The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-03
A CONTEST In SIGHT
COUNTY ATTORNEY BROWN INSISTS
HE HAS A TERM CONTRACT.
Litigation May Follow Appointment
of Mr.. Hovey-Ofher Appoint-
ments by Board.

County Commissioner Hunter stepped out
of office at 10 o'clock yesterday morning
and the new board was organized, with Ju-
Illus Reinecke president. Mr.. Reinecke
becomes the presiding officer through a
custom which gives the place to the COM
missioner longest in the service. BY the
succession Of Mr.. Greer to the board il be-
comes Republican in politics by a majority
Of one. Immediately after the reorganiza-
ton Of the board the list OF appointments
published in the Journal yesterday was an
nounced officially. Yesterdays LIST was
complete with the exception of a physician
for the workhouse and an assistant matron
for the poor farm. Yesterday afternoon
Thomas b. Eastman was appointed to the
former position. He is the son of DR..
Joseph Eastman. The office of assistant
matron for the poor farm will be filled to-
day. 1t has been customary to give this
place to the wife OF the steward but
Charles Register, the new appointee, is I'M
married Mrs. Carter, of No. 122 West
Maryland street, is the only applicant for
the position.
All of the new employees, except the coun-
~ attorney. will take their positions JAN
/. The Republican members OF the board
anticipate contest over the appoint
ment of Alfred r. Hovey TO succeed Ar
thur V. Brown as county attorney Mr.
Brown entered a formal protest yesterday
he is entitled to the place for nearly year
yet. The Democratic member of the board
AYERS that it has been the custom to APP
point an attorney in the month of August
for one year. In accordance with this Gus
tom, he says, Mr.. Brown was reappointed
last August. The action was then taken
without the consent Of Mr.. Harding. who
warned the other members of the board
that the new board would select its own at
torney. Mr.. Brown declares that he has a
binding contract with the board and main
tains that he can hold the county for the re-
mainder OF the years salary.
The commissioners will not appoint a
.i3uper attorney until they have inyesti-
gated the past history of that office. The
pauper attorney gets salary of 5000
worth from $1,000 to $lsoo to a hustling
lawyer
Yesterday afternoon the board granted
four or five remonstrances, which will be
considered Friday afternoon.
There have been some suggestions Of
late, said well-known attorney, con-
corning the adjustment of the office Of
pauper attorney. They say there is no law
authorizing the County Commissioners to
make such an appointment Whatever may
have been the motive OF such suggestions
ii still remains true that such an Office
has existed for fifteen years and has been
Democratic and Republican parties The
custom was instituted for the very pur
pose for which il is now suggested that il
be abolished. that is economy. There were
a large number of cases for which the court
compelled to provide. 1t was deemed
economy to appoint an attorney whose
regular duty il was TO try all pauper
cases. The same condition exists to-day
The Constitution provides that every man
indicted for crime shall De entitled to coun-
sci for defending his cause where he is
ers do not appoint an attorney for regular
duty 1T will be necessary for the court
TO appoint one for each case. which will
cost the county much more than the pres
ent system The important cases are few
while there a large number of small
cases each month, which require regular
attention.
1T has been suggested that the county
attorneys salary be raised and il be part
OF his duty to look after the pauper
cases. Two objections may be raised
against this. First, that the country attor-
ney would be compelled TO appoint an as
sistant to look after pauper cases. who
would not be personally responsible to the
county. Second, that the salary of the
county attorney would have to be materi-
ally raised to induce him to give his best
attention to criminal cases which would
not be more economical and would cast
upon the county attorney the responsibility
of looking after and being responsible for
the criminal as well as the civil business
OF the county. Since it is necessary for
another man TO be employed it would seem
best that he know that responsibility for
faithful performance of his duty lies to the
county and rests entirely upon himself
There are only a few cases in the year
where 1T is necessary to appoint additional
counsel and that is done to save the county
immense expense in changes of venue, and
even then the pauper attorney is not a
figurehead. for upon him devolves the duty
OF carefully compiling the evidence which
Is no small part of the trial of any case.
'Then Ii is asked why curtail this Office.
Economy does not require it, and although
il Is not asked TO be retained as law
school for young practitioners. yet it has
afforded in the past an opportunity for
young and capable attorneys to show their
metal and 1t has been held by men who
annapolis bar This position has been held
by Griffiths & Potts. Joseph Healing, Vim
cent Clifford, John Hoffman, Arthur
Brown John Healing and Judge McCray.
who is now on the criminal bench. We be-
leve they did credit to themselves and to
the county in the faithful performance of
their duty, and that their success was due
TO the fact that they felt their personal
responsibility TO the board who appointed
them and TO Marion county"