Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1917-06-22
COSTLY TO
JUDGE WARNER
raernlained Omission Of His Name in
Legislative Bill Means Loss OF
$500 a Year
s)se Bill Increased His Salary. Second
Failed TO Include His Name

When the session of 1917 adjourned
LAT month Judge Edgar NJ. Warner,
the clerk of the superior court ofWind
hsm county, believed that an appre-
eislive general assembly had increased
his salary from 5000 to $500. We'd
nesday he became satisfied that the
appreciation of the Legislators did not
take such substantial form and that
it was confined to verbal expression.
Judge Warner was in Hartford We'd
nesday, in conference with John
Buckley, the clerk of the senate, to
fnd out how 1t happened, nursing
ahe hope that the conference would
result in the discovery of facts ,of rec.
ord which would show that it did not
happen at all. But he was doomed to
Disappointment. The obliging clerk
gave him lavishly of his time but
nothing else. There had been slip.
up somewhere as the clerks records
made il clear that the clerk of Wind.
ham county was not included in the
omnibus bill which increased the COM
pensation of court officials, or in any
other measure which passed the gener-
al assembly. The salary of the assist.
AMI clerk of the court was increased
but not the chief clerks.
In the early part of the session a bill
was introduced increasing the COM
pensation of the clerks of the superior
court in most of the counties in the
slate. Ii gave Judge Warner an in
crease OF 5000 year. The bill was fa-
Sofably reported by the committee on
the Judiciary and then referred to the
Committee on appropriations. That
was the last heard of the bill. 1t
never left the committee that held the
purse strings of the state. A new bill,
which was not even mentioned as
Substitute to the original bill, was re-
ported by the committee on appropri-
sIlOns ana the original was put aside
last as effectively rs the bill increasing
misrepresentation of the judges. The
| Dill reported was raised by the com.
mlllee to take care of an increase in
Toe salaries of some states attorneys,
court messengers and others. By an
amendment offered in the house the
clerks who were taken care of in the
original bill were included, except the
/ Clerk of the Windham county court.
That bill passed both houses and
was signed by the governor without
the omission being discovered. 1t is
recalled that Representative r. o.
Eaton, the chairman of the committee
90 appropriations, in explaining the
oil said the increase would not add to
lne financial burdens of the state since
IL would be more than offset by the
income from the increase to be made
IN The rate of court fees. Mr.. Eaton
ielerred in an especial manner to
Judge Warner TO show that he was
entitled to the increase. The house
agreed with Mr.. Eaton in his eulogy
Judge Warner and also with his
notion TO pass the bill which, how
s'el, did not include the position held
y The Judge in his generous benefi-
csnee.
'adse Warner says he was assured
y Tue leader of the house, Mr.. Pease-
u Cheshire, and by Judge Harry
oseS who was a distinguished men,
VI o. lAe committee on the judiciary,
aAa resident of Windham county,
@a1 he has adequately taken care of
ID The bill.
iae Judge accepts his loss of $500 a
s'M With philosophical calmness but
stlii at loss to understand how
'-' omission in the bill could have es-
s'teu The sharp eyes of his personal
'aa political friends.