Evening journal., 1903-07-29
SQU|RES SAYS
BILLS ARE RIGHT.
Magistrate Hollis Writes An
Open Letter Critizing the
County Comptroller
CONTENDS CHARGES At LEGAL
Officials Greatly Stirred Up Over the
Holding Up Of Their Claims For
Work Done in Trying and Dispos-
ing of Cases.

The action Of Comptroller Kelley
yesterday in holding up the bills of the
magistrates and constables has stirred
up these officials. They insist that their
claims are just. The magistrates offer
TO allow the comptroller or the members
of the court to inspect their books.
Magistrate Hollis sends the following
letter to the Evening Journal:
To the Editor of the Evening Journal
Sir:-To say the least, County
Comptroller George ID. Kelley's treat
ment of my bill for costs rendered for
the last quarter to the Levy Court was
unfair and misleading. My bill con-
tains 1856 charges, of which 80 repre-
sent cases where the persons tried We're
either committed to jail or held for
court. Thus more than one-fifth, or
over 25 Der cent, were held for court
or committed to Jail.
The comptrollers statement gives the
impression that less than one-tenth Of
the cases We're held for court. BY what
rule Of right does he bunch the returns
Of all the justices and make his strict
ures as IL he were dealing with sin
gle individual?
There are 4S9 other charges not made
by nie. which represent altogether only
"a commitments or held for the upper
court The comptroller should properly
have dealt with each account by Itself,
ana l insist that my account be dealt
with in that manner. Cases are occa-
slOnally settled or Withdrawn by the
parties interested after the warrants
l.sve been served and the witnesses
summoned by the constable.
Does the comptroller pretend to
-Isn
charged for? A justice Of the peace
has the right TO hear any charge of a
criminal act committed in this city, un-
der the laws OF the state. but they dc
not have final jurisdiction in any but
tresnass cases under the charter of the
city of Wilmington. For this We have
the authority of counsel no less emil
nent than William s. Hlles and Wal
ter II. Hayes, who passed upon the
question less than two years ago.
l was instructed then that i'm all dis.
missed cases that the county was
bound for the costs-in petty cases
where we find the parties guilty tC
hold them for the municipal court Fol
the matter of subpoenas / merely fol.
lowed the practice of. Mr. Lewis Sasse
Justice of the peace for many years il
this city. l regard the uniform charge
for five witnesses as n fair average
The number ranges from two to a dozeI
or more. The comptroller, obviously
passed Squire Sasse's accounts upoi
this basis for four years, and since thei
mine for two years and half. 1 never
heard a criticism by Mr.. Kelley on th'
Sasse accounts, or even on any othe
bill or accounts during the four me-
morable years of the Levy Court o
1897. 'sS. '9g and 1900. 1 have suggested
to the comptrollers clerk that If
were preferred by his Office / woulS
render an exact charge for the particu
lar witnesses Of each case, but / havl
never had a request or an intimation
either from him or his chief TO do Sc
Ny charges represent cases NOR
than one-half of which were brough
10 my Office by state, city and railroa'
officers. and many of these cases EN-
braced long and tedious trials 10
which am entitled to receive the mu
nificent sum of from S1.20 to Sl.45, pro
vided always that Mr.. Kelley, with HI
newly-acquired zeal and eyesight VII
allow them to pass. My bill is just AM
legal; my dockets are open TO all, hav
ing authority to examine them, and tina
includes Mr.. Kelley. He has neve
asked to see them, and he never ma
seen them. have earned every dolla
charged and l shall insist upon IN
payment of my bill
George II. Hollis.
Wilmington. July 2S 1908.
Constable Thomas II. Buckley said
81 see that Mr.. Kelley takes exception
~ the trivial cases. That is not on
fault we ere given the warrants I
serve and do not know anything abou
the cases"
The hooks have not yet been exam
inedl lv any member Of the court