Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-05-04

with the additional information that in
some counties of The state the fees are
still higher, notably IN the Democratic
county Of Cieartield, where the clerks
charges are $! and he does not furnish
the blanks for the petition and bond
also that the advertising - of the ap-
plicH:ion, for which % cents is charged
costs lie clerk 10 cents.
10 Tie non, professional reader it may
be nee; say to explain that the charge
here ma,te !or ''petiti0n and "bond," :"
certificate TO COURT and certificate
TO treasurer % cents each, must he for
the blanks which the attorneys obtain
1rcm the clerk, and for which, it seems,
ic charges these clients in all $1.OO.
These blanks probably cost the clerk,
ct the very most, 10 cents: and his 800
per cent. profit on them is obtained not
exactly as al - illegal fee but rs an
Owe large which those doing business
in his Office need not pay if they
see Ill 10 refuse. The Sl.00 charged
for proceedings in court and ID cents
for filing certificate from treasurer
are clearly 10 cents in excess of the
- cents which the &C. of ISIS says
shall be The lawful fee for - all proceed
incs in tavern or eating house licenses
except certilicate'' For that certificate
the clerk charges sl.10: the law allows
him p cents. The excess he obtains
for the ornamental style in which the
certificate is got up, on paper printed in
gilt, which costs him less than 10 cents.
This profit is also obtained by him not
exactly as an illegal fee but by the tOler-
ance of those who choose to pay it. The
% cents for advertising is the fee pre-
scribed by law. Any person who SO de-
sires can obtain his license for Sl.25
Whatever he pays in excess Of that he
either pays is Il profit to the clerk OH lis
blanks or in excess of his lawful fees
and we refer again to the letter of the
law TO show any citizen how he can pro
tect himself and redress his wrongs
All the county officers whose fees are
regulated by this schedule arc required
to make table OF their lawful fees and
keep it up in a conspicuous place in the
Office for the inspection of all persons hav-
ing business with them. 1t is their duty,
too, and that of their deputies, whenever
demand for it is made, Immediately after
receiving any fees or security for payment
Of them, to deliver a bill of particulars
specifying the several items contained
therein and the amount thereof, and to
give the party paying such fees receipt in
full thereof, or to indOrse on such written
security when taking that the same was
given for fees, and to sign the Endorsement
so made"
alt shall and may bc lawful Tor any per-
son to refuse payment of fees to any Off
Ger who will not make out a bill of par
ticulars as prescribed by this act, signed
by him, if required, and also receipt or
discharge, signed by him, of the fees
paid"
"If any officer whatsoever shall fail or
neglect to comply with any of the pro-
Visions of this act, or shall take greater or
other fees than is herein before expressed
and limited for any service to be done by
him, or if any officer shall charge or de
mana, take any of the fees herein before
ascertained, where the business for such
fees arc chargeable shall not have peen
actually done or performed, or if any Off
Ger shall charge or demand any fee for any
service or services other than those ex
pressly provided for by this act, such Off
Ger shall forfeit and pay to the patty in
jured $500. to be recovered as debts of the
same amounts are recoverable"