New-York tribune., 1908-08-17
CALLS FEES ILLEGAL.
Controller Glynn Issues Report on
Westchester County.

Albany Aue 16-An investigation of the fees
charged by county clerks Of Westchester county
made under the direction OF State Controller
Martin II. Glyan, has revealed. in the opinion of
the expert investigators that the OF 6.094 30
has been collected from that county in fees that
were not legally chargeable against it. OF the
total sum- declares a statement given out by the
State Controller to-day. "s6s 500 70 collected
bv Leslie Sutherland during his incumbency of
that Office and S2293 SO paid to Frank NJ
Buck the present County Clerk In addition
Sutherland received $3.50 90 and Buck 81 In fees
the legality of which the investigators consider
doubtful
Controller Glynn has placed a copy of the
port of the inyestga tors before the Board of Su-
pervisors Of Westchester County calling the atten-
ton of that body 10 the provisions Of law that
give the power to begin action to recover
money Illegally paid from the county treasury
The report says:
In westchester County practically all Of the the
court work is performed BY deputy COUNT count CLERKS G
appointed under Section Ss Of the Sode Sf ocs
there were two of these deputies the number tT
later being increased to three and when Mr.
Buck assumed the office TO four
These deputies are paid regular salaries ad by the
and receive compensation from the County
these deputies are not employed with court du-
ties they perform services in the office Of the
himself The County Clerk has charged the
county for many services performed med by these ese
performing these very services -o
vides that an officer shall not demand receive
any fee or compensation allowed to him by law
rendered by him" II would: therefore, appear
that. when compensation is allowed the clerk
for a particular service and is Charseable TO the
county, he is not entitled to such compensation
when the service was performed by deputies paid
a regular salary by the county, and not by the
County Clerk himself assistants paid by him
from fees received.
sir. Sutherland said last night that the charges
were simply a rehash of similar charges which
were made a year ago. Controller Gynn at that
time brought the matter TO the attention OF the
westchester County Board of Supervisors, which
then composed OF Democrats. A committee was
appointed investigate, holding sessions
for three months and investigating the matter
thoroughly they reported that they could moth
ing amiss in the County Clerks office The basis
of compensation they reported, was the same dur
ing the last ten years during the fifty years
preceding They found that all bills of the County
Clerk had been properly audited and that none of
the accounts had been questioned
Nr Sutherland said last night that he could not
discuss the matter at length until he had seen a
copy of the report The Controller he declares
must have mistaken in the matter of the num-
ber of clerks in the County Clerks office There
were only three at present and they were paid by
the county During certain periods Of the year
when the increase of work warranted il there
were from five twenty clerks employed. These
men were paid by the County Clerk. he said ut
of his own funds. The county had demanded mlcsl
extra work from clerks during the last ten yea rs
and Mr. Sutherland said that while he was In
Office he advanced the their pay and then
charged the amount the county.
Mr. Sutherland is the president OF the Republican
City Committee of Yonkers and is former Mayor
of that city. =.