The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-02-13
FEEDING CITY PRISONERS.
Why Is the Marshal Paid a Per
centage?
QUEER STATE OF THINGS.
THE MATTER BEING INVESTIGATED
BY A COMMITTEE.
William Gilbert Says He Has Been
Paying the Marshal Ever Since
He Was Given the COntract-An
Explanation in Order.

There was a feeling of dismay ap-
preaching almost to CONSERVATION
among certain of the high police officials
yesterday. The cause of all the trouble
was the following harmless looking lit
tie document:
February 10, 1894.
Received of William Gilbert, $50 for
the month of January, on boarding
house, as agreed by him.
(Signed) ARTHUR PRATT.
A Herald reporter last evening saw
Mr.. William Gilbert, the gentleman
who paid the $50, and who is the
holder of the receipt, of which the
above is a verbatim copy. Mr.. Gilbert
is an employee of the fire department
and also has the contract for feeding
the city prisoners. In reply to an in
curry as to what the above receipt
meant and as to what he paid Mr.
Pratt $50 for he said that in April, 1892,
he was given the contract for feeding
city prisoners by the then Marshal
Janney. at 15c. per meal with the un-
Outstanding that Janney was to re-
! ce1ve rake off, of 10 per cent. He
paid Janney the percentage whilst that
worthy remained in office, and after
his removal the same arrangement was
continued with Chief Paul. From April,
1892, to April, 1893, the bills for feeding
prisoners amounted to $4,172.65, upon
which a rake off, of $625 was paid.
During the month of May. 1893. the
percentage Or rake off, was $62 80;
from May, 1893, to Dec. 81, 1898, the
bills amounted to S1,879, and Chief Paul
received his percentage of 1921. IS.
! The January, 1894, bills amounted to
$342, on which there was a rake off,
OF about $50. Seeing that Chief Paul was
retained as jailor by inadvertance or
some other cause for a considerable
time after his term of office as city
marshal expired, Mr.. Gilbert was of
the opinion that the rake off, should
go to him. The present incumbent
Mr.. Pratt, however, took a different
view Of the case, so Gilbert claims,
and held that the percentage was his
perquisite. Gilbert at first refused to
! pay it and then Mr.. Pratt instructed
| the auditor to stop $50 from Gilbert's
| bill and on that bill as a memorandum
may now be seen the words keep $50
! for Pratt
! Mr.. Gilbert says that Mr.. Pratt called
him out of his bed at a late hour one
cold night to give him notice that he
must vacate the premises he now oc-
cupies within fifteen days and that
at the same time he should cease to
that he (Mr. PratD had made arrange
ments to let that privilege to another
party. Gilbert then began to get
alarmed and thought he had better
placate the marshal, and in order to
do so he took the time check for his
wages as fireman, cashed it, and with
j out waiting to get his bill for feeding
| the prisoners paid by the city, paid the
marshal $50 in cash and took his re-
ceipt as above for the amount
Mr.. Gilbert said he offered to feed
/ the prisoners at 121a cents a meal if
provided there was no percentage to
! be paid to the marshal
! The present city council in their de-
/ sire to economics learning from a
former United States marshal that it
cost no more than 10 cents per meal
! to feed the prisoners at the peniten-
tiary were of the opinion that the
city's prisoners ought to be fed at
least as cheaply and on Mr.. Gilbert
/ being called up he explained the mat
ter of the rake off" The case was
| brought before the committees on
police and on prisons and they had it
under careful consideration, and will
make some recommendations to the
| city council at its meeting tonight in
reference to the matter.
The Citizens movement was
inaugurated to cleanse the Augean
stables. It swept it's ticket into Office
and the people exepct the promised
cleansing When the contract was
made the then chief fixed things so
/ that for his onerous work of letting the
said contract he should be rewarded
with Is pc cent. of all moneys received
under it.
This 10 per cent. was a means of
revenue, a sort of tariff, which the city
could i'll afford, but which went into
the private pocket Of the ex-chief, ac-
cording to the statement, and there lin
gered with the handsome salary drawn
monthly from the depleted city treas
ury. 1t averaged, taking one month
with another. $50 month, a neat little
subsidy which Gilbert paid and kept
mum because if he had given the snap
away, he feared he would have lost
his job and he was making a good
profit for he said he could furnish
meals at 10 cents or IL cents, if there
was no percentage.
| 1t would be in order for Marshal
Pratt to give some explanation of the
ireceipt with which this article starts
out
The police committee now having
taken the matter in hand, it becomes
a public affair, and for that reason
alone The Herald gives Mr.. Gilbert's
statement. 1t may be that the action
of the chief is all right, and that the
matter has been satisfactorily explain
| ed