The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-01-22
WHAT SHERIFfS WOULD LIKE
IN THE WAY OF CHANGES IN THE
\ PRESENT LAW FEES.
The Association VIII Not, as a BODY
Forth Views of the individuals.

Dallas, Texas, JANUARY 21.-The sheriffs
of Texas want the present fee bill modified
and give their reascns why the measure
passed by the Twenty-ffth Legislature
should, in few instances. be changed.
Ben e. Cabell the sheriff of Dallas coun-
ty and president of the Texas Sheriffs' as
ISOLATION, was asked by The Post repre-
sentative today If there would be any spe-
cial effort made to change the present fee
bill.
Sheriff Cabell answered: II you mean,
will the Sheriffs association as an asso-
citation make an effort, will answer no..
This body met last July in Galveston and
all that was done was published, and that,
briefly stated, was to point vut some oil
the defects in the bill as they predicted
would be shown by the sheritfs' reports.
which, under the new fee bill, hau 10 pc
made out for the year ending December 81
1898. No meeting has been heid sltse,
hence as an association nothine iuriner
has been or Will be done.
~ will briefly state what know Oh some
of the changes that ought TO be MADE III
the interest OF the State, the lltisant anu
the snerius. know, and we ttne snel
itfs) realize that the fee bill was pat
form measure OF 1896, and the same was
indorsed In 1898 at Galveston, ana W hiaA9
or attempt to make general chahge !
know would be out of the question, anu
we really do not want that, but we think
the last fec bill was an experiment, anu
we don't think that the most rauisai iss
biller ever Intended bill that wohiu n Ia
terialIy interfere with the efficiency OF tne
sheriff's Office or cripple " 10 tue eA.ons
80
has before them what no other legislature
ever had. and that is an ltemlzed account
~ every county officer. made out IN ue-
al, examined by grand juries and Its cor
rectness passed upon by the courts, show,
ing every dollar earned, every aoliar oM sI
by either State. county or ntigan, anu
every dollar paid OUT =. ana ss u who who Come
under the operation of this law WIZ snow
IN NO instance, where one has made WAGES,
NOT to say anything OF salary, anu ~
many Instances not one cent was earneu.
Now. this was not intended, ana snouiu 70
remedied. -. ,aa,sIa.
Gin the first place the last two ies's saas
tures have made cut in criminal res
nj about 40 per cent; the last legislature IN
almost all civil fees 90 per CENT, MAAins
i total cut OF 40 per cent in criminal anu
5D ner cent in civil fees Besides this the
amount making It felony for thefn wss
changed from $40 to $50 dollars; al tneIIs
under $50 being mfsdemeanors anu lily .iS
in the county court, where ~ lees rs hat paa
the sheriffs unless convictions are nau,
and when convicted In counties wnete
county conyfcts are worked on ROADS oniy
e-hnlf OF fees are allowed and paio 70
them, ana In counties where county CON
victs are not worked nothing Is PAID y
them at ali. You can readily see now TINS
works. A larger per cont OF the VIOLATIONS
srs Tor theft and 70 per cent OF thefts are
under $50: man has 10 steal about tnree
hales Of cotton TO make II pepitenuary
offense. NY report Will show that 4Siov,
or over. Of shelif's fees was charged los
work done IN the county court. wnere wv
cases we're either dismissed Dy the county
attorney or acquitted ny trlaI, nenSe r,,,sS
nst receive one cent, but was compene9
~ serve processes Just the same. and
had TO pay deputies and defray all neees-
cora exnenees You can readily see whslo
fha rut IN this department has been greateF
than ever Was intended. -.
Nov, state With the reports Oh ~, ne
sheriffs laid before the iegislapuse 90,
nj no disputed. as every cent that comes
into the sherifrs hands Is BY virtue 2,
some process. q record OF which - ~ ons
- the other clerks offices. every ceat -
receives from clerks are matters q rsco.r
and every cent he receives from re esase
Is Of record in the comptroller % noer
urer's Offices IN MAKING ol1 nn psid
- ss' shown ha and each an item q expsnse'
;ishsv Fan see and examine these sccpn", i.
Sfth.v Know the bonds required W y.
snu s ,ney ne sheriff. tho responsibilities
and f risks run both bodily and nns .s'.gs
be serves % process excepting s"t " has
that he II not liable % sns'' ~ Times he
ia keep In his smpl0y q sH uh'' -
q.