Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-08-15
LAME Apology for an Estorl,on.

Lame Apology for an Ertortion.
The New Castle News attempts, very
lamely, TO justify the unauthorized
charges and illegal allowances by the
Levy Court to the mayor OF New Castle
and the sheriff OF the county on account
Of tramps, committed to jail. 1t says:
An investigation is courted by the
taxpayers Of this city so that outsiders
can understand about the tramps. Last
winter when the thermometer was down
to the neighborhood of Zero human
beings flocked to the jail. The city of
Wilmington would not permit the un-
fortunates to stop at the police station
a second time. They were landed from
the west yard and finally they came to
New Castle to spend a night A visit
to that institution would readily con.
vince fair inded person of the num-
her of men to be fed by the sheriff.
Mayor Boyd performed his duty and 1t
Is considered by many an unfair thing
to hold him up for public criticism.
Admitting that this is true state
ment, how does 1t Affect the situation?
III it were mere question of giving a
nights lodging to the tramrs it would
mako mighty little difference. They
could be taken In at night and turned
out In the morning, and no imposition
worked upon the taxpayers. This is
the course that is pursued at the police
station In Wilmington, and there would
be a high old kick if the chief of police
or local magistrate attempted TO make
a big bill of costs out of them.
But in New Castle it Is different.
The mayor commits them to the Jail
and both mayor and sheriff charge the
county for the commitments, while the
sheriff, In addition, charges the county
for their board, at the rate of 20 cents
per day per man. This is. decidedly,
"horse OF another color. -
Now, admitting that there is man
for each commitment-w some
people doubt very gravely-the course
that has been pursued for years by the
mayor of New Castle and sheriff of the
county in this matter is clearly not
warranted by law. In chapter GAO,
volume XIX, authority is given Jail
commissioners to give to "any vagrant.
tramp or other needy person wishing
food and lodging" an order ulon the
sheriff for the same. But the same
law provides that the sberiff in such
cases, "shall be entitled to his usual
fee for board of prisoners, hut to no
other fee for commitment or otherwise
of said person" And it is further pru-
vided that days board in such cases
shall be two meals, and that no ono
shall be committed In this manner by
Jail commissioners for longer term
than one day consecutively.
This law is plain enough, but it is
not upon commitments by jail com.
missioners that the sheriff makes his
charges. 1t is uIon commitments by
the mayor of New Castle, and the
charge, in each instance, includes the
commitment fees that are specifically
prohibited, and board for at least two
days, which is also in violation Of the
Law. The same law also plainly pro.
hibits the commitment to Jail "by any
Justice of the peace or other officer
having Jurisdiction, the object of which
commitment III board and lodging, " of
any warrant. tramp, or other needy per-
son. Mayor Boyd's commitments,
therefore, are clearly illegal, and in
stead OF being entitled to pay for them.
he is liable to the penalty of fine not
exceeding 5000, which by law is i'm
posed upon any such officer who may
violate this provision of tie law.
Nebraska Democrats, yielding to the
influence of the discredited Bryan.
have resolved to continue their fusion
with the Populists in that State. What
they hope to gain by this decision it is
hard to conceive. There was a time
for brief period-when fusion of
Democrats with Populists was success.
full. 1t even carried Kansas for awhile,
but not for long. 1t was successful
temporarily in Nebraska. The last time
it succeeded in the latter State was in
1893, when the Repr bllcans were beaten
by q small margin, but there was at
the time strong suspicion that the
Republicans deliberately invited the
defeat by laying down." 10 ordor to
encourage the nomination of Bryan for
President by the Democrats. AT any
rate, the next year, when it came to
the test of securing the electoral vote,
Bryan was easily defeated in his own
State which he had carried four years
before. That continued fusion will
mean continued Republican triumph,
there can be no doubt.
There are still advocates and nd.