Birmingham state herald., 1896-04-18
THE LAFESFALiBAMA NEWS
  Muc1 Interest Is Being Madi{ fested in the Race - FOR STATE AUTHORSHIP
AUTHORSHIP
Hon. James B. Simpson Is the Only Candidate
 From South Alabama for State
Office

Montgomery, April 17.-(Specla1) )-CoR- siderable interest is being manifested here now in the state audtorship con test. Montgomery has a candidate for the place, and an exceedingly popular one-Hon, James B. Simpson. He has always been an ardent Johnston support CT, and the splendid victory in this county Is due in very large measure to his active and efficient work. His friends here argue that the northern half of the state has secured the governorship, the secretary of state, the attorney-general and the superintendent of education, and has good shot at the commissionership of agriculture and chance at treasurer. This leaves only one office for south Ala bama-the auditorship-and Mir Simp- sons friends are determined to land him in it if they can They believe that north Alabama will recognize the justice of their claim, and will rally to help them assist their favorite get the place they covet for him. Of course, everybody knows who Jim Simpson is He is a newspaper man of splendid ability, and has frescoed within the past fifteen years good many thousands of newspaper columns with good, sound democra tic doctrine. He has been helping other peo- pie get offices for the past fifteen or twen- ty years, and his friends think that his time has now arrived.
 George A Pearce Pardoned.
 Governor Oates has issued a pardon for George A. Pearce of Mobile, who pleaded guilty to a charge of embezzle- ment in the city court of that county last July and was sentenced to three years in the penitentiary. This is the terminal ton of one of the most celebrated habeas corpus cases on record. Pearce was the defaulting secretary of the Merchants and Planters Insurance company of Mo- bile, and his extraditlon was fought through all of the courts in Texas to the United States supreme court, which tribunal decided that he must return to Mobile to answer the indictment that had been found against him. fi
 No Decisions Handed Down. .ls
 The supreme court handed down no de- cisions today. but adjourned until next Monday It is probable that little busi- ness will be done by the court until next Wednesday, on account of the stateocon- vention being held on Tuesday.
 Railroad Assessment Board Adjouras.
 The board of assessment of railway and telegraph companies, composed of the governor, the attorney-general, the auditor, the secretary of state and the treasurer, adjourned today after having completed it's work. The assessments of the properties of all of the companies excepting the Southern were completed several days ago, but Vice-President Anr drews of that company was anxious to D> on hand, and as an accommodation to him today was set for the hearing Of the Southern's case. No material changes in the Southern's assessments were made; in fact the board is satisfied that the companies are all disposed to pay, taxes on equitable valuations. In some cases the assessments were voluntarily re- duced by the board, the revenues from the properties not being commensurate with the values assessed. In one or two instances the assessments were increased. but the average of the assessment of each company was about maintained.