Evening journal., 1903-07-28
COMPTROLLER
HELD UP BILLS
Alleged That Magistrates and
Constables Were Over /
charging the County
REFERRED TO FINANCE COMMITTEE
Magistrate Hollis Told Member He
Would Appear B1foSs Court ard Es.a
plain all of Charges From His
Docket-After Coroner.

Comptroller Joseph Kelly in communi-
cation addressed TO the Levy Court this
morning informed the members OF the
commission that he had refused for var
ious reasons, 60 approve the bills OF the
magistrates and constables for the past
quarer. lie inclosed the bills with his
communication.
In the letter Mr.. Kelly cites few in
stances of what he believes TO be over
charging the county and as "a result OF
this opinion refused to approve the bills.
The following Is a copy OF the communi-
cation;
To the Levy Court Of New Castle County
Gentlemen; l herewith return the bills
for the Justices OF the peace and con-
stables IN the city Of wilmington with
out my approval. An analysis OF these
bills shows the following remarkable COM
dition OF affairs. OF @ total Of 6f3 cases.
for which charges have been made, all
We're dismissed except 90. making a total
Of 5Si cases dismissed. Most OF these dis
missed cases were manifestly frivolous
and in some instances at least no hear
ings were had. although charges have
been made both by the justices and con-
stables I'm each case.
]
majority of the cases. the justices were
without jurisdiction to do more than hold.
Ing the defendant IN q proper case foi
the action Of the Municipal Court. Tn,
bills against the county for these ca
cases. which resulted in action being
taken in but SO. amount for the past thre,
! months to A,76.7, an expense which q
! shockingly disproportionate 70 the amoun
lac NN... To-
! have no way of ascertaining whcthe
a hearing was had in each case, as al
examination of the justices records d
not assist much IN this inquiry.
II wnl also be noted that In the matte
/ OF The number of subpoenas, and charge
+ made therefore, the justices and con
3 stables have not been governed by tn
J facts. You will notice IN several Of IN
bills that five subpoenas have beel
charged for IN each case. This IS mani
testify not IN accordance with the facts
as ii Is hardly eOneeivabie that thor.
should be five, and only i've witnesses
summoned in all the cases for whicl
charges have been made.
1t may ned legislation to correct tn
= abuses to which I have referred, but
do not see how I can, under the forego
ing facts, approve the payment Of the ac
counts submitted. Yours very truly
Joseph Kelly
The following are the bills in dispute
Magistrate Moses Weil, si7i. go; Magistrate
George II. Hollis, Sl1G7O; Magistrate AL
ton G. Pyle, S129.s5; Constable Thomas II
Buckley, s2l7.iS; Constable John i. Nc
Laughlin. Si6i.67; Constable Lucius c.
Jones. S27711; Constable Charles Green
S333.2i, and Magistrate Francis S. Brad
ley, $25O.65.
Mr.. Hopkins informed the presiden
that he had been speaking 10 Magistrate
George II. Hollis. in reference to the mat
p ter, and the latter said he would be viii
, ing to appear before the court at an
{ time with his docket and show for every
thing that appeared on his statement
The matter was referred to the Financ
Committee.
Mr.. Elliott informed the chair that h
, would bring the Beaver Run bridg
matter ~ at this afternoons session
Of The Court
To Investigate Court.
An article published in a newspape
several days ago concerning Corone
Samuel "a Mccormick. his deputy
John R. Kilmeg and Coroner's Physi
clan ]. w. Bastian was read by MI
Armstrong, and he suggested that
, would be well for the proper committe
! TO look into the matter. The articl
charges the Coroner with having ha
words with his deputy and ;llso havin
c never met DR.. Bastian until introduce
to him several days ago. No action wa
taken in the matter.
Mr. Hopkins reported that the claim
for printing registration lists befor
the board We're still i'm such confuse
Ie state that nothing had been done
10 the matter The printers win meet tn
le Levy Court on Tuesday September
"a and a compromise settlement win tr
N to be made.
d The United States Mortgage an
m Trust Company Of New York was al
al lowed S2942O for printing and certify
ing as to the genuineness Of the Work
ie house bonds.
m The contract which has been entere
~ into by the Delaware State Road Con
ID lnissioners with the Christiana Cor
81 struction Company for the .repairin
OF the Hare's Corner road waf- ad.
ne is q lengthy document and son
,s tine to get over Il. After the contra'
rs had been read the Court took a recei
until this afternoon.
4e Successful Trolley Party.
.Haa