The sun., 1901-08-08
NJ DANIEL
HEAVY FEES
Big Sum Charged County for Pris-
oners Board.
INVESTIGATION DEMANDED
Bill for Three Months is More Than
$7,000-Many Commitments
From New Castle, Few
From Wilmington.
INVESTIGATION DEMANDED

Much adverse criticism has been
caused by the presentation TO the Levy
Court by Sheriff Mcdaniel of bill for
s7,17S.40 for the quarter ending March
/, this year. OF this sum S4,SlO20 was
for the board of prisoners ut the county
Jail.
BY most people the sheriff's bill for the
quarter is considered exhorbitant and
some even go so far as to say it is down
right robbery to charge the county so
much for the care of prisoners A large
part of the sherff's bill is for the board
Of prisoners temporarily committed to
his charge.
According to the county comptroler
he commitments number $3.50 of which
1000 at least were issued by the mayor
If New Castle. This leaves but about
100 from all the rest of the county aud
i comparison of the figures creates Il
great doubt in the minds of the people in
general of the Legitimacy of Il large num-
ner of commitments. How New Gas
lie should have so many and Wilmington
50 few gives reason for 4 good deal Of
talk
The fact that Sheriff Mcdaniel will
not much longer have the care Of the
.ounty prisoners, as they may be de,
.vered to the warden of the county work.
louse when that institution is completed
Is ascribeu by some as the reason for.
his enormous bill. These people believe
ne is endeayoring to get as much money
mt of the county as he can before the
prisoners are taken from his charge.
Every Evening, in last nights issue,
lad the following to say, in part, of the
;heriff's bill.
"trhe presentation of the sherff's bill
for the board of prisoners, affords a
legitimate opportunity foraninvestigation
If this mysterious matter of the com
nitment to jail of prisoners from the
ity Of New Castle, and the claims Of
Fees for such commitments by the sheriff
If the county and the mayor of that city
It has been going on for years. and the
county paid thousands of dollars on
his account before the extraordinary
propositions of the bills submitted by the
mayor of New Castle attracted public
attention. Now that the question is fair;
i neTOre rne levy Court once more, let
t he submitted to full fair and inn
partial investigation, in the manner pro
.ided by law.
'"rhis is duty devolving upon the
county comptroller, and he should take
advantage of it.
I'VE hope the comptroller will not
neglect this opportunity. 1t is not only
his plain official duty to investigate
his matter. but such action is impera-
lively demanded by the condition Of
fairs in the government of New Castle
ounty. With real estate grooming under
/ burden of taxation-the burden having
teen increased one-third during the past
iScal year-with farmers striving with
II their might to make both ends meet
nd investors finding no profit in real
state holdings by reason of excessive
axation. it is high time to cry a halt in
high taxes and extravagant expenditures.
rhr county will be bankrupt and tax
ayers will be driven to the wall unless
| ehese is a speedy and radical change.
The attorney-general is now engaged
| n an examination of the affairs of the
Levy Court during recent years. with
view to discovering whether the law
has been violated in the direction Of eS-
travagant and Illegal expenditures.
SOW is the time, with the incident and
the opportunity right before him. for
'he county comntoller to supplement the
| york Of the attorney general by moving
| N his own account and along lines laid
| lown by law with full power to take
very step necessary to complete inves-
tigation The times are ripe for action.
and the people are crying out for relief
The county comptroller has the on.
portnnity to reflect credit upon himself
md perform great service to the .neo-
nlc bv doing his nty-thoronghy and
mpartially- lin this grave crisis"