The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-07-06
TOFFEY'S JAIL FEES
Twenty-Five Cents a Pris-
onar to Be Paid for Feed
and Maintenance.
SEVEN CENT DOscHER's YAWP.
Freeholders Ellis and Kelly Speak
Manfully for a Political
Opponent.

LIN oOoAo IA -
cided to allow Sheriff Toffey twenty-five
cents a day for the keep of each prisoner.
Heretofore the fee was thirty cents a day.
When the Sheriff was made the custodian OF
the Jail by an act of the Legislature, he pro-
posed to the board that he should be paid
twenty-five cents u day. This, he said,
would ensure him a reasonable compensation
for his services and responsibility. He de-
clared that thirty cents a day, which the
Freeholders paid Bob Davis, was too much
and twenty cents a day was not enough.
The fair and dlgnifed attitude of the Sheriff
in this matter resulted in his proposition be-
ing accepted by a vote of seven to five.
SMALL BUSINESS.
Freeholders Hitler and Mentally, a major
ity of the Committee on Court House, Jail
and Public Grounds, to whom had been re-
ferred the question of Jail fees, reported at
yesterdays meeting recommending that the
Sheriff be paid twenty cents a day for each
prisoner, and out of such sums the Sheriff
should contract to pay all the expenses OF
the Jail help and keep the Court House and
grounds and the Freeholders' Office in clean
and good condition. Freeholder Hennessey
moved the adoption of the report.
Freebooter Swartz objected, and said:-"I
do not think the resolution to adopt this re-
port is a proper one. 1t costs twenty-five
cents a day to feed the prisoners and pay the
help, and, in addition to this, you want the
Sheriff to pay for all other expenses such as
cleaning and taking care of the grounds.
You want him to do this for twenty cents,
but you paid for years thirty cents to his
predecessors. | offer an amendment that
the price be fixed at twenty-five cents a
day"
IT, %o,p,c rr,fh ShoriF T0ffau fOilnWe6 Mr.
Swartz. and said.-'I believe the change of
the custodian of the Jail was made by the
Legislature in the interest of the taxpayers,
and we should do all in our power to aid in
obtaining this economy. The average mum
Der of prisoners in tho County Jail Is 2O0,
and they can be fed for seven cents a day.
All the expenses attached to the Jail may be
paid out of twenty cents a day for each man
and leave a Erofit OF six dollars a day for the
Sheriff. 1t is our duty to stand by the
taxpayers and save them from oppression.
Every penny we squeeze out OF the poor
people is blood money and should not be
taken. Irepeat it is our duty to stand by
the poor people who pay the taxes. The bill
which gave the Sheriff custody of the Jail
was made a Law for that purpose. Times
are very hard and taxes are a great burden.
If we can tighten the load we should do so.
enough. l have been charged in the press
with certain things which l am not guilty
of. and I want the fact made known. [
want to go on record that l stand by the
poor people"
ELLIS
81 listened with a great deal OF pleasure"
said Freebooter Ellis, ito the remarks of
the gentleman from the Eighth district, but
1 would like to say that there Is such a thing
as being too economical. He has taken a
position which. if his desires prevailed,
might be one Of injustice, The gentleman
came into this board when it was paying the
taller thirty cents a day for the keep of
prisoners. and l never heard any protest
from him then. never heard him vote
against such payment. Now he comes here
and SAYS he wants the fee cut down. l
think. also, that thirty cents was too much,
but at the same time | believe that twenty
cents is not enough. | think it is but fair
that the Sheriff should receive a fair com
pensation for his services. although he is a
political opponent, and l worked as hard as
any man in Hoboken to defeat him last fall.
1t is absurd for my friend to say that the
prisoners may be fed for seven cents a day,
and he knows it. 1t will tax at least
twenty-five cents a day for each prisoner,
for the Sheriff to feed the prisoners and con-
duct the Jail as it should be managed"
Freeholder Kelley said, "When the Free
holder from the Eighth District said it cost
but seven cents a day to feed a prisoner l was
surprised. | remember a celebrated case
C0aD WAS bTlGu Ill Ull NOuiU 4lONcC TAClO Oil
expert witness swore that it was not possible
to feed a prisoner for less than thirteen cents.
For the life of me | don't understand how
the Sheriff can feed the prisoners and pay
his help out of twenty cents a day. | hope
that the amendment to pay the Sheriff
twenty-five cents will prevail"
The vote on the amendment was as fol-
lows
Yeas-Freeholders Ellis, Gallagher, Halliday,
Hanna, Heaneessseg; Kelly nycs swartsz o. : Heller Mo.
Nally and Director Bruggeman, 5.
Hereafter Sheriff Toffey win receive
twenty-five cents a day for each prisoner.
WATER VERY SCARCE.
A communication was received from the
Sheriff to the effect that he could not draw
water on the second floor of the Jail and had
to carry there all the water used. de said
he feared that if this condition was permitted
to exist much longer it would create sickness.
He recommended that a tank be placed on
the roof and a pump to fill 1t, in the base
ment. The matter was referred.
ROUTINE YORK.
The storekeeper reported hat a number of
requiSitions had not been filled by con-
tractors. A committee will ascertain why.
The contract with john, Hopkins for the
construction of the Boulevard iron bridge
over the Pennsylvania cut was read and
filed. Judge, rMcGrath informed the board
that on next Tuesday the remaining Boule-
ward cases would be heard by Judge Lippin-
colt. He added that several cases must
again be viewed by the commissioners .
A resolution was adopted directing coun-
sci to the board to nave all Instructions re-.
moved from the Boulevard. The board de-
cided to appropriate $500 to furnish the
house the county has just built for Warden
| Grimes of the Penitentiary. Richard Con-
ners and Michael O'Grady were reappointed
inspectors on the Boulevard at a salary of 81
"a day.
The town of Rearny, in its usual cheeky
manner, wrote the board and requested thai
it should acquire the Belleville and Airing
ton road for the county and macadarnize it
for the benefit Of Kearny. This modest re-
quest was referred to the Committee on
Roads, where it will be permitted to die at
an early age.
The report for June of Warden Ryan of
the Almshouse was as follows:-Inmates,
us; employees, 20; cost Of maintenance,
$4,S 31. A; average cost, S6.57 ~.
Warden Grimes of the Penitentiary re-
ported for June:-Prisoners, 217; employees,
IS; cost of maintenance, s. ,116.46; average
cost, $13.25 $40.
The board adjourned to meet again next
Thursday.