Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-04-12
AUDITORS VS.. ALDERMEN

AUDITORS VS.. ALDERMEN
SAMSON IN TaE TOLLS or THE rHI.-
lSTlNES.
An Interesting lnvestigstiOn-How Trumped
Up Cases are Made to Cost the County
Thousands Of Dollars
For some time past it has been an open
secret that the county auditors have been
bothering their brains in examining the
wonderful bills presented by some Of the
city aldermen and Columbia Justices
especially those relating to dismissed cases
with view of ascevtaining how it can be
possible that SO many cases come before
the aldermen and 50 few Of them ever
reach higher court.
After spending much time in the exam
ination Of these bills, and being unable to
reconcile them with either the facts, the
law or their consciences, the auditors re-
solved to call in some Of the magistrates
to explain certain things that were mex
plicable to them. Alderman Joseph Sam
son of tho Sixth ward, city, was the first
called U ,Gn, and he was ordered to appear
before the auditors in the orphans
court re IN at 2 o'clock yesterday after
noon with his books and papers. The al
derman failed to respond, and messeu-
ger was sent to notify him that tho audi
tors were waiting for him. About
3 O'Clock the alderman entered the
court room. smiling. and placed
his docket upon the table be-
fore the auditors, and Immediately re-
tired, the auditors not noticing his de-
parture. As they had some important
questions to ask him they impatiently
awaited his return-but he came not.
Impatience was followed by indignation,
and then the auditors had an attachment
issued and sent Sheriff High after the de-
linquent. While awaiting the return of
the sheriff and his prisoner the auditors
made a cursOry examination of Alderman
Samson's docket and appeared to be much
astOnished by finding number of eases
therein marked costs paid" whereas in
the alderman's bills the county was
charged with costs in the same cases.
Samson Brought Back.
Finally, the sheriff returned with the
alderman in custody. Auditor Reed
bluntly blurted out, "Why didn't You
obey the order of this board and como
here for examination ?" Tho alderman
pIOICSICu Guot u0 u0A COiAC hCAC anu
brought his docket with him as ordered,
but that lie did not know that the audi
tors wished to examine him. "That's
exactly what we do want, said MIR. Reed.
eve want you to explain entries in your
bills that We cannot understand. We
want to examine you under OATH"
Some Pointed Questions.
Alderman Samson was then sworn and
the following questions were read to him
by Mr.. Reed:
Did you during 1891, receive any
costs or fees for dismissed or discharged
cases, either from the prosecutor or de-
fendant, or from any other person And
if so, did you embrace such costs or fees
in your bills against the county of Lam
caster for payment %
Answer-"I did not"
"Did you at any time during the year
1881 make or have any arrangement or
understanding with any officer Or any
other person or persons, to bring or pro-
cure any prosecution or arrest of any per-
son or persons, and such cases upon hear
ing were dismissed with county for
costs ?"
Answer" No."
"Did you, as alderman, during the
year 1881 ever issue any warrant or sub
pen in blank and hand the same to any
constable or policeman and allow him to
fill in the name of such person arrested or
su5pGnaed %
Answer" No; l did not"
"Did you ever, during the year 1881,
wilfully or orknowingly multiply or dupli-
cate any cases Of crime heard and exam
ined before you rs alderman, when one
case or one warrant would have been sufii-
cient for the commonwealth and upon
the hearing, ifsuch cases were discharged,
was it not done In such cases (if any for
the purpose of increasing fees to be paid
out of the county treasury?
Answer-"No;I never multiplied cases
to increase the fees"
Had you any arrangement or under
standing with any officer or officers, or any
other person connected with the almshouse
or house of Unemployment and the Lancaster
county hospital, to procure the arrest from
time to time during the year 1881, OF per-
sons who called at the above named places
for lodging, having committed no crime
and did you cpOn such information arrest
such persons -
Answer No, never had such an ar
rangement with any one -
Auditor Greider Cr0ss- r xsmines.
w IuO 0OVvO "tIc W.
ing asked and answered, Auditor Grcider
had been carefully looking over some of
the aldeImen's and constable's bills, and
comparing them with the alderman's
docket. He asked the alderman what Oh
ject he had in issuing warrants to several
different officers for the arrest OF one and
the same prisoner.
The alderman answered that it often
happened that several complaints were
made against tho same person-One COM
plaint charging him with drunken and
disorderly conduct, another with malicious
mischief, another with assault and battery.
etc, and it was the practice to divide the
cases among several officers.
"Would not one warrant and one con-
stable have answered as we'll as three or
four?' asked Mr.. Greider.
"Yes, / suppose So" replied Alderman
Samson.
Il notice that there are quite number
of the same witnesses subpenaed to ap-
pear at the same time anil place to testify
in number of different cases. How f3
that 81
"The different cases may have grown
out of the same transaction, and the wit
ness been subp9naed to testify to the
fact"
"Did all tlle witnesses here named ap-
pear before you at the time stated ~