The morning times., 1896-11-18


within the purview of ;his report further
than 10 suggest that, primarily, the law
should bear the burden because of its fail
ure 10 provide for the auditing OF the
accounts of the police court.
BURDEN OF RESP
The auditor of the District of Columbia
has no authority under the law to examine
the doc6ets and other records OF fines,
or 10 direct the methods To be observed in
making returns Of collections, but must de-
pend upon the courtesy of the officials Of
the court whose sanction is the buInd
of any examination or regulation he might
deem essential.
The auditor embraces in his report a
brief history of the transaction. together
with statement of the law under which
the collection and disposition OF fines in
the police court is regulated.
The quotation OF law is from sections
1879 and 1850 of the revised statutes Of
the District, as follows:
"All fines, penalties. costs, and for
FIXTURES imposed or taxed by the police
court shall be collected by the marshal or
by the major OF police, as the case may Dc.
on process ordered by the court, and by
them paid over 10 the District.
The moneys collected upon the juds-
ments OF the police court, or so much there
of as may be necessary, shall be applied to
the payment of the ssharias oI til,. Judge
and other officers os the court, as prucided
in section ten hundred and forty-siX, and
to the pa ymcnt OF the necessary ,.XpeiSs.s
thereof, and any surplus remaining after
paying such salaries, compensation. and
expenses shall be paid into the treasury of
the District at the end of every quarter
'As IL is impracticable for the marshal or
the major of police To make these collfc-
tons in person." Mr.. Petty says the
former is represented by n deputy marshal,
who collects the fines IMPOSED for viola
tons of United States avs, and the latter
by member of the Metropolitan police.
rho Receives those which are taXed for
the violation or corporation ordinances and
laws of the District of Columbia.
MAJOR MOoRE's AGENT.
''DaEiel Williams, a member of the Metro
politan police. was detailed by Major Moor,
as collector nn the District side of the
court, December 20, 1890. His duties
required him to enter all fines, as received
upon Il form of return printed especially Y
for The purpose. THESE blanks. there be-
ing one for each day. contained the date
line at the top. and Were ruled with
columns headed, respectively. No. of case :
Name of defendant, 'Offense' and
Amount collected
Al seni.-uonthiy periods thes, tinily lists
were tagged together by Williams AMI
taken by !lim 10 the deputr ,irrK oI Ut.
police court for Comparison with he docket
or a tally as it was denuminated by tham
When this work of comparing or checking
was completed, the deputy clerk, under tie
Seal OF the court. made the following in
dorSeInent upon Williams returns:
" i hereby certify that | have compared
this return with the docket of the poIic..
court. and that the amounts herein set
forth agree with the amounts charged n
the corresponding cases in said docket
Williams then deposited he total amount
of the two weeks returns with the ct,Ilcc-
tor of taxes, taking receipts in duplicate,
one nf which, together with the returns;
was filed i'll the auditors office. The re
turns were then CAREFUL Y footed, and if The
aggregate, as shown therein, agreed with
the certificate of deposit OF the collector
of taxes, it was accepted as Conclusive by
this office. no Thought OF Questioning the
sufficieIcyor accuracy of the deputy clerk s
certificates ever being entertained.
CARELEsSNEsS SOMEWHERE.
ut was held to signify, first, that every
case upon the docket had been .calle, Off
and found to be entered upon the return. or
otherwise accounted for; Il nd, secondly, that
each entry of case upon return
agreed with the record of that case in tie
uo'hct- 1nic iHNestlEiltlpn, however. haS
developed the fact that in many instan .cs
the amounts entered in the returns are but
one-haif. or less. of the sums called for by
the docket. and hundreds of cases are en-.
tered upon the docket which do not appear
in the returns at all.
1.-The law imposes the duty OF collecting
fines coniointly upon the United States mar.
shal and the major of police This seems
natural and proper in the case of the mar
shdI, who is heavily bonded with a view
to just such responsibilities but no good
reason is apparent why a requirement so
out of harmony with the other multifarious
and important duties constantly claiming
his attention should be imposed upon
the ma jor of police
II am of opinion therefore that he should
be relieved of this duty. and the law so
amended as to provide for the appoint
ment OF a bonded collector with good
and sufficient sureties and for a regular
and thorough audit OF his accounts.
TIE auditor OF the District might be
clothed with the necessary authority and
empowered for this purpose to examine
the dockctS of the court and to prescribe
such regulations In the IN ode of accounting
as would be reasonably certain to insure
prompt returns hereafter and leave neither
temptation nor opportunity for the indul-
gencc OF official cupidity."