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1876.] OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES. 1541
they did at a meeting of said Committee in order to facilitate
the investigations into the varions matters with which they
were specially charged, appoint five members of the same; to
wit: Messrs. Gorman, Hepbron, Snowden, Hoblitzell and
Turner, to fully carry out the re-quirments of said order,
who in the discharge of their duty, did fully examine into
the conduct of the officers of the several Clerks of the Courts
in Baltimore city, ag to their management, economy and
expenses, and find that they are conducted with as little ex-
pense as could well be done, having in view the interest of
the business community, and the convenience of the public.
We do not find that either an exess of deputies are em-
ployed, or that extravagant salaries are allowed in any of
them. We also find that the number of deputies and their
Salaries are entirely bylaw under the control and supervision
of the Supreme Bench of Baltimore city and the Comptroller
of the Treasury.
The fees they receive are those fixed by the laws of the
State, and are subject, at all times, to an examination as to
their correctness by the Judges of the Courts in Baltimore
city, except the fees for receiving and paying over the public
money by the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, which
are fixed by the Act of 1874, at two per cent, instead of one
per cent, as allowed prior to that Act.
Upon a full and very searching examination into this mat-
ter, we find that no part of this additional compensation goes
either to his individual or official income, but is treated en-
tirely as his other fees, going into his general account of fees
and emoluments, and that atter his own salary, the salaries
of his deputies and the incidental expenses of his office, are
deducted; that the remainder, including this additional com-
pensation or commission, is paid over to the State Treasury
as excess of fees, as will be readily seen by an examination
of the Comptroller's reports for the years 1873, 1874 and
1875, and the comparisons are had as between the time prior
to and since the passage of the law increasing his commis-
sions, in other words, the law is of no financial benefit to him,
and he has alrealy, through your Committee, had introduced
a bill to repeal the extra compensation, and your Committee
join him in this recommendation.
The time of year Committee has not permitted them to ex-
amine into the fees of the office of the State's Attorney for
Baltimore city, and they find, upon an examination of the
law, that the officers of the various Courts, as to their ap-
pointment, removal, &c., is entirely under the control of the
Supreme Bench of Baltimore city, a wise provision which
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