Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1884-04-23
DAYS DOINGS
In the County Court-A Committee Ap-
pointed to Investigate Ex-Chairman
Holeman's Rent Accounts
The Magistrates Do the Square Thing
by Architect Jones, Paying Him
His Bill
y q )
In Full According to Contract-various
Bridges Ordered Built-0ther
Interesting Items.
The County Court resumed its delibera-
tions yesterday, with Chairman Smith

tAOho yOStCANoND WIN Sidli CihltA
presiding.
BRIDGE BUILDING.
Commissioners were appointed to repair
the btidse ACROSS the creek near Lewis
Gashington's, on the Portervilie- Island
No. 40 road, and to build bridge on the
road leading from Point Church to the
Raleigh road; to build a bridge across
Holeman creek, Sl25; to build a bridge on
the White Station and Bartlett road.
PAYING JUST DEBTS.
The following report was made by K.
d. Jordan, county attorney, in the matter
oil 4. @. Jones, architect, in supervising
the construction of the County Poor and
Insane Asylum:
81 have to report that / have carefully
examined the evidence touching this mat
ter. This consists of the statement OF
Mr.. Jones and Messrs. Coleman, Galloway
and Holeman, the Poorhouse Building
Committee, the minutes of the committee
kept in relation to this matter, and the
records of the court; and from these
sources of information l find that the
committee were empowered to employ an
architect to draw plans and specifications
and erect poorh ouse. Mr.. Jones was
employed in this capacity, and his plans
were adopted. find that the committee,
as appears from the minutes of these
transactions kept by them, agreed to pay
the architect five per cent. on the outlay
on this building. The appropriation made
by the court amounted to S26, 200. On
the exhaustion of this sum the committee
assumed the authority to expend, in order
to complete the building, the further sum
of $21S6, which was afterward submitted
to the court. and the action of the COM
mittee confirmed. There thus appears to
have been expended blythe committee, in
erecting and completing the poorhouse,
the sum of $2S, 1S6. The action of this
committee has been approved by the
court. Under the contract made between
Mr.. Jones and the committee he was to
receive five per cent. on the outlay, which
would amount to the sum of $1409 80. He
has already been paid $1,000, leaving in dis
pute S409 80. There can be no question
as to the power of this committe, to make
this contract with the architect, and there
is no doubt but that the contract to pay
him five per cent. on the outlay was
actually made. 1t also appears equally
beyond dispute that there has been ap-
propriated and paid by the court as
an "outlay" in the erection ard con-
struction of this building the sum 1ove
mentioned. With these facts before me
l can come to no other conclusion than
that the county is liable and should pay
Mr.. Jones for his services as per his con-
toact with your committee, unless it can
be made to appear that Mr.. Jones failed to
perform and carry out his contract with
your committee, whereby the county was
wronged and injured by reason of this fail
ure. The above conclusion is irresistible
/ have had no such testimony before me
and none has been offered, and know ol
| none, though have inquired of the mem
Ia H. - H. j
| With the testimony before me
am of the opinion that the county is liza
bic for the remainder of Mr.. Jones's bill. )
The report was on motion adopted and
| the balance ordered paid.
RUN soRTER LOOSE.
Your petitioner, John B. Leech, and
| Belle Leech, his wife, would respectfully
| show unto your honor that on January 16
| 1877, in the Circuit Court of the United
| States for the Western District of Tennes
| see, at Memphis, they recovered a judg
! ment AGAINST Shelby county for $500
| This was on note of Tom Holeman, jr.
| chairman. Said judgment was to be paid
| by January l, 1878, and bears ten pei
| cent. interest. On January 10, 1878, peti
| TONERS were paid $3.50; on February 10
| 1873, they were paid 1880, and on Marcel
| IL, 1873, were paid Sl620, Subject to thess
credits said judgment, with iuteres
thereon, is still due and unpaid
| Premises considered, petitioners pray tha
| this honorable court direct that said deb
| be paid them, and as in duty bound the,
| will ever pray, etc.
L. W. HUMES. Attorney for Petitioners.
Referred TO county attorney.
THE EX-CHAIRMAN's EXPLANATION.
Justice Holeman said that in lS7l-72 tn,
| county credit was. low down and order
| were made to borrow money to pay casl
| for certain things to keep up the credit o
| the county, and this money was borrowe,
/ by z. Q. Bleckley, then chairman OF tn
| County Court, to purchase the pesthous
| grounds. The note came due and was re
| newed by Chairman Holeman, and at it
maturity It was not paid. Leech the
| sued the county and Holeman confesse
| judgment. AS long as a judgment tax wa
levied Holeman prorated 1t among tn
various judgment creditors, making tn
payments mentioned in the petition. Nj
| Holeman did not, however, offer any ex
PLANTATION OF the fact that there was nothin
| on his books to show that there was
l judgment or that any payments had bee
made.
\ Justice Holeman, after the discussion O
| the Leech petition, remarked that SOM
I persons seemed to enjoy attacking him q
much as Fenian would rolling a dyns
] mite pill under his tongue, and then aske
/ the adoption of the following:
! Ordered bv the Court, That the county attorne
and two members of this court be appointed
committee to investigate the matter of rent
etc., referred to in the DAILY APPEAL of Sunda
morning, April 20, 1884, so far said reference
l touch the official acts Of Tom Holeman, ex-chaii
I man of the County Court, and report to th
July term of this court.
The county attorney and Justices Moor
and Mason were appointed.
TO OPEN A ROAD.
A jury of view was appointed to reope
the Raleigh and Germantown road froI
Wells Station to the old Raleigh road.
CERTIFICATE OF GOOD CHARACTER.
Oscar Brown was granted certificate G
| good character in order to enable him I
| apply for admission at the bar.
REDUCTIONS.
A huge mass of petitions from variou
citizens, asking for reductions of assess
ments, were submitted, and several (
them passed upon. The court then al
L iourned