St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-02-05
ST. PAUL MATTERS.
the shsrifs Of Minnesota In Convention
Assembled.
Important Decisions Rendered BY the
Supreme Court.
Minor Mention Of Matters Outside
the Carnival
They Discuss Matter of Interest and
Eject Officers.

Eject Officers.
Thirty-three of the sheritfs OF Minnesota
met in Judge Simon's court room yeSter-
day, for the purpose Of electing officers and
talking over generally matters pertaining 70
themselves, their fees and duties. Taking
them altogether they constituted body OF
men that looked solid and substantial. and
as IL the country air OF Minnesota agreed
with them. At their head stood Ara Bar
ton of Rice county, one or the most risky
Of the crowd. He has not forgotten in the
least how TO shoot OF those sharp, odd, and
humorous remarks that have given him
reputation throughout the state. Sheriff
Bracket of Hennepin county was also
there. and If there is any law pertaining to
the duties of sheriff that he does not
know ali about it is not sufficiently i'm
portant to be known. The sheriffs are all
good smokers and they most decidedly sus-
tanned their reputation In this line yester-
day.
ELEcrING OFFICERS.
The first business attended 10 was that
Of eleeting officers. Ara Barton was made
president, S. G. McQuade of st. Louis
county was elected as vice president with
w. NJ. Bracket as secretary and Sheriff
Richter OF Ramsey county as treasurer.
TALKING BUSINESS
After the election of the officers the most
of the remainder OF the session was occu-
pied with a discussion of the fees that sher-
IFS were authorized TO charge for their serv-
Ices. There appears to be a great diver
sity OF opinion upon this subject, and At
torney General Hahn has on more than one
occasion been appealed TO as TO what the
sheriff should charge In certain cases
While they were talking on this subject a
band was heard on Sixth street. and, on
raising the window, II was found that the
GLOBE Toboggan club was returning from
the capitol. where they had been serenading
the editors. After they had passed the dis
eussion was renewed. There seems TO be a
great difference of opinion between the
sheriffs and Attorney General Hahn. The
sheritfs. where they have besn out with tax
warrants and not been able 10
lind the parties, have charged
fees for such services. The attorney gen.
erai decides they are not entitled to do this.
and that under the new law the matter Of
fees. under such circumstances. are not
mentioned. The sheriffs take the ground
that II under the new law nothing Is said Of
such fees. they can fall back on the general
fee bill law which authorizes them to
charge unGer such circumstances Sheriff
Barton suggested that IL the sheriffs could
get Democratic legislature In Minnesota
that there would be no further trouble. He
admitted, however, that the chances OF that
were pretty slim Some OF the sheriffS
have taken appeals FROM the county COM
missieners' decisions to the district court,
and there is no doubt a test case viii be
taken to the supreme court This subject
of an appeal was discussed as long. and
with as much earnestneSs as was the mat
ter of fees itself. II was evidently the
opinion of those present that the matter
should be taken to the court OF last resort,
and that contributions should be made by
all sheriffs 10 defray the expenses Of the ap-
peal IL was finally concluded to let the
matter rest for the time being. with the IN
Outstanding that all should charge 81 for a
return and 10 cents per mile mileage the
same as before. At q subsequent part OF
the meeting. however. on motion OF Sheriff
Bracket the matter was referred TO the
executive committee to take hold OF the
first case that comes up and take II to the
supreme court with the understanding that
ali should contribute 70 pay the expenses
OUR JAILs-
Secretary Hart OF the state board Of cor
rections and charities, who was present.
was asked TO address the meeting. and
make such suggestions as he thought suita-
ole. He accepted the opportunity and
briefly referred to the principal reforms
that he claims are necessary in prison disci-
mime. Now. he said. a man who is
innocent might be locked up on suspicion
and kept in jai! for months In company
with the vilest criminals in the land. ana
said they should be separated. He claimed
this was furnishing the wrong man and
making it easy for the wrong man. and
asked the aid of the sheriffs to remedy the
evil There being DO other business TO
transact tbs association adjourned to meet
in Minnea polls about the middle Of July.
the notice Of the time TO be given by Secre-
tary Brsckett