of January, when, besides travelling
/ so miles, be attended court twenty-five day,
and waited Oh the Grand Jury tOrty-nme DAYS. But
| MS best travelling feat was accomplished on the
fourth day Oi that month, wien, according 10 hls
statement, he performed i've separate louIneyS-
and another Il nifty mIles-carung ri for the day,
/ and II Wa. very stormy day at thar. In defence
OF all tins the sheriff publishes communication DID
a morning partr IN WllSi lac Claims 20 DC up'4uir
tous and entirely able able TO cover every foot OK
listers soil at any moment required. lie aIsO AT
| tempts to show how with little assistance nom
some of the suDerVIsCrs he has saved Tor me county
80 900 per year, and been the best Sheriff she
county ever had in every possible respect.
THE COUNTY TREAsURER's SHARE OF THE sPoIIS !
Ex-County Treasurer A. J. story retires from his
official Iibors with net earnings FOR his three
wears service Of about $1,000. During that time
he has received and dsbursed county and State /
fuuds to the amount Of ! ,9Ga ST. according 10
Lis reports. Upon this amount be has taken over
$1,000 IN fees, in addition 10 the Fl,9oV allowed
hun by the State for receiving ana ray ing over ne
state taxes, for which hehad already charged ne
county a regular fee, contrary To IA ana common
,.nse. Besides all TINS he charges the county lot /
! what he calls % office expenses over pl,3Oo Out /
fails 10 furnish the Items upon when ne charge Is
! based No appropriation was maze TOT any suVu !
EXPENSES. which II Is claimed, We're wholly without
authority Of law, except perhaps :" Iar as ighI Oe
! necessary for fuel and light. He also makes an |
additional charge Of $3.50 Tor Office rent with me /
same lack OF authority. Having mus, ana III 0t1eI
WAYS, largely exceeded the appropriations maze IoT
legitimate county expenses, he mas been c"mpeHeu
70 borrow money the credit ~ the county 70 pay
| these fTaudulruI ices anu CuaIgrN an" INV ~ |
.uccesso. IN office fluids deficiency IN the treasury
of over r3l 900 foT winch there is no provision
/ ana lnaoiuuCh some OF these h"tes are How ~"
TURNS be calls for special session OF the Board oi
! SuperyI,or- TO meet the - gency In response 70 !
| these various charges Of Official misconduct ht |
! --,rv ha- tuhlshed o statement in winch ne al /
| r-mp,s 20 Justify his course bv dodgng behind an
old resolution of the supervisors winch was known
IL be violation Of the special stature on 1ue
subject Tie claims To De legally entitled 20 every
dollar he has received. The trea-urrra eompensa-
non has now been liked az $1,000 pei anhuIh'
WHY rHg COUET FUND FALLS SHORT.