The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-08
HAVE NO RIGHT TO JUDGE AGE.
REGIsTR ALTON COMMISSIONS RUL-
ING IN THE MAGUIHE CASE.

Mcguire REFUSED TO Register n
First District Voter and His Re-
mOvnI Asked FOr-The Registrar
Did Not Believe the Applicant Was
of Age-The Commission Dismissed
the Charge and Ruled That a Reg
istrar Had No Right to Act Upon
His DeIief-TvyO Vacancies Filled.
The Second Days Registration TO
Begin This Morning.
The city registration commission held
two sessions yesterday, the first to take
cognizance of several designations, and
the second to investigate the complaint
against Peter Mcguire, one of the regis
trars in the First district, asking his re-
moval because he refused to register one
of the voters in that district.
The interesting session was that at
which Maguire's case was taken up. All
of the members of the registration COM
mission were present-Judges Robert Fall
ligant, Thomas NJ. Norwood and Hampton
L. Ferrill.
President J. Ferris Cam of the Citizens
Club was before the commission to repre-
sent the defendant, who is one of the Citl-
zens Club registrars, and Messrs. M. A.
O'Byrne and Walter C. Hartridge were
there to represent the complainant, John
Snellings, colored.
Snellings stated he went to the precinct
to register Dec. l, and Notwithstanding the
fact that he was on the county registra-
ton list, and produced his 1896 tax re-
ceipt, Mcguire refused to allow him to reg
he ha1f ,al1f
was % years DID, as he stated. Magulre's
defense, in fact was that he did not be-
heve the man was % years old, but older,
and he would not allow him to register
on that account.
The court was very emphatic in its
judgment in the matter, holding that the
registrars had no right to act upon such
beliefs. The commission passed the fol-
lowing order: Upon hearing the evidence
IN the matter of the foregoing notion
1t is ordered that the applicant be regis
tered and that upon his registration the
rule to show cause be discharged"
1t appears that there have been several
cases of this kind where registrars re-
fused TO put party's name on the books
because they did not believe his statement
with regard to his age or some other fact
about which he was asked. The com
mission holds that a registrar has no right
10 act upon such beliefs as these but
registration list for this year and his taxes
TOR 1896 are paid as shown by his receipt.
he must be registered, unless there Is
good and sufficient legal cause for not
doing so.
Representatives of the Citizens Club saw
they have several cases in which Liberal
Club registrars have refused to register
voters for similar reasons and thew are 90
ing to make similar complaints unles he
registration can be secured.
w. h. Morgan, the registrar in the
enth precinct representing the Liberal
Club, rendered his resignation, and Edward
]. Whelan was appointed in his place.
Samuel Reynolds, the Liberal Club regis
trar in the Twelfth precinct, requested to
be relieved from duty on account of sick
ness. His request was granted and his
son, Thomas P. Reynolds, was appointed
in his place.
Richard F. Baker, the Citizens Club reg
istrar in the Seventeenth precinct, tender
ed his resignation, and C. c. Lebey was ap-
pointed in his place.
With such weather as prevailed yester-
day, very heavy registration will be
recorded to-day. The probabilities are
that it will be in the neighborhood of 1900.
There are now nearly 5000 persons quail
flied to register, who have not done so,
and the twenty sets of registrars could
easily register the whole number to-day
are open from 8 a. m. to p. m. The
registrars received their books from the
clerk of ordinary, and their voters lists
from the clerk of council yesterday after
noon.
There was not as large a rush at the Of
flee of the tax collector for the payment
of poll taxes yesterday as was expected.
In fact there were, perhaps, more prop
| erty tax payers there than there were
| poll tax payers, that is, the majority of
| those who paid taxes were there to pay
| the taxes on their property, as well as
| their poll taxes.
However, about 200 poll taxes were paid
and the total of poll taxes paid up to date
| has been $3.50. A great many of them have
| been paid during the week since the last
! day for city registration which was Tues
! day, Dec,-1, the number UP to that time
! having been about 200. There are still
about $500 polls to be paid, according to
! the county registration list. The time is
short now for the payment of taxes, and
| the office of the tax collector will proba-
| bly, close the middle or latter part of next
week. The property owners are paying
| their taxes pretty well now, and this
weeks showing on the part of the tax col
| lector, Capt. J. j. MCGOWAN will undoubt-
| eddy be good one.