The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-05-09
AROUND THE CAPITOL.
M atters Picked UP in Our Tour of
the Departments.

the Departments.
The governor yesterday pardoned j. 81.
Armstrong, who was convicted of assault
to murder, IN the October term, 1887, of
Bexar district court, and given TWO years
in the penitentiary.
A petition from the governor of Mlssls-
sippi, where Armstrong lived before com
ing to Texas, says he was considered in
sane in that state, and this is also the
opinion of the penitentiary officials and
physician. He will be taken back to his
home in Mississippi.
SECRETARY OF STATE.
The following charters were filed in the
Office of the secretary of state yester-
day:
The Texas Colonial Association of San
Antonio; capital stock, $4,000. Incor-
porators: George Caen, s. D. Scudder, j.
j. Olsen.
The Galveston Summer Normal school
filed an amend ment increasing the CAPT
tai from $4,000 to 100000.
ooMpTRoLLER's DEPARTMENT.
The following tax collectors filed their
credit papers with the comptroller yester-
day for final settlement of their accounts
with the state:
Ed B. Virgins, Smith county.
Geo. ". Moore, Jack county.
W. T. Melton, Concho county.
N. Burton, Orange county.
w. j. Craddock, Wood county.
These settlements all show close collec-
tions. Orange county has no sales to the
8 ate. This is the third year in succession
this showing has been made from this
county. In all the settlements up to date
the comptroller reports close collections.
The collectors are settling up about as fast
as their accounts can be stated by the
ok-keeper. The records point to clean
settlement of all the collectors in the
state. 1t is not expected that single
suit will be necessary to enforce settle
ment.
The following letter of the comptroller,
in regard to sheriffs' fees, under the new
law, will be of interest to officers:
Hon. N. G. KITTRELL, jacksonville,
Texas-Dear sir: We have sent you the
acts of the last legislature in regard to
fees in felony cases.
Under these laws this Office will adopt
the following rules in regard to auditing
accounts
l. The account must show the term of
the court at which the case was disposed
of.
2. The number of the case.
8. The name of the defendant.
4. Charge.
s. Disposition of case.
6. By whom arrested, when, where, and
cents for each mile Travelled, going and
returning on the trip where service is per-
Jected.
Z. When sheriff is going to remove a
prisoner who is under arrest in another
county, his fee will be for each mile 60
ing and return with prisoner, 10 cents
by railroad and rs cents by dirt road. If
more than one prisoner is conveyed, 10
cents per mile for each additional pris-
oner. This includes guard and all other
expenses. If a prisoner is conveyed from
one county to another for safe keeping,
the state does not pay for such convey
ance.
8. Sunmoning or attaching each wit
ness, so cents, and the name of each wit
ness must appear in the account as well as
the day on which they were served.
sarily travelled in summoning or attaching
witnesses, going and return cents. The
number of miles to be determined by the
distance travelled and not by the number
of writs in his possession. Where an ex-
numb IT of witnesses occur in
any one case their names may be listed
on q separate sheet of paper and attached
to the case.
10. Where case is disposed of by rolle
prosequi or judgment of dismissal, if
a Jury fee is charged, the account must
show that the jury was sworn in the
case.
IL. Where defendants sever on trial
the account must so state. Where parties
are convicted the account must show that
there is no appeal.
~. Your special attention is called to
sheriff's accounts for conveying attached
witnesses. The account must show num-
Der of cases, names of defendant, charge,
county in which case is pending, also the
the name or names of witnesses, the date
of conveyance, where from and distance to
nearest railroad station, and the miles &C.
tually Travelled to reach the court. If
horses or vehicles are used the name of
the parties from whom hired, the length
of time, the names of the persons from
whom provender was purchased, the
names of the persons from whom lodging
and meals were obtained; lodging ct 30
cents and meals not to exceed so cents.
1t shall also show that the witnesses were
unable or refused to give bond. Said &C
count must be entered on the minutes of
the court.
Is. If an officer attaches witness out
of the county in which he is to testify aad
the witness gives bond, he will be entitled
to fifty cents for the attachment, one dol
lar for taking the bond and five cents per
mile going and returning for each mile
actually travelled in serving the attach
ment, these fees to be paid when the case
is disposed of, and included in the sheriff's
account and noted as fees due other Of
ficers.
1t is hoped that the above requirements
will bring about g uniformity in the pay
ment of accounts.
l would be glad if you would examine
this carefully aud see whether or not it
meets with your approval, and if you have
any suggestions to make regarding it.
Very respectfully,
JOuN n MCOArr