The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-06-26
CITY AFFAIRS.
CAPITOL GOSSIP.

railroad Matters and a Few Law Points as
to Defaulting Tax Collectors, etc.
A committee of citizens Of Baton Rouge
headed BY Mayor Jastremski, paid their respects
to the Governor yesterday and urged him to sigr
the act incorporating the railroad company char.
tered for the purpose Of building road from
Clinton 10 . point on the Jackson road. The
bill would have been signed, perhaps. had IL mol
been for one or two sections which makes limit
to damage suits and provides certain restrictions
that might technically be construed as granting
race rights.
The bin also provides that the levying Of tax
for the purpose Of
CONSTRUCTING THE ROAD
shall be LEFT to vote of the people, all of which
the Governor thinks Is proper, but he will con.
slider the other sections before permittin. the
bill to become law.
The Baton Rouge people are interested in the
construction Of the road, 90 1t will give them,
when constructed, rail communication with this
city, and they will with citizens along the line,
subscribe enough to put fourteen miles Of the
road in condition ready for the rails, and IL was
with view to make the bill law that their COM
mittee yesterday called upon the Executive.
The Governor has not yet passed finally upon
THE DEATH SENTENCES
of Whisky Bill and Henderson, nor will he until
they have been thoroughly examined by the At
torney General, who is now 80 i'll thot his
physicians state that he must have few days
rest.
The Auditor issued yesterday and the Treas
urer cashed warrant for over $4,000 in favor
of the Citizens Bank. that taking up one of the
notes that is due.
II will be remembered that the Kellogg crowd
ran the State in debt to the tune Of nearly $780,
900 for the building, some Of the members being
paid to vote for the passage OF the bill over the
veto, and although the contract was made at the
fabulous price named the building could have
been bought at the time, and was offered for
s125, 900, showing that little (2) steal to have
been over $3.50, 90, which Of course went into the
pockets OF the crowd.
sinceIits purchase upwards.of 100000 has been
appropriated or spent in various ways for barri-
cading and repairs, all of which must, Of course,
come from the pockets of the people, and yet
with that and scores of
DEFAULTING TAX COLLECTORS
snd parish school treasurers, some are prone to
say that the State should not prosecute the men
who have thus incumbered the State with debt
that II will take years TO liquidate.
The records found Ia the Auditors Office, with
other documents which have been recovered, will,
In time, make fair showing OF the indebtedness
of the various ex-ax collectors, and whom that is
completed, unless settlements are promptly
made, 1t Is the purpose OF the Attorney General
to take action against the suretles Of these par.
ties.
II is erroneously supposed by some that the
cancellation OF the bonds OF some of these ind-
viduals by Kellogg relieves the sureties which is
not the case, rs he did not comply with the exist
ing laws In such cases, Ia consequence Of which
his action is null and void.
Act No. 68, approved March &c. 1873, under
which the cancellations were made, provides that
"no bond Of any tax collector or assessor shall
be raised or aDnued until the certificate Of the
Auditor OF Public Accounts Of full payment and
faithful collection OF moneys, or faithful per-
formance
OF ALL DUTIES
as required by law, shall have been furnished.
But the annullment OF the bond and mortgage,
and their cancellation herein provided for, shall
not exempt the officer himself, his executors,
heirs, or assigns from personal suit, as in case of
debt or damage, il brought before the period OF
prescription thereto applying in law"
Section 800, Revised Statutes, provides for the
publication for thirty days Of ell applications for
the cancellation OF all bonds In the official organ
which Kellogg did not cause to be done; hence
his cancellations amount to nothing.