New-York tribune., 1902-03-02
NETWORKS SHERIFF.
DUTIES OF THE LUCRATIVE OFFICE
SHARES FEES WITH THE COUNTY
NOTHING NOW TO DO WITH
EXECUTIONS.

County pays It's Sherln as much money III sd4dIy
and fees the United States pays the President
Of the republic. When they told that 1t was
only few years ago that the Sheriff received twice
much in years. indeed three times as
much, the President, they are forced to make
comments.
"Ah hut vour President works for so very little
say the foreigners who used to kings and
queens, who receive annual fortunes IF you can
afford to pay Sheriff $4,000 a year you can
easily pay your President as much as we pay our
kings"
The visitor from the South or West New
England adds with a sniff: "Oh. yes, but he Is
Sheriff Of New-York and New-York is the fountain
head of graft
In this they in error. for the Sherifs once
has been remarkably free from charges OF thls
kind The fees which swell his $4,000 annual salary
into large proportions prescribed by law. ana
the Sheriff has every right to them. Even When
the Office paid 10000 to $15O010 a year the
Sheriff not forced to unlawful sources OF
revenue.
great many persons who pay their bills ana
have nothing to do with the courts and judgments
wonder what is the of this expensive ohcer'
One tells them that he IS the chief officer OF
the city. and ranks ahead of the Commissioner or
Police. They cannot remember of his having made
any sensational arrests issued orders which en-
force Sunday laws. They seldom see his name IN
the newspapers. while the Police Commissioner mas
a regular column every day. Yet the Sherh mas
p certain amount of authority which has never
been delegated by the Legislature the Police De-
rartrnert He is sort of second buwark of de-
fence In case of riot which the police could not
control. the Sheriff could in an army OF
deputies who would to the rescue. That this
IS seldom necessary testes the effectiveness OF
the police force and respect for law and order
among the people
The last time that the Sheriff of New-York was
called upon be in readiness swear in special
deputies was in October. 1900 when President
Roosevelt was Governor He informed Sheriff Grell
that large force Of deputies might be needed 20
prevent fraud on Election Day. The deputy sherins
Were not needed as it happened. but many
seemed necessary could have pressed into ser
vice. In Governor Flowers term similar trouble
was feared. and the Sheriff went so far as to have
blanks printed TO be used in swearing in deputies,
but again the final call not made. Sheriff Cor
man. who in office from 1891 TO 1898 prepared
to swear in deputies when the East Side anarchists
announced meeting in Union Square. He feared
that the mob might attack the Jail in Ludlow-st.
That future sherifs may be called upon TO pre-
serve public peace is possible. but unlikely.
Action of the legislature has relieved the SheriH
Of many of his duties. and he now has little do
with criminals He is still in charge of the old
Ludlow Street Jail, but most of the prisoners
those who in trouble through not paying their
debts He takes charge OF federal prisoners who
arrested by the United States authorities In this
county. There are seldom more than thirty-fve
prisoners in the sherfs jail at time, and more
than half of them held for debt.
One of the chief sources of the Sherif's revenue
when the office fee basis the simple
duty of reporting to the Secretary of State the
convictions in the county. The Sheriff received so
cents for every conviction reported. and, as the
number ranged from thirty-fve hundred to four
thousand a month, the fees were considerable. Fees
for this service have not been allowed since the
Sheriff received a salary but it takes page or
two Of the statute book TO set forth the many
other things for which he is still allowed to charge.
For serving summons the Sheriff received 81 so; for
collecting money by virtue of execution. warrant
attachment per the first 1000 21a per cent
the 5000 ana I per cent sums over
$4,000; for each person committed or discharged
from prison. s.. to be paid by the person at whose
instance he IS imprisoned. and there is long list
Of other duties for which he is well paid. Half OF
the fee money goes to the Sheriff and half to the
county.
The only drawback to the office from a financial
point Of view is the fact that the Sheriff is liable
pay heavy damages when they exceed their
ance Of their duties When the office was put on
a salary basis a plea for the Sherihs protection
when he was liable was Inited and il Vas stip
ulated that all suits must be begun within year
after the Sheriff went out of Office That there
by the court the sheriff is forced to give bonds to
the amount Of 100000; The Under Sheriff is under
der $4,000 bonds. As the legislature has restored
many Of the fee privileges without increasing the
Sherihs liability. ne once has again become one
OF the most prohta6ie in the list OF public Offices
a cabinet fled with swords and batons. which
used to figure in the ceremony which surrounded
was passed which provided that ali executions
Sheriff charge of executions in this county and
attended in person. He carried sword with
by his Under Sheriff who carried a baton with
brass crescent be On the @ 2nd by deputies b
and when all was ready for the execution the
this signal which caused aus the @ sEecqttonsT g
and his force stood at attention until the phvsi-
clans announced that the criminal was dead Then
present statutes the Sheriff has nothing to do with
batons. slaves and swords will probably never be
on the fusion ticket; came into office the first OF
asked ask one Of his deputies about them '''''' anu
In the old days, replied the deputy. 'the
signals for hanging the poor devils"
In gad I'd the law has hash been en-. changed" said the
don't believe would take the office"
nG ore nos wT Re d
be told a Tribune reporter about the unfortunate
debtors who serving out sentences In prison.
There Is somsthin1Ggs radically wrong with our
eT to he de66 @ Prison or & Sums Ga at Re Re
instance Of dishonest and grasping tradesmen. We
now whose stories are pitiful in the extreme They
eF }he a6G r6tT 0 Thv wT G bun IN
furniture for their miserable tenement flats by the
paid instalments week after week until something
happened which made It Impossible to make the
sickness in the family used mp the money that was
ments were overdue the dealers came to demand
the goods. for the ironclad contracts which they
signed provided that the goods should be returned
and all money paid forfeited if the payments were
not made promptly.
Naturally a man refuses to give up goods on
which he owes only trifling balance and asks the
dealer to wait a week. This offer meets with
prompt refusal and the dealer hastens to court
He usually obtains Judgment by default for the
ignorant foreigner is afraid to come court. II
he does come the dealer persuades him to go away
by saying that the has been postponed for a
week The first thing he knows a court officer
appears on the scene with a warrant for his arrest
He is brought to and we have choice but to
lock him up.
'Imagine locking up for three months for