The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-03
THE sHERIFF AND HIS FEES.

kne charges OF IAS Onerlu ol ChaIioo
ton for conveying prisoners to Colum'
bia. We take the following from
Laurens Herald on the subject:
s.If, as Col. Simonton says, the
Circuit Judge decided that under
the statute the Sheriff had right to
charge for the transportation Of pris
oners to Columbia the same price
for each prisoner as ifhe acere carried
alone," this is one statute, for the
sake of the oppressed taxpayer,
which ought to be amended the first
opportunity. Indeed, such law
woald be more honored in its viola
ton than in its observance. But
possibly the Circuit Judge erred in
his decision. We have heard Of such
3 evidences of human imperfection.
It seems to be publicly admitted,
at all events, that about S1,700 was
the clear profit to the Sheriff of Char
lesion County. in the single matter
OF transporting prisoners from Char
lesion to the Penitentiary. This
was q pretty STAT job, considering
lue---tflre- fact that twas done under "home
rule and reform a Demo
cratic administration-and in the
c. midst OF Charleston's boasted cul-
of ture, refinement and fair dealing.
fc And another ugly feature of the mat
-. Ter, is, if we are correctly informed,
y the Sheriffs legal adviser is prom.
oF inent member of the Legislature,
trS@s and was also one of the Committee
TO examine the Sheriff's accounts,
few months since.
Shall the public understand the
argument justifying the payment of
the Shsriff's account, to be predicated
bondage at the apprehension that that Off
At last til income might fall to too low
- =? If so, we thus have still
'.1n. V'',l' " Ter public admission, viz: the
'"'ne'nIns aent Of an sxorbitant bill, and
lake my Il4east the taeit confession that the
>n-z zsateer who got the money, and some
members the Charleston Delegation
have afinities, and sympathize with
each other"
We do not wish to be understood
as advocating the allowance Of such
charges, but the fault should not be
4 4, put upon the Sheriff nor upon the
Judge if tie decision of the Judge
be the proper Interpretation of the
law. The HERALD may morallze
ahout .home rule and REFORM but
very few officers will be found who
will not take all for any public SER
vice that the law allows. And for
that matter any Of us will do the
same. If the decision Of the Circuit
JGdgei is proper Interpretation OF the
statute VIC think the law should be
changed. We are reliably informed
that the same Interpretation of the
statute was made by Judge Hudson
at Edgefeld when the question of
pay of conveying prisoners to the
Penitentiary was raised.
Our esteemed cotemporary should
,-7s--ealt the attention of the Legislature
to the enormous charge allowed TN.
der the statute for this work, and let
tbe correction be made in the law,
for most of us will accept all the
law allows for any public service
without thinking the burden thus i'm
a posed upon the poor taxpayers.
The Columbia Register figures out
as follows how the Charleston Sheriff
run his bill up to such an enormous
amount:
.Let us be sure we understand how
It costs Sheriff Ferguson $40 to the
convict delegation here from Charles
ton.
We would not do the poor man in
Justice il view Of his expenses and
grave responsibilities.
is seen that the Sheriff (for he
is SO paid) sends one convict at
time accompanied by two officers.
The conyict's necessary expenses
are. ffty cents hack fare at Charles
ton to train; railway fare, Sl.95:
hack fare at Columbia from train to
Penitentiary, twenty-five cents-ag
gregating $2,70.
& Each officers expenses are, hack
NZfare at Charleston to train, fifty
cents; hack fare at Columbia from
train to Penitentiary, twenty-five
cents; hack fare from Penitentiary
twenty-five cents; meals in Colum
bia, Sl.S0; hack fare at Columbia tt
train, twenty-five cents; hack fare a
Charleston from train, fifty cents
aggregate expenses, $500. Mileag'
at six cents for 130 miles, going ant
returning, $3.50; total aggregate
expenses and mileage for officer
1855.
Total expense to prisoner ....s q
Total expense and mileage for
two officers ......... 81 8
Total cost OF delivering convict $40 0
It is IS plain as the nose on
mans face that this is the way tn
cost comes. If the average distanc
for the State round is two-thirds
that from Charleston here, the ave
race cost of delivering each convic
here at Ferguson's figures would b
about S27, which, carried TO $50 con
~ ...,-o,,,,ts 10 800 o50 The IL