The Washington times., 1909-06-02
Failure TO Submit
Reports Reason for Com
missioners' Order.
FORCE INADEQUATE,
REPLY OFFICIALS
F. G. Aukum and Miss B. NeR At
fected by Ruling -Explana-
ton Unsatisfactory.

Alleged failure on the part OF +. G.
Aukum, clerk, and Miss B. Ref, assist
ant clerk Of the Municipal Court, 10
submit TO the Auditor and Collector OF
Taxes of the District proper returns OF
money collected and fees earned re-
suited today in the Issuance by the
Commissioners Of an order withholding
the salaries of the officials naTaed.
+. G. Aukum is the father OF Judge
c. c Aukum, Of the Municipal Court,
and was appointed March 10. 1903, at a
salary Of $1,50o per annum. Miss Nen.
the assistant clerk, receives $1,000 per
annum, and was appointed March II.
1900.
Conditions at the Municipal Court
with respect 10 the proper returns of
fees earned have been unsatisfactory to
the Commissioners for some time. That
the clerical force is numerically Ensuffi-
cient to perform the work is the reason
given by officials and judges of the
court II has been necessary, it is said.
for the clerk and assistant clerk to de-
vote their whole time to the entries OF
current business, leaving no time TO
make weekly reports of fees earned.
This explanation, however, was not ac-
cepted by the Commissioners.
Urged By Tweedale.
The action OF the Commissioners
in withholding the salaries OF the
clerk and assistant clerk was upon
recommendation Of Auditor Twsedale
who. in outlining his position, says:
i am again constrained 30 invite your
attention to the feet that notwith-
standing repeated demands made BY
this office on the clerk OF the MunIei-
pal Court that of1eIal has failed 20
comply with the request OF this ofaes
aad to perform the duties OF his Of
fee in acSorsaEce with the law"
"An examination of the records of
/ this office 6JS=closes that weekly de-
posits are now due from the clerk OF
the Municipal Court as follows. For
| the week April 2s to May l, inclusive;
sire; from the week May 10 TO May Is,
/ inclusive. for tie week May IL TO
May %, inclusive.
'ISemized statements which the law
/ requires the clerk of the Municipal
| court 10 render to the Auditor Of the
District are in aTEears for the follow
/ 81, inclusive; wask April IS to Nay /,
inclusive; week May 3 to May s, in
elusive: week May 10 to May IS. in
elusive; week May II to May -, in
elusive.
The last deposit made by the clerk of
/ the Municipal Court with the Collector
Z OF IdAES GdG L0L TIE week EnueQ A.QflE
/ IS te April q. the amount Of this de-
/ posit being $50 40 The last starSment
I Wandered the Ars5itor of the District by
xhe clerk OF the Municipal Court was
/ for the week April y to April II. 1893.
Provisions of Statute
/ Under the statute provisions estab-
/ fishing the Municipal Court it is pro
vided:
1.-The clerk shall receive and eazs for
/ all deposits made and fees exaeted un-
der the rules governing the fee charges
/ OF said courts. and shall make a weekly
/ depOsif with the Collector of Taxes of
the District Of Columbia Of all fees
( earned during the preceding week.
g He shall return to suftors making
which shall temain in his hands
over and above the earned fees. and
shall render an iterni3ed statement to
/ the Auditor of the District Of evezy fee
earned on such form as shall be pre-
scribed by thss Auditor OF the District
/ IF Columbia. '''
Says Force Is Small
'SThe delay in making reports to the
/ Auditor has been caused by the Insult
| cient clerica! force In this office" said
I Clerk AukUm this afternoon.
There are only two of US here 10
keep the record OF The thousands OF
/ cases, SAB to be exact. which have
! been filed since the court opened about
/ two months ago. Papers have to be
made out, and in many cases four or
/ five entries are necessary upon the
/ books to complete the record.
/ 'These are matters of necessity and
mus. be attended to. They are more
/ important than reporting 10 an Audi
{ tor. The books are here ready Tor
auditing at any time. IIey were gone
+ over only q few days ago. and as a
matter Of fact were S1.S5 over the
l balance.
Il shall continue to go on with the
work as in the past, getting along
1 the best we can. OF course Congress
| is the only source of relief from this
! coSdition.
Congress Only Aid
/ 1T has the power to authorize the
/ smrzoyment of the necessary additional
/ help. In the meaAotime. the conditions
/ are known b. tht Auditor, and he might
as well realize that we are hare 70
serve the public and not him"
! Judge Aukum, who heard his fathers
/ sta stement, explained to the reporter the
| detailed account that must be kept OF
/ each case, eXhiE@ting two larssB VoIJSaes
/ of records filled Wit@sn two m1slths
/ ''W$siie the amounts involved are not
/ so large the numbgT of entrisE and other
/ clerical work reqsired IS just as great
I as in the other courts Still, with mora
/ Gases filed in two months than were
/ fled in the other courts, our clerical
/ force Is absurdly insufficient.
| .-The courts are not run for revenue.
| but for the benefit of the PSblic.'