Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-20
100000 IN FEES
STILL UNCLAIMED
FATHER DILLON WILLING TO
PAY RIGHT PERSONS
DisbursIng Officer of New York Court
Has Paid $4,000 Claimants in
Eight Years Without
Mistake

NEW YORK, Feb. 19-More than
5000, 900 unclaimed money is in room IA
at the Criminal Courts building, guard
ed by Charles F. Dillon, who was at
one time connected with the Parkhurst
society, later Joined the Staff of Dis
trict Attorney Jerome and Is now serv-
ing as the head of the witness fee de-
partment under Judge Whitman.
Father Dillon, as he Is better known
since William S. Devery, the BEST
Chief Ever" thus styled him during the
Mazet inquiry, will gladly hand out all
this money to any one who can justify
his claim to the same. Just why this
money has never been claimed is one
of the greatest mysteries of the Grim
inal courts.
All day long picturesque procession
calls upon Mr.. Dillon to receive pay
ment for services as witnesses In Grim
inal actions prosecuted by the district
attorney. But not one-half of the wit
nesses ever call for the fee due them,
and thousands of dollars remain un-
paid.
OF course the wise men," special Of
fcers, detectives for railroads, banks,
express companies and the private So
! cieties for the suppression of vice and
| crime keep close count and never fail
to make application, but the average
citizen, the small storekeeper, truck
driver and the woman with several
small children at her heels are always
in such a hurry to get away from the
court that they rarely think of the no
| tice on the back of the subpoena ad-
vising of the fee which is payable at
| the end Of the trial.
| Sometimes the policeman who has an
unusually agreeable witness will guide
| his man to the top floor and after
"cashing in" they repair to one of the
many places of refreshment In the Vi
cinity Occasionally, when property has
been recovered through the efforts of
the officer the fee finally reaches the
| pocket of the man in blue.
| Some business men who call long
after the case is disposed of say, apollo
getically:
"The cop has been at me to call for
this piece of money. 1 will pass 1t on"
| Many efforts are made by relatives
and friends to collect the fee due, but
| the rule is that a witness must call In
person and make affidavit that he at
tended on certain days and necessarily
travelled so many miles.
Three Trips to Canada
One we'll known railroad detective
tried to collect mileage for three trips
from Canada in one week. 1t is un-
| necessary to say that his claim was
not allowed by the ever Watchful
Father Dillon. Some years ago a
Chinese interpreter, Lee 10y, rang in
three pigeons" or substitute China
men, for the bona flde witness. Lee
was arrested, spent several weeks in
the Tombs and was barred from prac-
tice in the criminal courts.
Naturally the disbursing officer is
not a very popular official. A dozen
times a day he hears: Mister you act
as if it was your own money; you will
not let a poor fellow make an extra
dollar
Following the attendance Of certain
we'll known clubmen in response to the
call of the grand jury in the case of
the people against Richard Garfield for
keeping and maintaining a gambling
house a number of Park Row pam
handlers appeared before Mr.. Dillon at
the witness fee bureau bearing sub
poenas addressed to Mr.. Van Astor
and others at we'll known Fifth avenue
clubs Inquiry showed that the wit
nesses had thrown away, their papers
which the enterprising gentlemen from
Mulberry Bend had found and tried
unsuccessfully TO cash.
| A few witnesses in homicide cases
| have refused to accept the fee, saying
| that it was blood money.
| Friday, the day on which the Judges
of the court of general sessions pass
sentence, room IA becomes the busiest
corner of the district attorneys office.
Last week the thirty witnesses against
| Max Walk, convicted OF criminally re-
ceiving stolen goods. and dozen OF
| the accusers of Eugenia Nikowski, on
| trial for murder in Justice Goff's court,
Joined the long line In quest of their
| legal fee. Every witness subpoenaed
| in these cases appeared for payment,
| thus breaking all records.
| Since January, 1902. Dillon has paid
more than 100000 witnesses, and never
| has made a mistake.
The amount of money paid during
that time is in the neighborhood of
$4,000.