The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-11

! tax, having become of age after the time
! for making returns. He said he brought
| Sampson Jones to the precinct to identify
| him and swear as to his age, but he was
| still refused registration. Mr.. Cam tried
| to bring out the fact that Sampson Jones
was a professional swearer and had sworn
! TO the age of half q dozen or more negroes.
I The judges were of the opinion however,
| that Rivers should have been registered,
! as the registrars had no evidence what
ever to show that his age was not what he
had stated it to be- and what he had sworn
it was. They directed therefore, that his
name be placed on the registration list.
The next case was that of Richard Ward,
colored, who claimed to be p years old on
Aug. 3. Mr.. Helmken and others stated,
however, that he said he was born in jan
uary, 1875, which, Of course, would make
him liable for one years taxes. 1t was on
account of this statement, Mr.. Helmken
said, that he refused to register him. An
effort was made to show that this was
case of mistaken Identity but the commits
sion decided that the weight of the evil
dence was to the effect that Ward stated
TO the registrars he was born in January,
1875 and decided that he could be regis
tered when he produced mis- tax receipts
for 1896
This disposed Of the four cases brought
against Registrar Helmken, the commits
sion ruling that three of the applicants
were entitled to go on the list, and that
the fourth could be placed there when he
exhibited his tax receipts for 1886.
Before the commission adjourned Mr..
Cam announced that he desired to bring
several complaints before them against
registrars of the other faction who had re-
fused TO register parties who were clearly
entitled to registration. In speaking of the
matter afterward Mr.. Cam stated that he
had numerous charges to prefer against
the majority of the Liberal Club registrars
for Improperly refusing to register parties
who had applied. He mentioned especially
Registrar Murt Sullivan who registered
man whom Registrar Campos of the other
faction said did not live within the city
limits. Mr.. Cam was busy the greater part
of the day preparing petitions and securing
evidence against thirteen or fourteen of
the Liberal Club registrars, and these he
will present to the commission to-day. lie
asked the commission to hold a session for
the purpose of hearing these complaints
at 4 o'clock this afternoon, which will be
done
The commission made another ruling at
the request of Mr.. NJ. A. O'Byrne with re-
gard to parties not born in this country.
The fact that the names of such parties
appear on the registration list of the coun-
ty for the current year. the commission
said, is prima facie evidence of the fact
that they are citizens of the United
States, and the burden to prove TO the con-
trary, therefore, is placed on the registrars
should they have any doubt in the matter.
This is tantamount to saying that the reg
istrar has no right to refuse to register a
man whose name is on the county list,
simply because he believes he is not a cit
izen. He must back up his belief with
evidence before he can refuse the appli-
cant.
The commission announced that it will
appoint a successor to Registrar b. o.
Rogers in the Sixth precinct to-day.