The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-09-24
Auditor Holds UP Sheriff's
Requisitioh Pending Salts
factory Explanation
CHARGED WITH DUTIES
HE NEVER PERFORMED
Circuit Judge Certified Accounts
Which Are Shown to be I'm
properly Made Out-Matter
May Be Adjusted.
Gridiron.

The sheriff of as certain southern
county of Virginia will receive terse
communication from the auditor Of
public accounts Monday morning, in
which the county officer will be re-
quested to explain why, in recent
reauisition sent to the auditors Office,
several OF the sums asked for were
largely in excess of the amounts due.
IN one case being Just four times too
much.
II is also probable that the circuit
judge of the county viii be asked to
explain why he certified the sheriff
account and thus allowed him to claim
fees for which no service had been
performed
The auditors office is unwilling to
allow publication OF the names OF the
county officer concerned, as it Is hoped
that the matter may he in some way
explained, But IN the meantime the
entire -equisition. in which many items
are listed, is being held up and not
cent Will be paid until the auditor is
satisfied as to why the excessive de-
Inands were made.
Fees demanded for the handling of
prisoners attracted attention in the
auditors office as soon as the requi-
sftion was received. and upon check
Ing over the account. MIR. John f. Goss
who has charge of ali such matters.
found that the sheriff had charged
mileage for certain trips which, IL Is
claimed. he had not taken
Though In actual cash the excess
amount demanded is small, being less
than $40, MIR. Goss In protecting the
interests of the state proposes TO see
that explanation is made as fully and
Ms satisfactorily as If the amount in
volvsd We're one hundred times as
much.
Two sets of items are questioned.
The first deals with the handling Of
four prisoners August 10, 1919. The
law provides that In taking prisoners
10 jail the sheriff shall be allowed four
cents mile fer every mile travelled
by himself. The distance Travelled IN
this case is shown TO be twenty three
miles and return or forty six miles in
all, for which the sheriff was due
SI.s4
Charged Separately.
The account demands tS.54. however.
the sheriff charging separately in the
case of each prisoner. as II he mad made
q separate trip for each one. though Il
Is shown that all four men we're car
died at one tire and that the total
mileage thus travelled by the sheriff
was only forty-six miles, and not ls4
miles. as the requisition indicates.
Two prisoners were handled Septam-
Der l, the second questioned item OF
the requisition states. They were car
ried twenty miles, the sheriff there
fore being due s1.s0 for his personal
expenses. Instead OF this amount, the
reQuisition asks for $500. though both
prisoners were carried at the same
time.
Enclosed with the letter which the
sheriff will receive from the auditors
office Is copy of the State law pro-
viding the payment of fees to sherlffs
and constabies In criminal cases. This
Law In the matter in question says
For carrying a prisoner to jail, I'M
der the order OF Justice, for each mile
travelled BY himself III going and re
turning the sheein IL 10 receive from
the State treasury four cents"
Mr. Goss declared Saturday mora
Ing that though, as rule, the sherifrs
arc correct in sending In their requi-
sitions and the circuit judges careful
not to certify any excessive account,
demands are occasionally received
which require explanations.
1t is hoped, however, that by bringing
this particular case To public atten-
ton and by refusing to pay the requi-
sition until satisfactory account of
the excessive items is received. those
who might be, by carelessness of In
tent. inclined to render excessive ac-
counts may be warned that the audi
tor pays no reauisition until ii has
been carefully checked over. and that
the failure to send in proper accounts
may result In embarrassing prosecu-
ton.