The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-12
TOO MANY PER p1Ems IN 1T.
That is What the Mayor Thinks About
the City Court.

The expenses of the city court will
probably be discussed at length at the
next meeting of council. Mayor McDon-
ough said yesterday that the heavy in
crease in the expenses of the court has
become a serious question and council
will be called upon to investigate.
The budget appropriation for the city
court this year was S., 500, and She expen-
ditures of the court upto date are just 500
in excess Of that amount. AT the present
rate the city court will cost in the neigh
bOrhOOd of $4,000 for the year. Mayor
McDonough said that no more bills will
be passed by the council for the court
unless the appropriation is increased, that
department having already exceeded
the amount appropriated to 1t In the
budget This step will certainly bring
matters up with a round turn and will
cause full ventilation of city court af-
fairs and the manner in which the money
is expended.
There is no charge of any improper eN-
penditurcs against the officers of the
court Mayor McDonough and the al
dermen simply think it is costing too
much and that certain charges should be
reduced. The mayor has been in CORE
spondence with Judge MacDonell for
several months concerning the expenses
of the court. The mayor objected some
time ago to certain charges made
by the officers of the court
whice he complained were excessive.
Judge Mcdonnell differed with the mayor
and the discussion has been continued up
to the present time, withoGEany change
resulting in the manner of regulating the
charges of the court officials. The mayor
finally submitted his views to City Attor-
ney Adams and requested his option as to
the legality of the charges. MIR. Adams
searched the authorities and delivered an
opinion supporting the views of the may
or
Mayor McDonough said yesterday that
the special charges to which objection is
made are the per diem charges of the
court officials. The allowance for attend
ance is 81 per diem, and the court officers,
including the deputies, frequently secure
as many as three per diems in one-day.
Separate records OF the criminal and civil
dockets of his court are kept and the
custom has been to regard these as
separate courts.
Officials reporting for the civil court
are allowed per diem, and if the crimi-
nal court is called the same day, as fire.
quently happens, another per diem is al
lowed In case a night session is held,
still another per diem is placed to their
credit Mayor McDonough holds that it
is unreasonable that man should draw
two or three days pay for one days work,
and in this he is supported by City At
torney Adams.
Another charge objected to is the fee of
81 25 allowed TO the sheriff for each pris-
oner brought from the Jail to the court.
When the criminal docket is being tried
several prisoners are brought to the court
house daily and it frequently happens
that all the prisoners brought from the
jail are not tried, but are carried back to
be brought again another day, when of
course a second charge of Sl.25 each is en-
tered against the city.
The mayor thinks that as the officers
are allowed their per diem there
should be no extra charge for taking
prisoners to and from the court.
This fee is allowed, however, by the act
of the legislature constituting the court
and would require an amendment to the
act to do away with it. There are other
expenses also which it is thought might
be done away with.
There is no unpleasant feeling between
the members of council and the officials of
the court. The council simply thinks the
expenses Of the city court are unusually
heavy and will investigate it
as matter of business.
The court officials say these two charges
complained of are the same as when they
were indicted into office, and, so far as
they know, have been allowed ever since
the court was instituted. They have only
followed the customs of the court in
making charges. The large increase in
the business of the court is, they say, suf-
ficient explanation of the increase in ex-
penses.
The agitation may have a result that
was not anticipated when it began. May
or McDonough said yesterday that it is
mystery to him why the city should be
called upon to bear the expenses of the
court, called by its name, when in fact it
is not city courtat all, strictly speaking,
but in reality is an adjunct or an assistant
to the superior court The business trans
acted by tits of a character that would
naturally come before the
superior court if the city court did not
exist and its jurisdiction is only slightly
less than that of the superior court The
court is, of course, n great convenience to
the citizens, but as its operations are con-
fined entirely to state and county bust
ness, he does not see why it should not be
supported in the same manner as the su-
perior court.
The question now is will the city coun-
Gil cut of the supplieso of the city court?
Fo,,