Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-11-30
COUNTY COURT OBJECTS
WILL NO LONGER PAY SALARIES OF
OFFICIALS TO MONEY BROKERS'.
Practice Has Become So General That
1t Had to Be Stopped-The Court
Made First Adverse Decis-
ion Yesterday.

The brokerage in salaries of deputy
county officials has grown to be a lucrative
business. It seems that the "overworked"
deputy in county offices has to resort TO
4 broker in order to keep even with the
world, all of which is commendable were
it not for the fact that the brokerage bust
ness is being overworked and has caused
the county court to refuse the emards of
the broker to make out warrants payable
to the broker instead of to the deputy. The
county records show that but few deputies
draw their own salaries. The greater por-
ton Of them are consigned to friends to
draw for them or assigned to brokers,
which amounts to the same thing.
Ben Strother presented orders to the
county court at Independence yesterday for
the salaries of Deputy Sherifs Shannon.
Cartright and Gleason and asked the court
to make the monthly salaries of the depu-
ties payable to him. The court refused
to issue warrants to anyone on the orders
of deputies but made the warrants in ia
vor of the county employees. In order to
get such a warrant cashed the broker has
to get the signature of the deputy officer.
1t has also developed that several orders
for the same months salary have been
presented to the county clerk. Clerk Crit
tenden. to save himself from SO much an
noyance, has caused n 'order to be promul-
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In consequence of this it often happens
that a scrambl takes place and some or
dered are considered bad scrip. or have
to await their turn.
The practice of signing away salaries by
deputies has grown to be a prolific business
with the brokers. One broker recently APP
peared before the county court with an
order. which was refused. and informed the
court that he wished they would cash 5000
in claims against the county on orders
from others. This statement came from
one broker alone. 1t also shows the vast
profits accruing to money brokers who live
off the practice of shaving claims against
Jackson county. Jackson county has never
repudiated a claim against it, but the fact
that ignorance prevails to a large extent
relative to funds obtainable has been
heralded. and brokers thrive because of
this. The county court at present is not
paying anything but salaries out of the
general revenue fund of the county, owinS
to the fact that it is short of funds. This
condition will not be bettered until the
10th of next month. The salaries of
county officials are always paid. but the
men who do business for the county, fur
nishing merchandise or general work, have
to wait for their pay.
Many of these claims find their way to
brokers and a large amount of money is
made while the county court is retrenching.
On the 10Th of December the coun-
ty collector turns over the November col
lections. While the money is collected and
in the hands of the county collector, under
the law he is not obliged to turn a cent
over to the county until the 10th. This
plan keeps people out of just claims and
gives the brokers {. chance to buy up
claims against the county until the gen.
eral revenue fund is again turned loose.
The salaries of county officials, which are
most largely dealt in by brokers, however.
are paid on the LIST of each month.
The extent Of this brokerage business
said a county official yesterday, has grown
enormously within the last four years.
These orders come for the most part from
single men. No county officials can adj
vance money on the salaries of deputies
and then claim the salaries thereafter, but
with. the broker it is different. Many of
the deputies shave their warrants for very
little money while others will not allow any
one to draw their salaries for them. Those
who are in Kansas City find IT inconve-
nient to wait for the warrant to be given
them and sell it, giving the broker a slight
commission for collecting the same"