Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-02-02
DEP
cUTIES ARE UP IN
ARMS over CUT
IN OFFICIAL FEES

| Houlton, Me-. Feb. IA cyclone
struck the sheriff's Office Wednesday
order issued by the county commits
sioners in regard to fees and bills turn
ed in by the deputy sheriffs and trial
justices throughout the county. AS a
result these officials are deeply indig
nant for they consider that they are of
average intelligence and honesty. as
compared with other officials, and they
! do not just relish having their honor
impugned. The order follows
! On account Of the enormous fees
charged by some Of the officers the
county commissioners made out the
| following instructions at their January
meeting and are to send a copy to all of
the deputies, constables and trial JUS
tees in the county for their benefit.
The following instructions are given
as guide to the making out Of charg-
es for fees on warrants bills Of costs
and mittimuses, which are to come be-
fore the county commissioners to be
allowed. All bills improperly made
out or containing improper charges
will be returned for correction and on
fees paid until proper bills are pre-
scented; receipts must be procured and
attached to the bills of costs where
cash is paid out for sustenance or con-
veyance. such as "horse and buggy,
two horse wagon. etc" and also men,
ton the starting point and the distance
travelled; no allowance will be made
for automobile hire.
Constructive travel will not be al
lowed. Example: If an officer travels
five miles to make searches against
three separate parties, he will be al
lowed five miles travel against one,
and one mile against each Of the 9TH
err two. This applies in all cases of
travel whether 1t is on a warrant or
mittimus where there is only one ac-
tual travel. No fee will be allowed for
travel for an aid except in an extra
ordinary case.
If an officer searches place. he is
entitled to 50 for the search. but if
there is an aid, the officer will be al
lowed 81 and the aid 81.
There should be no charge for ar
rest and attending trial when no ar
! rests are made, and no trial held, in a
case where there is searcA and moth
ing found, there can be no charge for
arrest and trial.
Constructive taxation of costs will
not pe allowed. Example, Several
men are arrested for the same offense
at the same time and place, or several
parcels of liquor are seized at the same
time and place there should be but one
warrant against them all just the same
as If it was one person. except that the
officer would be allowed so cents for
arresting each man.
Houlton, Maine. Jan. 4, 1916,
BY Order of County Commissioners.
The job of deputy sheriff in Aroos-
took is not very we'll paid one at
best said one Of the deputies Thurs
day, and 1T looks under the new reg
uiations as if it will be hard for the
orlcers to squeeze a living out of their
Jobs. The deputies throughout the
county are obliged to give a $40. 600
bond for the proper performance Of
their duty and on top of that it wou,d
seem pretty small business for a man
to be obliged to get an itemized hill
Oh every little expense that he incurs
IN the performance of his duty
According to this order if the sheriff
sends one Of his deputies to one Of tho
ou'iSlhg towns to make an arrest, the
deputy nrst will be obliged to get a
OIL from the hackman which must state
'he amount OF the charge and whether
the hackman drives two horses or a one
morse team. Then he must get a bill
from the Bangor G. Aroostook R. r..
and II, as is often the case, he is OBJ
hged to get lunch he must itemize
the contents of his lunch box, state the
number of rolls and whether eggs were
fresh Then when he arrives at his
destination he must have another bill
from the livery stable keeper whom he
gets his team, if he has any distance
to drive.
In making out their schedule the
county commissioners have kindly
granted the deputies the privilege Of
leading their prisoners down the mid
die Of the streets providing they wear
their own shoes. On returning the dep.
uty will have to go through the same
performance. And on no account must
he hire an automobile
Now Aroostook county is not sc
far back in the woods and out of q
but what autos are considered a proper
means Of conveyance, and if a hurried
call should come to the sheriff's office
from 20, so or 100 miles from the
town. it would seem to be going back
to rather primitive methods to oblige
the officers to hire a team to take them
or to compel them to wait several hours
for a train. In regard to some Of the
other orders it seems almost as if the
board Of county commissioners was
making laws to suit themselves and
considering themselves a higher power
than the Legislature Of the State Of
Maine.
And it is not to be wondered at,
that the sheriff and his deputies, the
trial justices and constabIes are just a
little bit sore over the NEW regula-
lions which they have been given to