New-York tribune., 1884-01-11
TO ATTACK THE FEE SYSTEM.
MOUSE BILLS TO PAY DisTRICT-ATToRNEYS' AND
MARsuALs' SALARIES.

MOUSE BILLS To PAY DlsTR'CT-ATToRNEiS' AND
MARsnALS' SALARIES
IBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.-Congressman Herbert, Oh
Alabama will make an argument before the Ju-
dietary Committee tomorrow in favor of three
bills offered by him. One of these bills abollshes
the system of paying United States DiStrict-Attor-
neys' fees aud percentages, and provides that they
shall receive fixed salaries. For example, he pro-
poses that the District-Attomey for the Southern
District of New-York shall receive $4,000
a year, and that he shall have three
assistants at $4,000 a year each and three
assistants at 81 800 a year each. District At
torneys and their assistants shall receive five cents
per mile when travelling official business; all fees
and percentages to which they have heretofore
been entitled shall be collected by them and PAID
into the treasury.
Mr.. Herhert's second bill fixes the compensation
of United States Marshals in lieu of the salary COM
missions and all other allowances now PROVIDED oy
law Under this bill the Marshals for the Eastern
and Nortborn Districts of New-York would receive
So 900 year each, and the Marshal for the south
ern District Sc, 900 year. Each marshal shall be
entitled TO one deputy at salary of $1,000 year.
and in districts where the eXgences of the service
demand IT, the Circuit and District Judges may
conformity designate not more than two additional
deputies at ST. 900 each. Additional allowances
are provided for arrests made more than fifty miles
distant from the place where the warrants arc re-
turnable and the present allowances and fees on
account of convicts are continued.
The third bill provides for the appointment OF
Circuit Court Commissioner IN each county ana
parish. whose jurisdiction shall not extend beyond
the boundaries thereof except in the case OF per
SONS fleeing from Justice Mr. Herbert says that all
these bills have the approval of the Attorney ten
eral from whom he has obtained a great mass OF
documentary evidence showing the extent OF the
abuses under the present system of feos
and allowances. This material Mr. Her
bert will file with the Judiciary Com
mittee In one case it shows that an employer
who at the request of one of his workmen, DOughI
two plugs of tobacco costing 20 cents, and charged
them in the account of his empioye, was arrested
and brought before a Commissioner on the charSe
of selling tobacco without license. In thls case
the facts were brought the attention OF Court
.1udre JuS 'n removed the Commissioner.
In another case man was arrested LOT cultihS
timber on land belonging TO the United states ana
carried a hundred miles TO TO the United states
Court. The only witness against him was the man
who made the complaint, aud on croSs-eXalhhatioll
he testified that the alleged offence was committed
more than two years prIOr to the time the cOPlainI
was entered OF course the defendant was rtlcJSeu,
but the Government had to bear the expense OF ms
arrest and transportation TO the place OF tTal,
and also TO pay the fees and expenses
the compaint. And the defendant, after being
taken 100 miles from nome and detained IRON MS
business for some days, had to pay MS expenses
home. -.
Mr. Herbert said to-day that the evidence ~ ms
possession showed numerous cases worse tlln either
of those mentioned.