The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1892-03-04
DOINGS ITANN4POLIS.

to let well enough alone.
So
The Senate bill to refund John c. Tucker,
late tax collector of Hartford county, sum of
money enormously paid into the State treasury
passed the House on Monday.
#x%
Governor Brown on Monday vetoed the bill
amending the school law empowering
county school commissioners to invest school
funds in the bonds and stocks of private cor
porations After considerable discussion the
veto was sustained by the House on Tuesday.
#~#
A bill has been introduced in the House re-
ducing the number of County Commissioners
in Dorchester county from five to three, their
terms to be six years, one to be elected every
two years. The pay is fixed at $500 year,
S.
Senator John Walter Smith has introduced
bill to increase the State School tax from 104
to IL cents. He proposes to use the u cents
heretofore levied for the treasury relief loan
as a means of raising the increase.
SIS
Senator Smith has also introduced bill
which will meet with general favor among
patrons and school teachers. This is for the
abolition of the book fee in the public schools.
State Superintendent Prettyman, who was in
Annapolis, last Monday, looking after this
legislation, is said to be strongly in favor of
free books, believing they will greatly promote
the efficiency of the schools. 1.-The objection"
saws the Sun, (which has been raised that
children using the free books will abuse and
destroy them is met by the statement that the
experience in places where free books are
given is to the contrary, and that school books
are returned in better condition than miscel-
laneous books of circulating library. The
purchase of so large number of books would
have to be carefully guarded against jobbery
and the eternal change of books, which usually
has some sinister DurDOse.o
So
The collection of book fees is an arbitrary
exaction upon teachers, who are required to
collect them in advance. If for any reason
pupil is permitted to enter the school and fails
to pay the book fee the amount is deducted
from the teachers salary. The imposition of
book fees, besides, is peculiar hardship upon
many parents who are too poor to bear the
expense and unwilling to plead their poverty
and get the books free. Consequently their
children are kept at home.
Let the book fees be abolished.
~
In the Senate, on Tuesday, Mr.. Writ pre-
scented the petition of Jacob Tome and thirty
nine other citizens of Cecil county praying
for relief for the bondsmen of Stevenson
Archer.
Senator Robinson has introduced bill to
repeal the local law of Hartford county, passed
O--
magistrates judgments.
r.
The Senate bill to pay Rev. E. w. Wroth, of
Hartford county, for cattle killed by order of
the State Veterinary Surgeon, was reported
unfavorably and the report adopted on Tues
day.
The House bill to appropriate 5000 to repair
the hay and cattle scales in Havre de Grace
was read in the Senate second time on Tues
day, and passed on Wednesday.
So
pension to be paid by the County Commits
sioners to Adelia A. Crowly, of Hartford
county
The bill to incorporate the town of Aber-
deem, in Hartford county, passed the House
Tuesday night ; also the bill authorizing the
Commissioners of Hartford county to pension
Bridget O'Donnell, and the bill to regulate
the killing of birds and game in Hartford
county. Both bills were read a second time in
the Senate on Wednesday.
80
The new Baltimore county road law pro-
vides that three-fourths of the money levied
for road purposes shall be used in the pur-
chase of hard material for the roads.
-
The Senate, by an order, asks the Attorney
General whether or not the President of the
Senate has the constitutional right to order
new election in Calvert county to fill the va
cancy caused by the death of Senator Talbot.
The seat of the latter was contested and the
Committee on Elections, before his death, had
made their report but it was not acted on.
On Tuesday Senator John Walter Smith said
that in consequence of the death of Mr.. Tai
bolt the report, which recommended that he be
seated, would have to be changed and he NOV
ed that it be recommitted This brought Mr..
Pearre, Republican, of Allegany, to his feet.
A lively discussion ensued and the bill was
then recommitted
Mr. Sans, in the House, has bill to more
fully protect black bass in the waters of Mary
land. 1t was amended so as to exempt Wash
ington, Frederick and Hartford counties from
its provisions
Governor Brown has approved the bill au-
thorizing trust companies to go on the bonds
of tax collectors in Hartford county,
Governor Brown Suggests Relief for the
Archer Bondsmen.
On Friday last Governor Brown sent his brief
to both houses of the General Assembly on pc
tition of the Archer bondsmen for relief. On
the basis that relief is asked it is estimated the
securities will pay an aggregate of about $780,
600. Governor Brown says:
L respectfully transmit to you communica-
airy 16, 1892, by Messrs Edwin H. Webster,
Stevenson A. Williams, Joseph NJ. STREET., j.
Thomas C. Hopkins, Patrick Howard Allen
Hoffman, Henry w. Archer, Jr. and Murray
Vandiver, sureties on the bonds of Stevenson
Archer, late State treasurer.
You will perceive that its object is to lay the
foundation for the passage of an act for their
relief by obtaining the recommendation of the
Governor to that effect, as prescribed by section
33 of article of the constitution, without
which recommendation or that of the "officers
of the treasury department" no such act can
properly be passed.
The transactions which have led to this appli
cation are SO well known to the people as to
need but brief recital.
Mr.. Archer was elected treasurer for the first
time in january, 1886, and qualified on Febru-
airy 2, 1886, by taking the oath of office and
giving bond, as required by law.
On January ID, 1888, he was elected for a
second term, and should have qualified by tax
thirty days thereafter, but he did not, in fact,
attempt to qualify or give bond until Novem-
On January 8, 1890, he was elected for a
third term, and qualified and gave bond on
January 80, 1890.
Upon the first bond given by him Judgment
has been recovered by the State for S60, 600
Upon the second bond the Court of Appeals
have decided that the sureties are not liable at
all:
tried at all, but the sureties assert that his de-
falcations subsequent to its date amount only
to $1,000. Assuming this to be correct, the
States whole claim against his sureties amounts
to S65 900.
According to the regular and orderly course
of events this first bond should have come to an
end not later than February 13, 1888, and been
by the bond under his second cleo
ton of January 13, 1888, but in consequence
of his failure to qualify under his second cleo
ton the Court of Appeals have decided that he
held over under his first election, and that his
first bond was in law responsible for the whole
period from February 2, 1886, down to the
Both of January, 1890, when he gave bond
under his third appointment.
In other words they have extended the legal
liability of his sureties upon his first bond for
two years longer than it was originally expect
ed by the sureties that it would be responsible.
The bulk of his defalcatiOnS occurred during
this extended period, and the sureties apply to
me to recommend to your honorable bodies to
relieve them from the strict measure of their
legal liability thus fixed by the Court of APP
peals.
They do not ask, as you will observe, an en-
tire release from their responsibility, but tend
ering themselves ready to pay at once in cash
the amount of their principals defalcations
during the period beginning on February 2,
1856, and ending on February ID, 1888, they
pray to be relieved from all greater liability.
After careful reflection it seems to me that
the case of the sureties on the first bond pre-
SentS a strong equity, which should be passed
upon by the General Assembly and not by the
Governor alone, and accordingly respectfully
recommend that you take their memorial into
and extend to them such mea-
sure of equitable relief as upon a review of all
the facts and circumstances of the case shall
appear to you to be fair and just.
L notice that the memorial makes no mention
of the third bond and proposes no indemnity
to the State for the costs and expenses of the
litigation. And therefore, if you shall see fit
to grant their application in whole or In part, L
suggest that in any bill which you shall pass
provision be made for the payment by the sure
ties on the third bond of the amount misap-
subsequent to its approval, and also
for full indemnity to the State for the costs of
all the suits at law and in equity in the circuit
courts and in the Court of Appeals, and also for
proper compensation out of the sum to be paid
by them to the States special counsel for his