The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-25
BEFORE THE GRAND JURY
THE SOLICITOR GENERAL AND
GAMBLERS NOTES.

He Denies the Charge Of Accepting
Them in the Manner it Was Made,
and the Jury Falls to Produce
Proof-The Basis of the Charge Cos
sip Heard by some Of the Jurors in
Barber shop-A Move 70 Make All
County Offices Selaried.
The grand jury of the superior court
made its general preseutments yesterday
afternoon and caused little sensation
by the paragraph relative TO gambling.
IL is as follows:
The crime of gambling and Of keeping gam
ing houses In Savannah has existed to an
alarming extent, denOraliZng and debauchiDg
the young men Of the city and county beyond
expression. We are of the opinion that the law
and the manner of its execution Is. TO a certain
extent, responsible, The penalty Is not com.
mensurate with the crime. We are informed
that the fines imposed by the court for this
class Of offenders is divided, as provided by
the fee bill, between certain officers of the
court, and that no part Of it goes to the
| county; this fact has its influence upon the
community, and deters good citizens from CIV
Ing aid TO the law in its efforts to suppress those
dens OF iniquity. Investigations made by this
Dody disclose the fact that the payment or fines
imposed by the courts have been made, part
cash and the balance in notes, and We have been
! informed that some Of these notes run three,
rlA anu nine months. 6uCu a practice Is eXCeeQ-
lngly reprehensible and, to our minds, is q
lIcence To the gamblers to continue their busi-
ness, because only by that means are they en-
abled to obtain money to pay their notes.
THE SOLICITOR HITS BACK.
Solicitor General Fraser naturally de-
oltned to allow any imputation put upon
him as to the conduct Of his office, and he
demanded of Foreman Clement Saussy his
authority for the statement that notes were
takGn for HUaq ahla in aiK and nina
months. The foreman referred the solicitor
TO Jurors Papy and Gaudry as the gentle
men who had furnished the in
formation. Solicitor General Fraser
challenged them to prove their assertion,
and they finally admitted that they heard
the matter talked about in barber shop.
The solicitor made a spirited reply to the
grand jury. He said it is true that some
times notes with gilt-edge Endorsements
running three months are accepted by the
court from a person fined, but never had
the time been extended beyond that periOI.
The notes accepted are as good as cash and
can be SO converted at any time. The law.
he says, does not contemplate hrowing a
person into jail simply because he does not
happen to have the cash 20 pay fine, as
long as he can furnish its equal by good
indorsers.
AS TO the six and nine months notes he
had never before heard of them. The solicit
tor considered that the proper place to seek
information about the management OF court
affairs is from those connected with the
court in an official capacity and not by
means Of haphazard barber shop talk.
THE JURY BACKS DOWN A LITTLE.
After hearing from the solicitor the
grand jury struck out the words "six and
nine," but left the balance.
The criticism Of the grand jury Of the
acceptance Of notes was a surprise TO every
body in the court at all acquainted with its
procedure. 1t is a matter OF custom all over
the state to accept for fines properly in
dorsed notes maturing thirty, sixty and
ninety days, and the methods have never
before been questioned. Solicitor General
Fraser called attention to the fact that there
are various ways by which person can put
Off paying fine until be gets ready with
out even giving notes. and the grand
juries could not call such a
practice reprehensible without calling
the law itself reprehensible. A convicted
party can move for a new trial or arrest of
Judgment with this end in view, but rather
than bother about legal technicalities they
give notes to cover tine fine, which is better
even than a bond, because none but gilt
edge indorsers are taken. 1t would be a
hardship. said Solicitor Fraser, on a person
to have TO 60 to Jail for months because,
perhaps, at the time of the imposition OF
fine he did not have sufficient ready
money to pay out, although he could fur.
nish a short note as good as the actual
cash. The solicitor said he is only folio W.
ing the true spirit of the law, which is not
intended for persecution but protection
and Is doing only what has been the GUS
tom of every solicitor general In Georgia
since courts have been established.
WANTS TO DO AWAY WITH FEES.
The grand jury also wants the solicitor,
sheriff and clerk put under a salary. Here
is the opinion expressed on that subject:
We are of the opinion that the executive
! officers of the court should be paid a salary,
| fixed by law, and that all fines should be CON
verted into the treasury of the county, and we
recommend this question TO our representatives
| in the legislature. and request that they will
| endeavor TO accomplish by the enactment of a
| law to this end,
| Following this the grand jury, struck by
wave of morality, announced itself against
| vote buying, and concluded with resolu-
tions demanding the county's representa-
tives In the legislature and the senator from
this district to have the Australian ballot
system adopted. "It is sn admitted fact''
says the presentments, "that votes are
publicly offered to the highest bidder, and
yet it is impossible for the grand jury to
obtain evidence of such character as to
| we'll justify true BILL That the full
power of the law should be invoked, es-
peciallY by the officers whose duty it is to
detect crime and present these offenders
to the grand Jury, is admitted by all.n