Evening journal., 1901-08-15
THURSDAY. AUGUST 10, 1901.
THE SHERIFF,s BILL


The increase of the tax rate and the
undoubted prodigality in certain de-
partments of our city and county gov
ernments have aroused an interest
which will doubtless result in a refor-
nation In this good work the Even
ing Journal wishes TO be considered
among the foremost agencies. There is
a tendency under such circumstances
as these to strike blindly at all public
officials, and TO accuse them of all sorts
OF improper conduct, because they hold
important Offices The only fair way
is to investigate the facts impartially
and not to make charges without a
basis OF fact
During the last few days several Of
our contemporaries have been industri-
ously engaged in the attempt to bring
the sheriffs office into disrepute by
yelled charges against the present in
cumbent Full facts and figures, such
as would enable the public to form I'M
biased judgments, have not been given.
and we take it that every public jour
nal of repute wants to be fair the
animus OF barking ours Is only too we'll
understood.
Objection has been made to the sher-
EMS bill for the first quarter, and the
public is allowed to infer that 1t is
abnormally large A comparison with
the bills Of Sheriff Taylor does not war
rant that conclusion. Taking his full
charges for board OF prisoners for the
first year OF his term, we have $l7,29S.-
20. or an average OF $4,324.55 quar-
terly. For his second year the total
was SlS,550.S1, or a quarterly average
OF S4.637.70. The bill of Sheriff Nc
Daniel for the first quarter for the
board OF prisoners is $4,S10.20 When
il is remembered that the expenses OF
the first quarter are usually the heavi-
est. il will be seen that Sheriff McDan-
tells bin is not above the average.
Indeed. Sheriff Taylors bill for board
OF prisoners amounted TO sS,6376O for
a single quarter. Though it is Gained
that a part of this represents his
charge for the previous term.
The other items OF officers OF the
court, and court expenses, cannot be
controlled by the sheriff; from the me-
cessities of the case they fuctuate from
year to year and term to term, and
depend upon the extent Of business in
our tribunals
An examination Of the bills paid the
mayor OF New Castle for commitments
shows that these charges also vary
For example, during the last term oil
Mayer Herbert's rule these commit
ments were charged at S56S.55, anC
that sum was paid. During the sue
ceeding year, when Mayor Boyd wal
the incumbent, these aggregated ONLY
s113.95.
The law regarding these commit
ments is somewhat mixed, and tech
nical questions are presented whicl
only the courts can finally decide bu
upon any liberal Interpretation W
think they are warranted.
The act of 1861 gives justices Of tn
peace the authority TO commit beggar
and vagabonds to the jails or work
houses This was followed by an az
in 1879 giving the corporate Officer
Of every city and town the right to a
rest every tramp found within u
limits Of said city or town and to pl
them to work upon the streets, wit
the provision that the jails should
used temporarily for their confinement
The last clause was inserted as a ten
porary provision operative until SUE
time as might be necessary to put q
first into practice. They were new
put to work on the streets, and. Their
fore. the provision combining them
the jails seems to hold.
In the act Of 1887 there is a provi
ion regulating the fees of certain of
GERS, and 1t gives to a justice Of I
peace fifteen cents for every comm
ment. AS the previous acts charg
MAYORS with the duty OF commit
Migrants, and there was no direct pi
vision as to their fees, it would SCI
that the provision as to justices wol
apply Certainly the law did not Ct
template that they should act with'
compensation.
An evening paper quotes from
act Of 1898 in support Of its theory Z
the sheriff has no right 10 recogr
the commitments Of the mayor Of \
Castle That act declares that
tramp or vagabond shall be commit
TO Jail when the object is board I
lodging. 1t gives the jail commissi
ers the right TO issue an order u
the sheriff for board and lodging,