The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-07
DUvAL'S TAX cOLLECTORSRlP.
vERELEsT REFUSES To sURREN-
DER THE OFFICE.

He Denies the Validity of the Flee
ton in which Turner Claims TO
Have Reen Elected 20 the Onice.
Crowd ia the Court House when
Possession OF the Once Was De-
manded and a Fight between the
Factions Feared.
Jacksonville. Fla, Feb 6.-There was an
exciting time and highly sensational
scene at the DuvaI county court house
this morning when the board OF county
commissioners took up the matter OF
ejecting c. F. Verelest from the office Of
tax collector. which he has held for two
years past Chavins bcer elected IN lss2),
and which he still claims on the ground
that there was no lesal election in this
county on Oct .. 1855. Al one time It
looked as if the sheriff and a posse act
ing under orders CT the board would take
forcible possession of the Office and place
Vorelest under arrest If he offered resis-
lance. There has been no appeal 10 the
courts In this case as ia that OF the county
tax collector. Mr.. johnson, now pending
for the governor notified A. l.. Turner,
who claims 10 have been elected assessor
on Oct. . that the county commissioners
had ample power under the constitution
and the law 10 place him In possession OF
the office.
A big crowd congregated at the court
house when il WAS known that the matter
was 70 come up for action to-day. The
first move was when Turner appeared he
fore the board and made formal demand
for the office. Nerelest was sent for, and I
the demand for possession made again.
but he absolutely refused 10 surrender I
the Office saying that when the courts
decided that he must surrender he would
do so, and not before. Then the chairman
sent for the sheriff and wrote out the /
following, which was read and adopted |
by the board. and the clerk then made a
copy Of IL and attested the same and de- 4
livered IL TO the sheriff.
Resolved, That r. F. Bowden. sheriff. /
be. and he is hereby ordered to take pos I
session of the tax assessors room forth I
with and install a. l.. Turner. tax asses /
sor therein and report his action here I
forthwith.
Sheriff Bowden proceeded to the asses /
sor's ONCE and handed the paper 10 We're /
lest, who looked at II and handed # back, /
saying that ne would not obey its de- /
mands.
Then the sheriff reported to the commits
si0ners that the door was locked and |
surrender OF the keys refused. The COM 4
missioners commanded him to get a lock- /
smith to Mt keys TO the door and he went /
OF to look for one
While this was going on a large crowd |
of Verelest's friends assembled in the cor
Tidor OF the court house and many went |
into the assessors Office apparently await
ing results. The crowd kept swelling I'M
I'll IL numbered nearly 200. Outside of the /
building and In the rear were stationed /
Policemen Friez, Lenhart, Hinson, and /
Wilson, and Chief Of Police Phillips stood \
Just inside the door. Inside the corridor |
the crowd stirred about nervously and all !
seemed eager and impatient for some
thing to happen. Everybody expected that |
violence would be resorted to and the par |
tisans of the two factions and the friends |
of the two contestants were all prepared /
10 take hand in it If necessary. Things |
looked decidedly squally and the police |
fully expected to be called upon to use |
their clubs.
At 11:15 o'clock the county commissioners |
Med out of their rooms into the hallway. |
followed by Sheriff Bowden. They were |
Immediately surrounded by the crowd. |
who 1olted each other in their excitement. /
AT this juncture City Attorney Bars,
accompanied by Mr.. Verelest pushed
through the crowd and approached Chair
man Marvin. Mr. Verelest started TO
speak, but Mr.. Bars intercepted and |
took the floor. Mr.. Bars said that MIR.
Verelest was willing TO take Sheriff Bow
den and go before Judge Call of the cir
cult court and lay the matter before him,
and If the judge should advise him to
give up the Office on the order issued by
the commissioners he would do so at
once, but If the judge should tell him
not to do so he did not think Mr.. Verelest
should be worried out of the office by the
sheriff. Chairman Marvin consented to
the proposition and the matter so ended
for the time being. with the understanding
that the case should be laid before Judge
Call at 2:30 O'Clock
The crowd then dispersed, some express
sing satisfaction at the last action of the |
commissioners and others great dissatis-
FACTION. Later IL was announced that
Judge Call had gone to his home at st. |
Nicholas, on the south shore, and would |
not not return to-day 1t was then de- |
cided that Mr.. verelest. Chairman Marvin, |
Commissioner DeCottes and Mat johnson,
Office deputy to Mr.. Verelest, should 20 /
20 st. Nicholas and lay the case before /
Judge Call without argument and abide |
by his decision.
The commissioners adjourned until TO- |
morrow morning at 10 o'clock, when they
will meet again and act on the decision /
Of Judge Call
There was great excitement all over he /
city over this affair, and in the sporting |
resorts bets are being made tonight on /
judge Calls decision. There are many |
who believe that he will decline to act in |
the matter unless 1t takes the form Of a |
regular case in court
When the matter was laid before Judge |
Call he decided that the commissioners ,
being in charge of the building had a |
wight TO use the room for whatever pur- |
pose they desired. and while Mr.. Verelst
might give up the room he did not there |
by necessarily ave up the Office of tax
collector Upon this decision Mr. Vere'st
surrendered the keys and Mr.. Turner will !
occupy the Office tomorrow.
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