The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-20
WILL BE HEARD TOMORROW.
THE PETITION FOR MIR. II. F. JOHN
SONS REMOVAL.

Show Cause Tomorrow at 10
O'ClOck-Mr. johnson Represented
by Col. A. II. Lawson, Jr.-In the
Event of Mr.. JohnsOn's Removal
the POpulists Might Ask for "A Reg
istrnr, But They VIII Not Make
Amy Fight ON Him-Judge FaIIi-
giant on the Matter.
The petition for the removal of Mr.. T.
F. Johnson as registrar of Chatham coun-
ty came up before Judge F'alligant in the
superior court yesterday morning.
The Morning News gave a full account
of the effort on the part of the
Citizens Club to have Mr.. Johnson re-
moved from that office on account of his
alleged partisan inclinations toward the
Liberal Club, and also for the reason that
the republican party has no state ticket,
and has no need, therefore, for represen-
tation on the board of registrars.
There was quite crowd in the court
room at 10 o'clock when the matter was
to come up
Col. A. r. Lawton Of the firm of Lawton
& Cunningham, appeared in behalf of Mr..
there to represent the Liberal Club.
There were several popuiists, and prohi-
populists in the court room among them,
Mr. D. H. Clark, Mr.. d. B. Newton, Mr..
w. B. Stubs, Mr.. w. F. Carter and
others
At 10 o'clock Mr.. w. w. Osborne, who
represented the primary executive COM
in an appearance. The court waited for
half an hour and Mr.. Osborne was sent
for. Mr.. Osborne said he had not expect
ed that the matter would come up at once,
as the opposing side was to be given some
time to prepare an answer After some
little discussion of the matter in an in
formal way 1t was decided that the mat
ter should be heard at 10 O'Clock Monday
morning. Judge Falligant issued a rule
requiring Mr.. Johnson to show cause be-
fore him at 10 o'clock Monday morning
why he should not be removed. Service
on both the petition and the rule to show
cause was acknowledged by Mr.. Lawton
for MIR. johnson, and the hearing will of
course take place at that time.
This circumstance has excited more
interest in local politics than anything
that has taken place In some time and
the first complete story of the matter
was published in the Morning News. When
the matter comes up there will be per-
haps ten or a dozen witnesses on hand,
among them Mr.. John /. Morrissey who
was present yesterday. There will be
others who have made affidavits as to
certain partisan statements alleged to
have been made by Mr.. johnson, and the
testimony will no doubt be quite inter-
esting.
Some of Mr.. Johnson's friends, in speak
ing of the matter, said he would undoubt-
eddy fight the case to the end. They said
they believed he could show without any
trouble that he was as fair a minded
man as could he secured, because he had
taken an oath as registrar to do justice
to all concerned.
MIR. Johnson was seen on the street by
a representative of the Morning News
He seemed just to have had a shave, and
was Smiling and pleasant. When asked
how about the registration case now pend
ing and as to his being biased, he simply
stated that for some time he had felt
somewhat biased, but that the question
to come up before the court, and upon
which no DOUBT the decision would be
rendered, was as to whether the court
thought his bias would be stronger than
his cath to Go justice.
There seems TO be a difference of op.n-
ion as to the case and the lines of con-
olusion are just about as strongly drawn
as they are IN the issues between the
Citizens and the Liberal Clubs.
The question naturally arises, should
Mr.. Johnson be removed, who would be
appointed? Would 1t be another republi-
can, or a populist or a third democrat?
As the question of republicanism is one of
the issues, it would hardly be another
republican. AS practically all of the dem.
ocrats who could be secured to serve are
either allied with one faction or the other
1t might be rather hard matter to Sc
cure one of them, so it would seem the
strongest chance is a populist or prohi-
populist would succeed Mr.. johnson. if
anybody is to succeed him. Mr.. John
sons friends, however, do not seem to
think there is much likelihood that he
Will be removed
The appearance of the populists and
prohi-populists or Wright men at the court
house, however, seemed TO strengthen the
opinion that in case of Mr.. Johnson's re-
moval they would seek to have the third
registrar appointed from their ranks. Mr..
Johnson, however, is understood to be
thoroughly satisfactory to the populistic
element, and they are taking no part
whatever in the fight against him. 1t is
said by some of the Liberal Club people
that an effort was made to get the popu-
their own fight, but they refused to do so.
In the event. however, that the appoint
ment of a new registrar should be neces-
sary, there Is said to be little doubt that
the populists will make application for
one who will be satisfactory to them as
they consider under the circumstances
they would be entitled to a registrar
1t is understood also that the question
Of the subpoena for Mr.. Morrissey will
come up in the course of the hearing Sew
eral witnesses have been summoned to tes-
tify in this matter and on both sides of It.
The Morning News gave the story of the |
subpoena which was issued by Mr. E. A. |
Gradot, deputy clerk OF the superior court. |
without an order and before the case was |
pending in court. 1t is said there will be |
some testimony on both sides Of the uues- |
ton.
Judge Falligant stated to the parties |
interested that he did not intend to re. |
move any one of the registrars unless |
good cause was shown for so doing In /
appointing them, he said. he had care /
fully considered each case, and he placed /
no men there but those he considered |
would honestly and Justly perforra r..