The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-25
FEES OF S|URROGATE'S MEN.
LAWrERS TESTIFY 10 EIORBITINT
DEMANDS ny APPRAISERS.

surrogate Arnoid's Relatives Got the Jobs
Oftenest md Got What They Could Out
Of the Estntes-It Was Pay or Delay
Testimony Before the Fnllows Committed
The Assembly committee which is ~Investi-
satiug the affairs Of the Surrogate's office In
this county under Surrogate Arnold. who has
lust resigned, gave n public hearing In the
County Court House yesterday. OFT the twenty
witnesses eighteen were lawyers. who testi-
fed, without exception. that exorbitant fees
had been charged by the appraisers connect
ell with the office.
Chairman Fallows presided. Lawyers John
Proctor Clarke and Henry W. Jessup ques-
toned the Witnesses.
William ], Klnpp and George W.. Judd. who
had been hired by the committee to search
Tie Surro2nte's records. were called, and sub
nittcd written reports. Mr.. Judd testified
that between 1894 and 1898 r. II. Chaplin. Sur
rogatc ArnOld's brother. n-lhw, had been ap-
pointed as appraiser of estates 5N ines j. j.
Butler l.252 times ANA Thomas T.. Arnold.
the SurroGate's brother. 30 times.
Lawyer William b. Clausen of Parsons.
Shepard 4 Ogden testified that he had paid TO
Thomas +. Arnold $50 for appraisinK an es-
tate. The work could easily have been done In
two weeks, and probably in one, The legal
fee Was 81 for each actual DAYS work done by
the appraiser,
Charles B. Alexander 81 Alexander n Green
testified. "In the Mary A.. Gordon estate.
which | settled. Thomas T.. Arnold and John
j. Butler were appointed appraisers. They
asked for Il fee OF $3.50 for apuraisinE an es-
tate worth by their own inventory $500.
Most OF the aupraising could have been done
IN a few, hours from the current stock, quota
tons. The fee was compromised at 500. SO
far as know tho appraisers in that ease
worked not one whole day a
He stated that IN another case, III 1897. the
same man had demanded $3.50 each for an
praising the estate Of Mary Johnson. which
davit, that they had put in ltty days work.
Mr.. Jessup said that, according TO this. some
of the appraisers must have worked several
I.awyer. A.sG. Murray testified that. Butler
aud Arnold had asked for $50 apiece Tor ap-
dressmaker who was lost on La Bourgogne.
Henry 9, White. q LAWYER at.3l Nassau street.
a sGs'rlHS sno az the Rs'l Ssta aas Of aFP FoTra @3' H. of TarE SeT
and his wife. who were browne in lSI
The appraisers" he said. were at my Of
also went to the house Of the deceased and
once to. a safe deposit office. The time they
eiling. could not have been more than four
teen hours In, all. They asked for at least
Ter said II i didn't pay that il would be posi-.
bile to stretch the time out longer. and that he
might find { necessary to hire an expert &c
the estate OF Mr.. Parker and So each FOR for that
OF his wife. | made no complaint to the Sur
common understanding in the profession that
this didn't do any good. | asked Butler once
business. and he said that he didn't get very
I mTsh m 5eGSu s96 n S was appointed Me- APPRAISER i for
aye SstS them mSnT up sI he SAID sSia'G IL tima nsyY also . t That
he actually got only a small part OF the fee. any
way d9n,t know where the rest went
II. Man and Edward Il. vaimer. whose test.
n,ony was along the same lines. Lawyer
4 .ase of compromise. M LAWYER ever thought
OF paving the.fee first demanded by the APP
al. estate of Si0i. iG}.
Arnold and Butler" he said. were the ap,
mainly, OF securities that could be easily APP
craiSed. There we're. however, in the estate
farm up the state, The live stock didn't
amount to much. and as soon as we began to
dispute about the fee we bad visions q the
Witch was $500 each9and THE they SI Kept n r%efeFfrikn Hs
n neerrff93r sixty days work; although tney
LAWYER John Theall testified that Col. Mi
BBr ntIsr r Gi the ss estate = of a a dead lea dS servant gir!i
II asked him" said Mr. Theaifi, Il he really
but Col. Murphy did, Butler said he'd leave
his own fee to my judgment. | gave them
S25 each: They knew me by this time. The
only work Butler really did inthis case was 10
go uptown and examine a tiunkful, Of old
wearing apparel that had belonged to the dead
servant girl: Oh. YES. he really did that"
Several of the lawyers called said that the
in Sew YNo5rrEES f0S WeI' the Mtre m w,g aGTer sh ,sa
for appraising n small estate was rarely more
than $40. Mr.. lessup asked every witness II
he knew OF any trouble In the appointing OF
special guardians. Those. who did know of
such trouble were told that they would he
called to the stand Mt another session.
The committee will sit again TO-DAY.
We are trying now" said Mr.. Clarke. 30
see what cnn be done by remedial legislation.
il doesn't seem. however. that The laws are
40 much at fa;lt as some Of the men who have
been connected with this office. We intend to
morning. IL possible"