The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-11-10
EXTORT|ON CHARGED
McPhil1ips Must Answer
To the Hudson
County Bar.
INVESTIGATION
WILL BE MADE.
And If the Allegations Are Sus-
tanned Impeachment Will =
be Moved.
EVIDENCE THAT IS CUMULATIVE.

County Bar Association, said today
IT there is malfea sance in the office of
the Sheriff and the Bar Association, after
investigation. finds ir to exist, it is the
duty Of the Bar Association to recon-
mend the removal or impeachment of the
Sheriff.
Malfeasance in office covers almost
every offence of commission and omission.
THE NEWS yesterday aud Sunday
enumerated large number
of cases of both, enough to
impeach Sheriff McPhillips at days
notice. but today The JERSEY CITY NEWS
will show the public a condition of al
fairs in the Sheriff's office that is so out
rageous, SO shameful, that even the
friends of McPhillips' official existence
will be startled.
1 called at the Office of Carrick & Wor-
tendyke in the Weldon Building today.
in the city. Mr.. Wortendyke was in and
when he saw me he said.-.'Tm glad to
see THE NEWS doing such good work"
s'What work."
'That of showing to the public the
abuses In the Sheriff's Office" he an
swered.
"Have you ever had any trouble in
Sheriff."
Yes, more than we ever want again.
find there is a very general complaint
among. lawyers that the service OF
III excess Of Legitimate Charges.
Our clients have been com pelledto pay
ices that were not legal. We had
to mention the particular case-when
the amount overcharged by the
Sheriff was comparatively large. 1t was
shame, but our clients had to submit to
II. The service of papers by
the me.ns Sheriff afoa is !, not sson,a BY / any
there issao doubt but thst the Office is
conducted wretchedly. Papers are sent
there for service, and returns are not
made for weeks and weeks, months and
months"
You say Illegal fees were charged by
the Sheriff; will you tell me how?'
ILLEGAL FEES SPECIFIED.
Il will mention one of the most
notorious. The law requires that
the Sheriff. shall place at the end of
OF tne printer. The. Sheriff does
not do this very often and tine
people are compelled to pay what
ever he charges and he makes his fees
whatever he sees fit."
"Thep, in your opinion, the condition
of the office of Sheriff is"
"Disgraceful."
In the same building called on another
prominent law firm. They were will
ling to talk about the disgrace
ful administration of the Sheriff's
office, but said they did not want their
names printed. They said might use
their names at any time If Sheriff Nc
Phillips questioned the truth of what
thev told me, but not until then.
The Sheriff may have these names by
calling at the office Of The JERSEY CITY
s'We think.' said both members Of the
firm, .that there is extortion
used in the Sheriff's Office
We are never able to get a statement
from him of his fees when he does bust
bills for the gross amount of
his fees, but when we ask
him for an itemized statement
he will not furnish it. He don't refuse
point blank. but refers us tolsome one in
him referred back to the Sheriff In
to to- get % an ~ itemized account
of what he claims we owe him but we
never get it. We never have got one.
stantly overcharged, and ii we
have not been why should not the
Sheriff. like any other business man. give
us an temized bill of his fees"
''DO you ever nave any OLner trouble
with the Office of the Sheri ff?"
MONEY HARD TO COLLECT.
"We have much difficulty in collecting
money from him that he receives
from executions. Frequently we
hsv evs 70 t,uss go p so get hlm fha onsy fo1r
II is his duty to turn over the money he
collects on executions as soon as he re-
ceives it. There can be no excuse for his
not doing So"
George L. Record. of the law firm Of
Bacot g. Record, said:-"I have heard
great many complaints about the Sheriff's
Office by lawyers, but l have had no
trouble there myself. We have but very
little business that requires the service
of the Sheriff.
Counsellor Frederick Frambach, of the
law firm OF Potts & Frambach, said:-
'.There Is no doubt but that business is
badly conducted in the Sheriff's of ffice.
/ sent a subpoena there about August,
and it was not served until about Oc-
tober l. In foreclosure case I had re-
Gently, was compelled to issue a new
writ because the negligence of the Sher-
riff in not properly serving the first writ.
Ex-Judge and ex-Consressman Voor-
his said: 81 find the Sheriff is not very
prompt in making returns on executions,
which is inexeusable,"
DO you hear many complaints?"
Eyes. have heard a great many COM
plants about this matter.
what do you think OF the admlnistra-
tion of the Sheriff's Office at present?"
1T is not nearly so good as it was when
the Sheriff was but deputy"
From the many lawyers talked to this
morning about the wretched condition
of the Office of Sheriff McPhillips, am
firmly convinced that when the Bar
Association meets which will be very
soon, an investigation will be begun by it
into the misconduct of McPhillips and
his subordnates.
can investigation can have but one re-
sult,n lawyer told me, "and that is that
the Bar Association will recommend the
removal from office OF this thoroughly in
competet, or worse. official. Public charges
Of extortion, neglect in the performance
OF his duties, delay in turning over money
collected on executions are," said my
legal friend, too serious for the Bar As
sociation to ignore"
Bayonne CITY Taxes.
The City Assessor and the Su pervisor
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