New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-07
THE SHERIFF'S BIG FEES.
HOW THE TAXPAYERS WE'RE BUNCOED.
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS GO TO HIM Fol
u.u1cr1 LII, pr,r1rRNS no SERVICES.

THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS GO TO HIM FOR
WHICH HE RETURNS no SERVICES.
| The recent admission OF the present Incumbent OF
| the Sherif's Office exJustlce John J. German, that
his Official fees under the Reform" act OF lool yieu
him $4,000 q year. making his annual income ieaoi
100000 was painful supple 10 the tApIyers VI Nc"
| York County Not one in thousand supposed that
the Sheriff was legally receiving any such adduoh 10
his big salary. for the impression had been well
fostered that the enlarged fees which the new law
had authorized went directly into the city treasury 10
meet the increased cost OF maintaining the office on
| decent footing which the argument USED TOT
giving regular salaries 10 the Sheriff, his Twelve
deputies and his army Of clerks, thus removing from
them, It was said the temptation to gouse hue"'.'
| and other unfortunate people who feh uiuer 'ne.
power By interpreting the Fee bill 10 tnen o"" "u
| vantage. ,,
In the summer Of 1890 the people were reawakened
N the corrpt practices and extorons OF the SheTu
Office by the exposures which followed the uneartmng
Of tho fraudulent divorce granted to sherin fiaoN
The Senate Committee on Cities took up the case anu
rrolcd the rottenness and rascalty which had eAseo
for several decades under Tammany management.
mass Of testimony placed upon record SHOWING 'n"'
methods of organized robbery based upon the ieo
system existed, and peremptory demand was made
bv an outraged and indignant people 70 Abolish the
root NJ tho evll-thc fee system. The sums winch
yearly went to swell the bank account OF the lucky
holder Of the Office were known to be enormous
running up often to over 100000 ana at t'o u'eh
NAL election TO fiji the post the people were accustomed
TO witness Il Wild scramble for II. and much money
was used to the coveted berth both IN honha-
ing conventions and at the polls. Every three years
they had seen candidates impOverishing themselves
In the unsuccessful pursuit OF this fat Office now
enectually Andrew J. White, Michael G. Murphy and
other wellknown patriots who hankered AFTER tne
rich spells Of the shievalty might be able 10 testy'
| To do away with such exhibitions. and to abate
the evils which had grown up under the eyes OF the
bench but were deemed inseparabe from the plan
upon which the Office, as authorized by law, was
| conducted It was determined that the fee system
must 60" Tile counsel for the Senate investigating
| committee, Mr. WINS, prepared o bill which gave
large salaries to the sheriff and all Ills subodlnates
and required. In the comparatively recent changes
In the Registers and County Clerks Offices. that
tile fees should be paid into the city treasury ~
meet General Slces's objections that Ills experience
In the office proved that the fees were utterly made
| quate to meet the expenses OF the Office. and II
an attempt were made TO carry 1t on uhde'
| the old standard Of rates for services
the taxpayers would have to bear the brunt OF TIE
Office expenditures. the fee bill was greatly Increased
Sole Items OF costs being doubled. The Dill WAS
submitted TO a special committee OF the BAR Assn
clntion aud then II was that somebody, presumioy
General Slcles got In his fine work In the interest OF
|
| IN be his successors In New.York County. clause
vas Inserted putting onehali the Increased fees oil
the Office into the pocket Of the sheriff as part oi
his personal perqusites and ia this form the Dill
went through the Legislature at Albany without a
HEX
Nobody maintains that the Sheriff performs any
tangible services for the large sums. which he nc
knowIciges aggregate $4,000 year. All the ser
vic. tia, he can give Is unquestonably covered by
! a.. Of : IL looks much
the toNpayers have been "buncoed" by the provision
which gives THIS large sum Of unearned money TO .
| Tammany official There Is growing feeling tina
It ought to be repealed and that the legislature should
| take prompt action In That direction whea II rcss
sembcs IN January.
| letter has been received from Sheriff German
uoinng out some alleged errors In an article on tn
subject u his fees printed III The Tribune yesterday
bu, II viii be observed that Mr.. German makes nc
effort to defend the justice OF the exorbitant SUM
which he Is receiving from the treasury in the gils'
n fees In addition 10 his lawful salary II Is as fol
| lows:
TO the Editoror The Tribune
| Sir In your issue u December O. an EDITORIAL
apprar. under the caption "onell fees" In which you
hvc nal, some mi stake, In relation tho Sherifs ONCE
| 1 am o, opinion they shonh b. at once cOrfectd
You say that Legislature was Induced to pass Ia"
uniting The sheriff on a salary Of s2 600 year. without
f.esn This Is Incorrect 40 such law was ever passed
by The Now.York state legislature The only law even
! rn,.d WIS the one in force, which gives
10 the sheriG salary Of $4,000 year ana
/ one.haf Of the fees Of tho onice; The
Other hail tho city receives. You say under the Ola
system the sheriff ran considerable risks and was llaOc
r large judgments, but now the city bears the ourhcn OF
responsibility for whatever mistakes he Makes This Is
alo Incorrect The city has responsibility whatever
FOR mistakes the Sheriff may make; the sherh Is alone
responsible. For the purpose OF setting your readers
rgh, on this subject, hope you will give this the same
nfomlnencc I'm your ncNt issue you gave "Onicla!
| Fees" JUN J. "OiN'N''
| Sheriff, New York County.
| Ncw.York. Dec. 6.