The Washington times., 1908-10-07
Comptroller WithholdS
Funds Collected in Dis
trict Supreme Court.
DISTRICT is DENIED
THE USE OF $4,000
Official Decides the Money Paid
by V. @. Bloode Belongs TO
the Treasury.

Hereafter. fines imposed iE the Su-
preme Court Of the District Of COlUm-
bIa, In United States cases. Will not be
turned over to the District Commits
sIoners 70 be used for the benefit OF
The public schools. Instead, the fines
will be deposited in the United States
Treasury as a miscellaneous receipt of
the Government.
This very important question to the
District has just been decided by the
Comptroller of the Treasury IN an elab-
crate opinion, which he has transmit
ted TO United States Marshal Aulick
Palmer
The Comptroller's decision is IN re-
Eponse 10 a letter from the marshal.
who wanted 10 know what disposition
he should make OF the sum Of 5000 aid
into hiI hands by Victor G. BIOOde, l. 9
money being the amount of a fine i'm
posed upon Bloode by Justice Could,
after he pleaded guilty in the so-called
ink fraud case.
IN his letter. Mr.. Palmer said:
1T has been the invariabIe practice Of
this office to deposit all fines imposed
by the Supreme Court of the District OF
Columbia, whether in United States
cases or District Of Columbia cases. with
the Commissioners OF the District Of
Columbia in accordance with section
3l3, r. S d. G. which 1 understand is
still IN force.
Asks for Opinion
IF the fine in question had been in
a smaller amount l would not have hesi-
tated to deposit the same with the
Commissioners Of the District Of Co
UmEia. but considering the large amount
involved. I deem il advisable to ask for
your opinion on the subject"
As the question Of revenues from fines
was a most important one, affecting the
school funds as It does. the Comptrol-
Ter of the Treasury went into the sub
ject deeply, reviewing at length all the
legislation that has been eacted since
1864 dealing with the distribution of
District revenues and their relation to
the school funds.
The Comptroller called attention to
the fact that It had been held previous
ly that a fine imposed by the Supreme
Court OF the District Of Columbia for
a violation OF section 1891, Revised Stat
utes, relating to the postal service, was
not a revenue of the District, but
should be paid into the Treasury Of tho
United States for the use of the Post
office Department, as required by sec
LlOn AuJS, REVISED SlALuLeS, Wulcn eA-
pressly provides that AL fines collected
for violation of such tpOStaD laws shall
be paid into the Treasury for the use
Of the POstoffce Department"
II is held by the Comptroller tha
section 313 r. ). y. c. which provided
that fines imposed in the District fol
violations Of laws of the United State:
within the District should be regarded
as a revenue 10 be used for the SuppOT
Of the public schools in the District
was repealed by the act creating tht
present form OF government.
Cites Further Acts.
He further cites the acts Of Congress.
making specific appropriations for III,
schools as evidence that Congress re
garded the section referred TO by the
United States marshal as of no force.
II concluding his decision. the Comp
troIler OF tho Treasury says: "A dny
imposed IN United States court sitting
in the District Of Columbia, in a pure
~ Federal case, can in no wise be re-
garded as money derived by levy ant
assessment upon taxable property anC
privileges in the District Such fine i,
not imposed fOr the violation of an,
local law and the government and citi
ZenS Of the District are no more con
cerned or interested in the imposition
OF this fine than are the various state!
in the Union, and their citizens. Fine!
imposed in the United States court!
inure 10 the benefit Of the United States
and are payable INTO the Treasury az
and should be deposited in the manner
provided by the department"
The marshal Is advised that IL is prop
er for him TO pay the amount Of tn,
ury OF the United States as a miscel
laneous receipt Of the Government un
der the mead Fines, penalties, and for
FIXTURES. judiciary"