Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-11-20
B00DL|NG FROM THEC|TY
A Chief of Police Gets Away
With Nearly $4,000.
He Got ss'soo from the State, si,aio.7i
from the County, About ss, 100 from
the City for Feeding Prisoners,
Besides His Legitimate
salary of $500.

| ooouIn nhs Deen Obtained by chiefs
OF police. In order to do this the term OF
ex-Chief Of Police John J. Dougherty has
oeen ssiected as the most convenient for
ieIerence, though he may have only dlf-
lereu from other chiefs in the amount of
Doodle he received during his term of
Office. Other chiefs may have received
more than he for Aught the writer knows
but Mr. Dougberty's accounts are the
more ehsily available on account OF the
latest State Auditors reports and the
allowances made by the two last Lepisla-
lures.
In order 10 present perfect ground
work Tor this article and to show that Il
is not based merely upon Imagination.
certain sections OF the City Charter are
hereby given setting forth the duties OF
Chiefs of Police, aud specifying the only
salary they can lawfully receive.
Section AZ, OF the City Charter, fixes
the salaries Of City officers, and among
them is the following:
lars.
The following paragraph In the same
section prohibits City officers from re-
ceiving any emoluments over and above
the salary provided:
mo officer whose salary is fixed by
tlis act or by ordinance OF said Council.
shall receive any ices or emolumepts In
addition thereto, except such fees as are
provided In this act; but all fees and
emolunients pertaining to said office ex-
cept as aforesaid, shall be paid monthly
6y The persons receiving the same TO the
CITY treasurer for I 9 use Of the City,
taxing his receipt therefore, which sum
s9 received shall be reported TO
the Council by said Treasurer AZ
the next sta,si ineeiing q Coun.
Gil after the receipt thereof, Pro, ided.
however, that when any city official Is
called by city business outside OF the city
limits, Council shall allow to sut h city
Official his actual travelling expensts,
and such other reasonable compensation
as may by Council be deemed proper"
The following amendment 10 the above
paragraph was passed by the Legislature
April II, 1885:
| Whenever the duties imposed on any
city official arc such as 10 make il neces.
sary, the Council shall provide such city
Official proper place or office wherein
such duties may be performed, and shall
provide for the necessary maintenance of
such place or Office"
Then follows the section which speci1
cally applies to tho feed of prisoners,
which for a few weeks past has been a
leading topic, both In the City Council
and outside of It:
Section 4s. 1t shall be the duty of the
High Constable Of said city Whining
ton or other person who may be the
keeper OF The prison cells in said city, or
In charge thereof, TO receive aud lock up
aud safely keep In said cells any person
committed by any Judgment or sentence
OF the Municipal Court OF said city, or
OF any Justice OF the Peace, resident OF
said city, for the violation OF any of the
provisions OF the laws OF this State, or OF
the provisions OF this not, or of the ordI-
nances OF said city, for temporary con-
finementi until such person, committed
as aforesaid, may be taken to the COM
mon jail Of New Castle County by the
officer to whom such person may have
been m'tttd, and tho actual cost ior
all meals, medical attendance and med-
cinee furnished such person so committed
as aforesaid by the said High Constable,
or other person, keeper OF said cells or in
charge thertoi verified by the affidavit
Of the person furnishing the same. au-
dlted by the City Auditor In the same
manner as other bills against the said
city are now paid. shall have presented 10
the said city.
In the light OF these sections from the
city charter, 1t will be seen that a Chief
oil Police IS entitled to no peraulsites
whatever for his own use besides the
salary OF II 200, specified not only In the
city charter, but 10 special act Of tie
Legislature.
AIr. Dougherty was appointed chief of
nOlce by Mayor Calvin h. Rnoads in
July, 1885, aud served two years and
about ten months, he having resigned the
office before his Official term expired to
become, candidate for Mayor In 1883.
His salary being 800 per month, he
drew for the "a months he was chief
50, 400. This was his honest, legitimate
salary, provided for by law. He was en-.
titled 10 not one cent more unitss the
Council would allow him q gratuity for
extra servi ee.
How much money did Chief Dougherty
get for his 81 months OF service
Fret his salary, earned and undisputed,
OF s., 400.
The Legislature ef 1887, on the 2od of
April. allowed him 81 100.
Again the Legislature of 1850, on the
Goth OF April, allowed him 81, 900.
This sum of S2,7,0 was for serving
requisitions to bring prisoners fiom other
States 10 Delaware, for which the city
charter Of Wilmington allows him only
his actual oxpeEses. All over thar, ac-
cord,ng to Section AZ, should have been
turned over into the city treasury. Did
Mr.. Cough rty do this?
Mr.. Dougherty received from the Levy
Court Of New Castle county In 1856,
t3i7. as; In 1857, S496.40; In 1888, $5G6 I6, |
making total OF $l,4l0.T0. There |
amounts were for taking prisoners to
taH ~ Ma th., l.
30 cenls for each prisoner. The railroad |
fare 10 NV Castle was 10 cents. In a
bunch OF four prisoners the commitments
would be $500, the fares for tho prlso-
ners so cents and the fare for an officer
going and returning 80 cents; total
fares, 90 cents. Profits TO the chief,
si.l0. These profits, according to Sec.
tiop II, elonged to the city. Did Chief
Dougherty ever pay them overt
Then comes Chief Dougheriy's fo d
bills for prisoners, ranging monthly from
$50 to $50, at 10 cents a meal. Recent
Developments show that persons can be
well FED at ~ cents per meal, therefore
Mr.. Doueteity has had a nice little In
CT me Of about S35 ptr month clear for hIs
thirty-'our months of service, or q total of
about 81, 200 clear. 1t has not been
known that Mr.. Dongherty returned any
OF these profits to the city, or that he was
In any way guided by section 4S OF tho
city charter. There are other little per.
quisites, Bueh as revenue IRON dupn.
cate dog tags that are not reckoned In
this article.
Now comes the recapItulation Of Chief
Dougherty's receipts /