The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-02
NEW U. S. COMMISSIONERS.
Judge speer's Appointments For the
Southern District.


Macon dispatch last night announced
the appointment by Judge Emory Speei
of the United States court OF Mr.. ]. Fred
Lewis Of the Morning News as United
States commissioner at Savannah. Mr.
Lewis will probably receive his commits
sion this morning and be sworn in be-
fore the clerk of the court.
The terms of all of the United States
circuit court commissioners expired at
midnight Wednesday, and the new COM
missioners. who will be known simply as
United States commissioners, take office
from that time.
The legislative, executive and judicial
act of congress for 1896 made radical
changes affecting the duties and compen-
are not particularly arduous, and the
emoluments are not startling.
Commissioners are appointed by the
judges Of the district court, and those for
Macon, Augusta, Brunswick Savannah
and other points in this district were APP
pointed by Judge Speer. The new act
also prevents any military or civil en-
ploye of the United States, except dep
serving as a commissioner.
The former commissioners in Savannah
were Messr. NJ. A. Connolly, Isaac Beckett,
Norman Beckett, Paul E. Seabrook and
Judge William d. Harden. Only one of
these, Mr.. Isaac Beckett, was an applicant
for reappointment. Commissioners Con-
molly and Isaac Beckett attended to nearly
all of the business tributary to Savannah.
Mr.. Connolly, who was appointed in 1892,
has disposed of much of the criminal bus
mess originating in this section. His
reports were always complete and furnish
ed valuable aid in the prosecution of Grim
mails. The defendants he turned over
were always convicted. Commissioner
Connolly settled many seaman's wages
cases without charging the fees allowed
him by law, and in only one instance
was his decision appealed from, in which
case he was sustained by Judge Speer. He
issued the first warrant for an offender
under the Mcguire law, making it a mis-
demeanor to detain a seamans clothing.
The defendant was convicted and the re-
suit of the case deemed sufficiently inn
portant to publish throughout the country
by the treasury department. Commissioner
Connolly has been private secretary to
Capt. o. M. Carter, corps of engineers, for
more than eight years. He is also a spe-
cial commissioner in admiralty and secre-
tary of the local board of civil service ex-
sminers for the engineer departmental
large.
Commissioner Isaac Beckett was one of
the Oldest commissioner in Savannah and
his familiarity with the work of the Of
flee and his long experience speaks for
the efficiency with which its duties were
performed. Commissioner Beckett was
also, for many years, United States ship
ping commissioner. Recently he has de-
voted most of his time to his abstracts of
land titles. ~
Mr.. Norman Beckett attended to consid-
cradle commissioners business, especially
in the absence of his father and on other
occasions. He has made an unusually
good official in that capacity and has had
remarkable success with his cases.
With the other commissioners, Mr.. Sea-
brook and Judge Harden, the appointment
was looked upon as more of an honorary
one. cases seldom being brought before
them.
Besides the Savannah appointments the
following were made by Judge Speer: Owen
Johnson, Brunswick: S. A. Roddenberry,
Thomasville; George X. Calvin, Augusta;
J. G. Spottswood, Waycross. L. NJ. Err
win and F. r. Martin Of Macon were re-
appointed.