Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-20
STOPPING A BIG LEAK.
Unnecessary Witnesses Fees to Be
Headed Off in the Future.
HOW THE WORK is TO BE DONE.
Two Clerks Allowed the District Attorney,
Whose Duties Shall Be
TO CUT OFF PROFESSIONAL WITNESSES

The County Salary Board met yesterday
afternoon to consider question of grave
| Importance to taxpayers. 1t was decided to
stop a big leak in the County Treasury.
For many years-just how long no one
knows exactly-a cloud of witnesses has
turned up in almost every case tried in the
Quarter Sessions Court and usually IS per
cent of them knew nothing about the case.
They probate their costs, however, and get
just as much pay as those whose evidence is
material.
Some of these witnesses are recognized by
county officials as men who have small sine
cures OF various kinds which enable them
to be where they can get a smattering
knowledge of majority of criminal cases.
They are subpenaed, and an official gets
pay according to the work he does in this
line. Some of them come in court and tell
how they saw an officer make an arrest
that is. testify to the arrest, fact utterly
immaterial to the issue.
A COSTLY AFFAIR.
Many are never called at all, but as soon
as the case is tried they rush into the Clerk
of Courts Office, where their names are on
file, and probate their COSTS, and each rakes
from So to $40, or even more, and the aggre-
gate Is heavy increase of cost in running
the Criminal Court.
1t is said that some police officers make so
much in this manner that their regular
salary is the smallest part of their income.
Yesterday the salary board decided to
give District Attorney Johnston two clerks,
whose principal function will be to put all
witnesses through course of sprouts, and
ascertain whether their evidence is material.
If it is not, they will not 90 on the list, and
Tom, Dick and Harry will find their occu-
patton gone. No one will be allowed pay
unless his claim is 80. Z. d" by the ex-
aminers.
The reform will also be salutary in an
other respect, as it will save the Court much
time in examining people who know nothing
OF use. 1t is the intention to have all useless
witnesses Topped of. 1t is often the cage
that dozen reputable men testify to the
same thing, when the evidence of two or
three OF them would establish the fact Just
as we'll as that of 81.
Officials with elastic consciences often
subpoena redundant witnesses merely to
make fees.
FOUND IT DIDN'T PAY.
1t was stated by prominent attorney that
ex-Alderman Sorg was driven out of his
office of Deputy Mayor, and in effect, out
of the aldermanic business entirely, by his
opposition to officers practice OF piling up
costs. He would reduce the volume OF
carbonic acid gas in the Office by calling a
couple of reputable witnesses, and if they
substantiated or refuted the charge, he
would refuse to allow the crowd to testify.
In retaliation, the officers whose earnings
were curtailed diverted business from Mr..
Sorg, and he, finding that it didn't pay him
to maintain court, resigned the deputy
ship and went into other business.
1t is estimated that there might be suff-
cient pruning in the criminal expense list
to pay the interest on a million of the county
debt without injuring the morale of the ad-
ministration of justice in the least.
The salaries of the two clerks allowed for
the purpose named will be $100 for one and
S75 for the other, monthly.