The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-08-02
HARD ON THE pRopErY CLERK.
A Suit Showing the Need of Public Ad-
minstrator.

ministrator.
Last week petition was filed in the Su-
preme Court of the District by Charles Cowles
Tucker, as administrator of David Patterson,
charging that Richard Sylvester, property
clerk Of the District, the District Commits
sioners, aud the First Comptroller of the
Treasury, had wrongfully and illegally with
held from the claimant aforesaid and other
parties, the sum of $65610-the property of
Patterson.
Property Clerk Sylvester, In whose charge
the money was placed, has sent a letter to the
Commissioners in relation to the whole mat
ter He says in substance: "With reference
to the communication of Charles Cowles
Tucker, dated March 3, 1891, addressed to the
Hon. Commissioners, and herewith inclosed,
have to state that Coroner Patterson did on
July 10, 1884, make formal return to me, as
property clerk, of a sum OF money amounting
to $656.1 10.
"The certificate Of deposit, or property re-
turn, was In due form, required by the regula-
tions governing the police department, and
recited the finding of the property in prem
ises wherein the coroner was called to Off
cially investigate the cause of his death and
view the remains of one David Patterson in
the Federal Building. No friends relatives,
acquaintauces, or person employed as serv-
ant by the deceased, presented or asserted
any claim to the property so recovered or re-
claimed, at or about or since that time. The
heretofore stated, his abandoned possessions
were returned to the legal custodian of lost,
stolen, and abandoned property. The coroner
was further guided in such action by an order
of the Commissioners, dated July %, 1879,
requiring him to turn over property of de-
ceased paupers and others to the property
clerk, and take his receipt for the same.
Upon receipt of the deposit, the property
clerk rendered the required receipt for the
same, and registered the amount in the record
dacicrn otad NV 1orr hnn6 Of
terson, deceased, room in Federal Building
''Under Section All, Revised Statutes re
lating to the District, money and property
not required in court and other than animals
and perishable property. remaining in the Gus
tody of the property clerk for period of six
months, shall be advertised, sold and the pro-
ceeds deposited in the policemen's fund.-
The money in question was retained six
months, and no claimant was discovered, and
as q further precaution, and with a view to
giving any lawful claimant ample time to
come forward, the property was retained one
year and two months before it was treated as
other money and property-advertised and de-
posted through the District Commissioners to
the credit Of the policemen's fund.
''At this late day, nearly seven years after
the discovery and finding of the property,
the gentleman who alleges palpable miscon-
struction of the law on my part, discovers for
the first time former servant of the late Mr..
Patterson, who permits him to become
Tucker, the claimants attorney, proposes to
change what has been the practice of myself
and predecessors for years.
"If the Police Department. must refrain from
depositing to the credit of the policemen's
fund lost and abandoned sums of money dis
covered upon or about the premises, or with
the effects of the friendless dead, in the high
ways, hedges and upon the deserted floors and
tables of gambling dens, then new accommo-
dations must be had for the keeping, and the
books of the property clerk will never be bal
anced. The money is now part of the police
mems fund and under the act approved Feb
ruary 25, 1885, can be withdrawn only for the
specific purposes therein declared.'
Said Clerk Sylvester to THE HERALD repor-
ter: ~ am bothered frequently by people
who claim to own abandoned property, but
this is the first time a suit has been brought.
Nearly every other large city of the country has
public administrator who takes charge of all
such cases as the one on which this suit is
brought. We ought by all means to have
such an official in the District. 1t would be
better in every point of view such an Off
cial could examine the legality of claims
on dead PERSONS effects and settle them. AS
| property clerk | have no judicial functions
and | can only obey the plain letter of the
| law.n