New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-06
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ANNUAL RE-
PORT

ausIyrSs AND EXPENSES OF THE UNITED siAiH'
CoURrs-rHE PAYMENT or UNITED STATES NJ
roRNEYs-REDUCUON IN THE NUMBER OF Ooh-
NssIoNERs RECOMMENDED-THE IRtAlMhNi Ut
PRISONERS. !.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.--The annual report Oh
fne Department Of Justice, covering the business ia
acted dnring the preceding fiscal year, including s's
crime against the United statement OF tue
approprations controlled by the e'o'
etc was to-day submitted TO The Umleu S'a'oS 0ei'''
by acting Attorney General Philips.
After referring in detail 10 the condtoh OF tie uooAc'
s,nreroe Court at the end OF the last term showing
an increase in the number Of causes remaining uhds
osed nj over the preceding year, and showing that the
total number disposed Of during the last term
I'm which the United States was interested was d.
The report continues by calling attention TO the recon-
incubation for additional Judges contained in the last
annual report Under the provisions of the act Of June
l6 $780, 3l2 suits, claiming in the aggregate upward
of 81 100000 have been fled in the Court OF Claims
against the District of Columbia. Under the ordinary
Jurisdiction Of this Court have been brought since the
last report 4O5 suits, claiming $l77O57l1 80 Among
these is the claim the Chocaw Nation nnder speca
act Of Congress, amounting to Sl5,79is73 u" sum
mary OF the business Of last term OF the Court is
given in detail -
In the Crcuit and District Courts of the United States
there were terminated during the last year II f4s Grim
final prosecutions; I79 OF these prosecutions undcr
,e customs laws in which there 81 convictions,
40 cnntals and 40 we're entered mol pros, dsconiin-
tinued or quashed; 5,703 under the internal revenue
laws In which there 3,0l7 convictions 6|s acqht
tails and zoos were entered mol pros, discontinued or
oua,hed; 1868 under the Post Onico laws, in which
there were 222 convictions 80 acqWttals and
81 were entered mole pros. discontinued or
ouashed $40 under election laws, in which there were
I66 convictions ~ acquittals ana rs were en-
tered mol pros, discontinued or quashcui 20 uh-
der civil rights acts, all Of which were entered moi pI"S
discontinued or quashed 20 under naturalization
vbfo 4 (
initials and 9 were entered mol pros, discontinued or
0ugshed pit under intercourse laws, in which there
were ZIG convictions, acquttais' ana
81 were entered mol. pros, discontinued OF
quashed; 1875 under pension lawsin which there were
so convictions % acquttal and 80 were entered mol
mos discontinued quashed; II for cnbezLemcnt. in
which 10 convictions. acqnittals' and 70
were entered mol pros discontinued or quashed; 42o|
were miscellaneous prosecutions IN which there were
2oO7 convictions GA acquttas and 1866 entered
mol pros. discontinued quashed. In many OF the
prosecutions under the internal laws entered
mol pros discontinued quashed, compromise
and settlement was made IN the IN
ternal Revenue Bureau OF the Treasury Department
There were pending JAY l. 1884, G,21l criminal prose
cutions viz 3iOl for violations Of internal revenue
laws; 3OS for violations of customs lawsi go for
violation Office laws, 355 for prosecutions under
the election laws 15S for violations of the civil rights
acts G3 under naturalization laws SO under intercourse
laws So pension laws II for enlightenment, and
1,749 miscellaneous prosecutions.
JUDGMENTS IN FAVOR or THE UNITED STATES.
The aggregate amount of judgments rendered in favor
of the United States IN civil during the last year
was 81 1888 PA 49, and the amount actually collected
last year on these judgments $l35,362 81; while
S7OO4O IL was obtained during the year Judgments
rendered in former years for the United States;
SlS9g6s 96 was otherwise realized in civil suits
The aggregate of fnes, foreituTes and penal
ties imposed during the year in criminal prosecutions
was $3147 35 81; and the amount of these fines for
FIXTURES and penalties collected during the year
S62559 49, while $1135S 80 realized on fines, for
FIXTURES ana penalties imposed in former years.
Seven thousand six hundred and three civil suits Of
this kind were terminated last year, of which l61s
cases i'll Admiralty and 5.9S5 were other miscellaneous
suits.
Judgments plaintiffs in these foIows
Seven hundl ed and ninetytwo in Admiralty, amounting
10 81 POI 293 "a; 2573 other suits, amounting TO
S27G57 sos So Judgments for defendants 317 in
Admiralty, amounting TO 49, 73 80 and 2172 IN other
quits amounting TO $S2,0G6 &c. Eighty-hye cases in
Admiralty were either dismissed discontinued. as
we're also 272 other suits while the disposition OF Al
cases IN Admiralty and 9GS other suits reported term
mated during the year is not stated. Twentyfour
thousand hundred and sevcntyone civil suits TO
which the United States not party, pending
In the Circuit and District Courts Of the United States
July l. 1881, viz: 1926 IN Admirably and 2l1fj other
miscellaneous suits.
For expenses incurred 1878 PRIOR years.
were paid during the last fiscal year 81 305 49, ont Of
the appropration made several Judicial districts
For expenses incurred in 1873 proper paid
during the fiscal year, S29,429 49, For expenses In
Cured in 1879 $3O5,5O3 80. For expenses IN 1880
S64O721 10 or the expenses incurred during the fiscal
wear ending 80, 1881, 81 AZ paid To
United States Inarshals. attorneys clerks. jurore, Wit
nesses, etc
The appropriation for OF nIaTshais for 1881
SGGO.OOOO0O. OF this there DISTURBED
S6IO,73l o. being the amount advanced to them, or
paid Oh adjusted accounts prior TO July 1881 for their
fees and expenses of serving processes, and for trans
porting cOnvcts penitenartcs designated by the At
torney- General under authority given by Revised
Statutes Section 5.54G.
To enable the Attorney properly toinvestgate
The Of disrictattOrneys, marshas clerks and
other officials the Acting Attorney General submits that
the appropriation applicable thereto should oc
increased in order that examinations may be made
within the localities IN which the moneys
were expended In this connection he further suggests
that thorough system OF local audit at short inter
districts and give IN each district
wanting that expenditures are not greater than public
interests require.
COMPENSATION FOR UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS.
The referring 10 the present method
of concentrating United Attorneys is pIin
cipaly by fees-says: %" concur in the recommendation
Of the last annual report that these officers should be
paid by salaries alone which should not only
pensate them for the performance OF all duties
now enjOned upon them by law, but also
for such legal services. in their respective districts
they might he required 10 rehGer ON ocha OF thc doV
eminent, any OF its lawful agents. The maximum
n0upensation of the attorney the present time is
SG 600 This derived from small salary, not exceed
Ing the sum- usually, of $780, and such amount, by way
of fees as is chargeablc In to which the United
States is party. .
sfbese ices arc uncomfortable in individual and
tie einoluments the officer depend upon the number
and not upon the Importance of the
nTosecutions undertaken In ms district. II is
Believed that all officers would prefer 10 be paid
entirely sslaries not nfrequenty 1t is nnusty
suggested against them that prosecutions are encouraged
for the sake Of making fees The officer should be en-
iirey independent and held to the performance OF his
duty by his own OF justice and prOprety, and his
official oath alone" If this plan is adopted. salaries OF
attorneys in certain districts should
also be provided for and Congress Itself should pre-
kcribe their number CONGREGATION and The distrCts IN