New-York tribune., 1902-04-23
WONT PAY JEROME'S BILLS
aSO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAYS
HE MIST STOP FIGHTING VICE.

Since CORPORATION Counsel Rives gave an oplh-
ion that District Attorney Jerome could draw
upon his contingent fund for the payment or ex-
penses OF detectives in securing evidence asail9l
gamblers and other lawbreakers the Dlstrlcl
Attorneys county detectives have been busE
getting ready 10 make raids Evidence Was
being obtained against several places and MI
Jerome was looking forward TO the time when
he could strike the gamblers of the city stag
gering blow. He was astOnished and angered
yesterday when he received from Controller
Crout a letter containing the following:
I have the bill here from County Detective
Mcclellan for some S54 for liquor claimed TO
have been purchased various Sundays since
January l. concerning which the Law Depart
rnent has advised me that il is a proper city
charge.
| have. however. given the claimant the usual
notice TO appear before me for examination.
desire to know the full facts. 1t is but fair for
me to say you now, and Notwithstanding the
opinion of the Law Department. am not dis
posed 10 believe that public funds can be prop
erly expended in the purchase OF liquors or gam
bling chips in anyNiSe TO procure a person
70 commit an offence and that only order of
court will compel me 10 make such payment
do no. dispute the propriety Of eXpending
public money TO detect crime, but ! think that
there is a substantial distinction between the
spending Of public money necessary to detect
crime and the spending of public money to in
auce specific offence
After reading the letter Mr.. Jerome said things
about Mr. Grout and about the effect of the
Controllers decision wtlich We're not meant for
publication. Then he issued a statement in part
as follows:
The result of the Controllers action in the
fact of the Corporation CoUnsers opinion rem
GERS il necessary that I shorld give up imnedi.
.tcly all work looking toward toe detection or
-ioations of the LIQUOR Tax law tie ganpIhS
avs and the laws against disoTderly houses
u also prevents the Police Department from
..zt+ing similar eridence. y ice flourish m
will
-ri1h seeking punish criminals inside and
outside the Police Department 10 have time OF
money TO spend in litigation against the city
of New-York 10 secure payment OF our hiils-
viii pay such bills as haze elre@d5 been
incurred myself but the prosecution Of pe.ce
corruption viii necessarily C';d 1'ere There IS
hut one hope LEFT have 9l-oeale1 70 two rich
men for funds Should the }7c'-T he supplied
The work viii go on.
has decided that 4 person esfo buys liaror from
one selling il iNes#ly commits 30 CTiTfe: f1e
.i,,ee not heCorrp ssl aCCompii"A. The Iauor
dealer can be cCns-ittc@ ouly upon the teStl-
,no3v Of the purclsacr. II Is impossible fer
sTson 10 obtain access 10 Ranl2nE'E mouse - allt
secure proper evidence unless f- parnniE'a.es
IN some Of the games Frequent recent C3nfi"-
lions prove that the persons getting this q :
cence are not regarded as acroinrnoeS. Snch
Evidence needs confederation. but money
I,1,1sf be spent 10 get it
I would institute an action against the city %
test this question were 1t not that the length
e time that would e1apse before there could be
M authoritative decision would be so great that
term OF once o. lfe present duiiio <nti'iA
= the city would probably have elapsed before
a decision could be had from the Appellate
Court.
Controller Grout read Mr.. Jeron1e's statement
last evening and said: -s
/ don't agree with him that 1t makes It neces-
ssrv to suspend all work. If he thinks | am
wrong he 60 % the court and determine 1t
.-ey quickly II is all nonsense for HIM, TO say
thet decision in The Appellate Division would
probably not Re reached before this adn1inistfa-
tion went out of office. With little diligence,
of which he seems to boast. he should get a
decision in June or at Che very latest IN the
early fall.