Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-02-19
5HER|FFS TO LOSE
PROFITS ON FOOD
Hudson County counsel's Opin-
ion Will Knock Out Their
Extra Earnings.
Special to the Evening Star

TRENTON, Feb. 19.-Following the
opinion OF Hudson County Counsel
James ]. Murphy 10 the effect that
Sheriff Eugene F. Kinkead is not enti-
tied to make any profit from feeding
the prisoners in the county Jail, the
sheriff will probably hereafter have to
submit to the county board of free
holders a sworn itemized statement
showing all the money ne spends.
County Counsel Murphy's opinion
holds that not only can the freeholders
demand a sworn statement, but they
can Examine and satisfy said state
ment by demanding the production OF
all books, papers and vouchers per-
tanning thereto The opinion was di-
rected to County Collector Rider, who
was advised to hold up Sheriff Kin
kead's December bill.
This opinion agrees with one given
by County Counsel Griffin nine years
ago, which has since been sustained
by the Supreme Court and the Court
of Errors and Appeals. At that time
the Board of Freeholders of Hudson
started suit against former Sheriff
John c. Kaiser to compel him to ac-
count for the difference between the
amount allowed TO him for Jail man.
tenance and the amount actually
spent.
1t Is said no Hudson county sheriff
since Kaiser's time has paid any re-
spect to the law or the decisions and
that no board of freeholders until now
has made any effort TO collect pro1ts
the sheriffs have been taking, which
are estimated at from $4,000 to $4,000
yearly.
Several months ago. when Sheriff
Kinkead announced his candidacy for
the office, he said he would resign his
seat in Congress. Later he changed
his mind and said he would hold his
seat, but would not draw the salary
as member of Congress because of
the provision Of the New Jersey law
that no person shall exercise any
other civil Office during the time he
holds and exercises the office of sher-
iff. and that by acceptance Of the
latter Office his commission for any
other civil office shall be null and
void"
No news has yet come from Wash
ington that the sheriff congressman
has turned back into the United
States treasury his salary as repre-
sentative for the months of Noven-
ber. December and January, when he
resigned on a tip from q Southern
member that he would challenge
Kinkeads right to vote on one of the
administration bills.
The Hudson freeholders have been
allowing the sheriff fifteen cents a.
day for "victualing" each prisoner In
the county jail and a dollar for each
person detained as a witness. That
Seems IKE a small allowance, but 1t
is enough and TO spare. for the cost
of feeding convicts in the New Jer-
sey State prison ranges from ten to
less than eighteen cents a day. -
Hudson. near the New York mar
kets, ought to be able to board Its
prisoners at as little cost as any
county. The average Jail population
must exceed $50 and at profit Of
but four cents on each inmate there
would be s14 a day for the sheriff, or
nearly 5000 a year. But there are
extras from persons detained as wit
nesses, United States prisoners and
tips and profits from those who can
afford to pay for favors.
Warden Donomore, Of MiddleseX
county, gave his charges, who num-
bered an average of fifty-six day.
three meals. including bread, meat,
potatoes and coffee, with a little
sugar and milk TO the women pris-
oners," at a cost of 8 $40 cents a
day. In Somerset county the cost per
prisoner per day Is l3 cents and in
Essex 1l1a cents.