The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-07-01
INCREASED REVENUE
FOR The SHERIFF.
New Fees Allowed by Supreme
Court Makes Office Worth
5000 More a Year.

Sheriff Dickmann has been informed Of
a ruling OF the Supreme Court which will
increase the revenue OF his Office by more
than 500 a year. The Supreme Court de-
cided that he was entitled to a fee OF H5 a
day for the custody Of prisoners in his care
before they are transferred to Jail. Hereto
fore his fee has never been claimed by any
Sheriff, although the law has been on the
books for years. II was not discovered by
Dickmaun until he had been in Office six
months.
On June 10. 1901. DIckmann presented a
bill OF S20 TO Judge Clark OF the Court Of
Criminal Correction IN the case OF Belle
Gordon. who was arrested on a misdemean-
or charge. The bill was for two days Gus
tody. The woman has been arrested by the
police. and. after the warrant was sworn
out, she lay In the hoidoyer a day and a
half. Dickmann claimed that he was en-
titled TO a fee of SIS a day for her keep
ing. Judge Clark told the Sheriff that the
city had paid for the keeping OF the wom-
an. and as the Sheriff had been at absolute
~ no expense. he would refuse 10 allow the
claim.
Woods division Of the Criminal Court.
Judge Wood and Judge Ferriss held a con-
ference. and both agreed That the fee
T SaSSla hT 10 's audit dito" the bis: Dick amen
through his attorneys, Johnson. Houts. Mar
latt and Halves, appealed to the Supreme
Court for a writ OF mandamus against the
Judges. compelling them to sign the fee
bills. Tine Supreme Court granted tbs man
damuS Saturday.
Sheriff Dickmann has not prepared his
bill for these fees for the year. Chief
Deputy BillhartZ has a rough record OF the
cases which shows the fees for each month
In 1sol-June. s45l; July. s5s: August. 800:
September. S3: October. $50; November.
$50: December. $3.50; lS2-JanuaIy. $40:
FEBRUARY, .SlT: March: SlI: April. $50. May.
1853. making a grand total Of &.S73.
Under a recent law the Sheriff is not al
owed any fees In felony cases, which are
DISMISSED in the Court Of Criminal COrrec-
ton. The fees for custody by these cases,
which would have to be substTacted accord
ing TO BillhartZ's calculation. would be
about 500 a month. or ASo a year. Sub
tracing this from the total leaves S.23 a
year for the Sheriff. Clerks about the
courts say that the fee could easily be run
up to 5000 a year by holding more pris-
Sheriff Dickman defends his position In
getting the fee by explaining that the
Legislature has cut down so many OF the
fees OF his office that there Is hardly
enough revenue to conduct the Office. Last
summe" he was compelled TO lay OF half Of
his men because he did not have the reve-
nue. TO pay them. This summer he expects
10 retain them all.
The law limits the personal income OF the
Sheriff TO 10000 n year. Whenever. the Of
fee expenses being paid. the revenue ex-
ceeds that amount IL must be turned into
the State Treasury. No Sheriff has ever
turned anv surplus into the Treasury. In
recent years IL 10 said that the office Is
one Of the poorest-paylnE ones on the list.
Heretofore the law under which Dick
mann gets his new fees has been looked up
ers In the actual custody OF a Sheriff
where he is obliged to pay for their board
%. for instance. IN small towns where
there are no iails. etc. and the Sheriff Is
Obliged to take care them and convey them
20 the county seat