New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-16
MAYOR GRANT ON THE RACK
HE GIVES THE LIE TO lIR. IVINS
A POOR SHOWING OF HIS MANAGEMENT
WHILE SHERIFF.
SEARCHING QUESTIONS AND HOT REPLIES.
SoUIRMING SOMEWHAT UNDER THE
CROSS ANIMATION OF THE
FAs.sETT COMMITTEE.

FAsSETT COMMITTEE
The incubus OF Mayor Grants dreams last nighe
must been the form Of william NJ. wins. uttcrng.
with raised hand and pointed forchnger, the woros
Now, Mr. Grant, will you TIL us-?'
The word ordeal is too often lightly applied. bus
1t is just description Of the Mayors experience with
the state senate Committee Cides. lie sat In the
witness chair for than four hours answering all
the questions that the skill and ingenuity OF Mr.
Wins could devise with regard 10 the administration OF
the shcrih's Office, and Mr. WINS was aided In lns
inquiSitoria efforts by his partner A. B. Bosrdman'
an examiner equally keen and persistent aud by
state senator Fassett, who in the absence OF state
Senator Hendricks acted chairman of the COM
mittce.
The other members Of the committee in a tend
were state senators Deanc. Birkctt, stewart,
McNauchton and Ahcsrn. The investigation
held in Part III Of the superior Court. The room
crowded. Many connected with the Shcrn's
Office were present and strong force Of politicians
owing allegiance to Tammany Hall applaudcd the Mayor
when he made smart" reply. Here is a partial
list Of the subjects covered by the inquiry Claims
and pending claims the sheriff, the responsibility
Of the Sheriff in lawsuits, the employees OF the ofices
counselfecs "pondage,' books and accounts, "extrs
compensation the shcrs auctonecr forfeited rccog
nizanccs. Ludlow Street Jail. and arrests IN civil
suits.
The Mayor also, Mayor, asked about street
cleaning before he was cAsherf asked about the
manner in which the business Of that Office u
Guctcd. The Corporation Counsel vas present, but
took no active part In the proceedings W. Bourks
Cochran counsel for Mayor Grant. jcaously guarded
his interests and a. often possible coached him.
In spite OF his vigilance, his client had but sorry
time Of H. Mr.. lvnS discharged his duties as counso
for the committee with ardent zeal. lie goadcd the
Mayor until that mcelIooiing man holy turned on
him and made accusation, Ivnss fiat denial OF
which moved the Mayor to give him the lie
Iir.aff f1ta a. a
the Senator's who conscientiously try 10
invest their court with proper dignity, TO the
amusement and delight Of the Tammany men. ano
10 tho amazcmeDt Of everybody else.
EXTRA C-MPENs ALTON.
The words "extra compensation will appear ov0
and over again in the record of testimony The
Mayor himself IS responsible for the Introduction OF
the phrase. which he used to describe the remunera-
tions going to deputy sherifs from execution sales.
The committee tried exceedingly hard to find ont
what this extra compensation Is, how IL Is allowed.
how limited. The Mayor led his questloners merry
dance. There account records on the subject.
Mayor Grant when sheriff had no set Of books on
the debit and credit system. Mr.. Cochran said that
legally the documents in the shcrif's Office were only
memoranda and that books not provided for.
Such books as Mr.. Grant had ne had supplied and
kept Of hi. accord and when he left the sherihs
Office he destroyed what he called
lot Of rubbish consisting OF receipts.
compensation within the limits Of the ststute'
mutually agreed by the deputy sheriff and the
other party" meaning the attorney for the persons
in whose favor the sales executed. This was
all right and legal, because when they could agree
on a sum within the limits Of the statute and tax.
able by tie court. what the of sending them
the court If they could not agree, he sent them
to the court 10 have the taxation made.
Within the limits OF the statute an expression
frequently Mayor Grants lips. lie used ii. indeed.
SORT of ark Of refuge. What these limits are.
OF were regarded by the Sheriff 10 be, is not yet
nathcmatcay defined. unless they consist IN the
advice of Bourke Cochran. which cited by the
Mayor as the basis which. when sheriff, he drew
the line But Ike a. the hare when hounds and
horns pursue, pants to the place from whence at first
he new,- the Mayor when hard pressed, doubled and
helter shelter TO the limits Of the statute and
stayed there.
lie was asked by Mr.. WINS how he managed to kcey
watch over his thirteen deputies their sale
tion,-how lie 10 it that their compensation was
not too extra lie had said that in coming into
Office he had reduced the number OF general deputies
about fortytw 10 thirteen. and senator Fssseu
had remarked Better thirteen wefed deputies than
forty two hungry ones
Mayor Grant said that he had had "youns
man going around 10 tile various parfies.'
and finding whether the dcpu;ic, had dealt Justly
by them. Then the examination went on as follows;
Mr.. Ivn>-Dd you take any other method OF nndins
outi Al did everything could.
o.-Wcre you in the habit. was your under sheriff
in the habit of examining the accounts Of sales A.
They and OF course would never pay the cheek
unless "a that II wa, all approved.
Q-By whom, A.-Dy the parties.
o-Appro,,d in what way A.-That It was signed
10y them
o-Dd you have any knowledge at any time as TO the
which by deputy sherls TO secure such
signatures these >oalled accounts OF sales Al
only had the general knowledge that told them It must
be compensation given by the parties
o-rhen YOU told them they could take any compensa-
ton given by the lawyersi A-oh, no; any com.
pcn,atlon which may within the provisions OF the
statute. -.
o-Thcn it wa, not given by the lawyers. but paid
In conformity with the law Alt strikes me that
there i very whether they agreed to
downstairs or up before Judge and agreed to It.
II the law provided that the Judge could tax It they
could take II.
O Now. viii you tell this committee what you under.
stand either shcrH deputy sheriff has right
to agree upon extra compensation! A.-That which
is pio> >ld,d FOR hy the statute.
q Wa. nothing taken by yourself or deputies
compensation except what is provided for In the
statute A.-No. sir.
o-Arc You certain OF that A-As far as know.
never did IT, and | don't think any deputy ever did
o.-what system had you to lind out whether yous
deputies did It A.-Thlt | told you.
Q That means that YOU had no system except sending
a man, Ayes. | sent
o.I to thi, then that wherc the deputy sheriff
enabled 10 find the representative OF party in inter-
who did plain of the charged and
willing to acqricsce in the deduction by the deputy sheriff
Of certain amount that then further questions were
asked A-Not when H. came within the provisions os
the statute
o.-Is there anything that could within the
Of statute you knowledge off
A-Well (with a auchl | that all these fees eams
within the advice Of Mr.. Cochran.
USEFUL DLANkET PHRASE.
C-In other word, nothing charged but wha. could
be covered By that banAt phrase, extra compensation"
whore agreed IL could be taxed by thu
court
Well. now' said Mr.. WINS 4" | want to state con-
crete Let suppose were the attorney In the
representing the plaintiff in whose behalf the tudg
mcnt had been entered, that you of your depu
ties had under execution secured certain sum to b
applied that judgment. that your deputy came to
attorney and said, The legal fees In the case ara
80 much. and should like to have much for keepers
fees, and so much for advertising, and much for
fnrrl xscIfy