New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-26

foes besides charges for actual expenses Incurred TOT
labor, advertising, carriage and storage
II the amount OF the charge objected TO- steps are
taken 70 arrange It satisfactorily to the attorneys inc
Sheriff and the auctioneer without recourse 70 'no W
,d when reduction is made amount when the az
torney can be induced to consent TO- as Is usual ~
case he allows the auctioneers commission anu ~ "
charged up a. a legitimate item in the sherihs oi'
While the law does not expressly piV'i"0 ' =,
arowance no the Sheriff conducting aueuoh s"1s, "
has been the for the courts to grant 10 Nun
aurears to be a reasonable sum- thereiore' UNI"
iudic,aI sanction the Sheriff makes claim ior su0 ~
' a.. ovo,v case While this division OF commits
sons cannot be technically condemned a. V'oa"on Vi
the Grand Jury are Of opinion that 1t is in pcrNersoh
O, the due and proper administration oil 'nc '''i ~
A FOUR YEARS RECORD
nno the three years just preceding January l. 1ss9
s uo,,o,oe,s in this city conducted sherihs
81 from which there realized inc sum VI
Al Az 5o5 H. OF this s43,93' 90 was ee""'
divided between the Sheriff and the aucucheerN a v
missions, besides the OF s2l 1852 10 actually
IN disbursements. During the first year o' ''o YIN
tho nresent Sheriff the firm OF aucuoneers 'o'
Quoted sherr's sales from which there "as -
sum of s5509s9 49, and OF this sum Si-'''' - -
divided between the Sheriff and the auctoheeis' d.
'.s .os,sos ,he sum of 81 10Y 20 expended a. as
hnrsements Thus, assuming the aucuoneers 70
no more than reasonable compenssuo" y" .,' county
vices in the past four YEARS the Sheii"' VI w. cum .,
have anproprated TO themselves the aggreza0 ~, 81,
coo ,ea 90 Maid to compensate the auctioheers anu W.
haNQ gpn
orsons entitled TO the benefit of those safes hS'0 W
eompeled TO forego that sum- . 49,, ,..,
Aside from these commissions, the oherihs " ~
accustomed under no greater guise OF right 10 M
,~ go sum. As extra compensation" for mcir
services in executing processes particularly M .,o
than the merest routine work mas peen - ,ho
amount being proportional TO the impOi'anV. - 81 ,ha
snn involved In and the oons''e". ,,,,o
,,o.,ovs The greatest evil Of this system OF u'iu"s
commissions and extra compensation Is tna' INV
the proceeds Of whose property are tnus ',a,s
not consulted in those settlements anu Wv ,,reod 10
against them are returned the court as being
an amount less the sum allowed the sherin by 'he''
adversares The injustice and injury resulting '"'''
from manifest
THE INJUSTICE OF THE METHODS.
Where the process is executed by the Sheriff himself ne
receives the extra compensation" IL one VI ~" ~ -
mites acts the deputy receives the benefit paying o'
.o sss,,g nouever nine.tenths Of poundase" but
,n all cases the Sheriff receives onchaf Of the auc'o
commissions. ,, o,r,,,o, the
So that with scarcely appreciate reseiVauon, ~,o
Sheriff receives the legal fees allowed MN OS ID" "
..e. ,os for all services rendered by him or his suoor
dinste in every branch Of his once) whether ne OF w
NJ his deputies performs the actual SERVICE VIM
.onu,v,s remuneration is entirely based upon MS aoN
n induc. an allowance without any pr tnce {" 'I"' ~
nurinr the wear 1889 Sherifs profits, after 49,
iucting from fees received by him from az sources INC
legitimate expenses OF his onice were fuiy sooVoo ~
much more he derived extra compensation caos De
scsr,.ned with any accuracy his books, as no
propcr record Of receipts has been presorN'u MS
accounts have been so loosely kept that very little sas
fsctorv information can be obtained from them En-
tries of payments made and moneys received lor p>ae
and onicial purposes are indscriminatcy mheeu py
chance or design that his private secretary may o
with annarent truth that unable TO testify as 70 the
nature OF the various entries
STILL GREATER ABUSES.
Pm. GREATER abuses than these exist and have existed
almost unnterruptedy many years past FOR b"e!
owe, which per.od the evidence taken by the Grand
Jury spreads the affairs Of the sherhs once In Uni.
county have been administered with an eh're usrs "a
the obligations imposed by law upon the sherHi'
~ It's general there is nothing 10 COMMENT
I'D much to denounce SO can be ascerialned
there has never kept in that ONCE any proper reo
NJ the Shcrins official acts OF the manner Vi eAcNNe
roces or of the OF legal bees received BY MN o
virtue OF his Office Deputy sherife and Their suoo-
r.es have been appointed without regard to the qnahca
tons for that office and have habituay rrac'sea Toe
orosscst corruption with no apparent opecuoh os e
Sheriff. . A.,
close the full measure ard variety OF these evils
recital OF a few of them will ii is believed 'Dc''
If the most startling and scandaloUs laes 80 "I eu'u"
"a that during the whole period over which TINS 'eS'
cation extends deputy sherns have been appointed upon
t,o understanding that they receive the regular
fixed remuneration for their services mat 'he ices pro-
xided for by law their official services shOua Dc I"u
Z, IN the Sheriff except very small part OF the socseu
.poundaee," being the percentage allowed te Sne'' vi
the amount recovered and addition they have been
required to employ and them salaries ana es-
pNnd other for various purposes d. 0""
dit,on Of their employment and retention III many
the dnputes conducted their business al
most entirely through their clerks and some OF these
ele,as receive share OF the profits accrung from the
deputies business
WHERE CORRUPTION FLOuRsHEs.
In that portion of the shcrir'' Office known as tho
"Order.of- Department abuses OF ue "sO H'K'
character have been practsed
This charge Of the execution OF processes
against the person. Instead OF employing therein su
cient number Of deputies to execute these processes there
has BEEN and is now, but one regular deputy WI"
known as the er-oArres Clerk, having absolute coll
troll Of :he department. and the persons aei"y eAecu's
the processes specially deputzed IA ,"ch case l"F
together with other subordnae- in that department.
necessary for the transaction Of its business are tae'y
given permission and extet in what manner they
may OF money in consideration Of performing
the duties by law devolving upon them.
The moneys procured are divided between the acua
ree,nlents and the Clerk subordinate OF
his collecting from the actual receivers goody pefcee'
Of the sum, and In turn handing over 10 MS superior
The result OF his collections with his own earnings ADDED
Nv reason n this Juggling and passing Of the booty
when IL reaches possesso that individual is able
To establish his innocence Of any positive knowledge OF It's
tainted source.
DEGRADING SPECTACLE
The spectacle Of this individual and Others clearly I'M
pcated in this other characters OF pecunisy corup
tim shielding themselves cloak Of pretended
honesty and quietly pockeng portion OF the proceeds OF
these l-gotten gains one OF the most degrading ana
In the whole Of this Investigation Inc
logical and actual result OF these abuses has been that tho
eoputy sherns attaches OF the Shorhs Office
have accented brides and demanded gratues matter
OF course for many past as consideration Tor inc
d,.charcc Of their duties public large members
of the legal profession their clients and all persons having
occasion 10 require services Of the Sheriff have been by
necessity compelled submit 10 the most wicked and
Illegal extortion and oppression Prisoners arrested on
civil process possessing sufficient means, have had no
difficulty in procuring indulgence at the hands Of
deputy sherrs while poor prisoners have been thrown into
jail.
LUDLOW STREET JAIL.
The County JAN has been grossly msmsnsged PTis'
oners committed found II easy 70 procure ten
porary escape Incarceration in the custody Of
Warden underkeepcrs upon the payment OF sum Of
money Gambling been engaged IN, and liquor drunk
therein BY The knowledge and cOnsen: Of its Warden.
Other abuses respect TO It's management have ap-
peared. In many instances the parties cOgnizant OF the