Robert Rusk, from 1st January to 17th July,

$1,530 00 $4,700 00

200 00

at a salary of $400 per annum, John Pearce, from 1st to 31st December, at a

salary of $150 per annum,

12 50

1,742 50

$6,442 50

The permanent appropriation for clerk hire for the Comptroller's office is,

$6,000 00

In addition to this sum, there was appropriated by the 1st section of the act, chap. 332, of the laws of 1832,.... 1,000 00

Total appropriations,

Deduct the payments as above,

$7,000 00 6,442 50

And there will remain of the appropriations, unexpended, $557 50

Robert Rusk, the clerk above mentioned as having left the office on the 17th July last, died on that day of the then prevailing epidemic, leaving a claim for his services from the Ist to the 17th of July inclusive, amounting to $18.63. This gentlemen left the office on the evening before his death at the usual hour, and without any complaint of ill health which had then reached the Comptroller. His death took place at about eight o'clock on the succeeding morning. The Deputy Comptroller immediately went to his residence and found only two small children of his family present, and no one to make preparations for his funeral. He took the charge of that matter upon himself, and incurred the following expenses, which have since been paid by the Comptroller.

Payment to Dyas and Carter, two of the attendants at the central hospital, for laying out the body and placing it in the coffin, $2 00 To Mr. Fanning, cabinet maker, for coffin, .... To Mr. Polhman, for digging the grave,

And subsequently the wife of the deceased came to town and

8.00

3 50

4 50

To Wasson & Jewell, for carriages for funeral,

represented herself in a needy condition, and the Comptroller paid her......

1 50

Making the total payments, .......

$19 50

Under these circumstances, the Comptroller supposes that the Legislature will, by law, authorise him to draw the money due for Mr. Rusk's services as clerk, $18.63, as little or no property was left, and he is informed and believes that administration has not been granted or applied for, to enable any person either to draw this money or to settle the above account. If this be done, the payment will take so much from the unexpended balance of the appropriations for clerk hire of the office for the past year.

The sum paid for clerk hire during the last year will be the least which the office will require for the present year, and as a commencement has been made upon the books preparatory to another tax sale, it may be necessary during the year to add to the help now in the office, in case it should be thought advisable to hasten the period when the sale shall take place. The ordinary appropriation, however, of one thousand dollars will, in the opinion of the Comptroller, be sufficient, with the permanent appropriation, to answer all the calls for clerk hire of the year.

All which is respectfully submitted.

SILAS WRIGHT, Jr.

Dated Albany, January 2, 1833.

Comptroller.