The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-10
ALONG THE INDIAN RIVER.
Middle over the Liability of Ex-
Treasurer Nelson's BOndsmen.


Treasurer Nelson's BOndsmen.
Titusville, Fla. Nov. 9.-The county
commissioners of Brevard were In session
all of last week. the full board being in at
tendance. All of their time, during this
secret meeting was devoted to careful con-
sideration of the defalcation of the late
county treasurer Arthur T. Feaster and
the liability of his bondsmen. Mr.. w. L.
Palmer of Orlando, the counsel for the
commissioners, was in attendance at this
meeting of the board and all the deliber-
atoms are a profound secret. The de-
faulting treasurer and two or three of his
tangible" bondsmen We're in evidence, too;
but, 80 far, no effort has been made to eff
feet a settlement with the bondsmen and
the case is still in statu quo. There were
three different sets of bonds executed dur
ing the unfortunate officials term of office,
and ii now becomes a fine" point of law
to determine at what periods the deficits
of the treasurer occurred SO as to locate
the exact amount of each surety on the
bonds at that time in force. Besides, it is
reported on good authority, that some
changes were made in the amounts of sew
eral of the sureties after the bonds had
been executed, and without the knowledge
or consent of all concerned, which would
invalidate such bonds. The present set
of bondsmen will contest the payment of
the several sums claimed from them, and
have retained Mr.. G. NJ Robbins as their
counsel. 1t Is, therefore, safe to state that
the matter is going to bring on a stiff legal
contest and will not be settled without
the aid of the courts. The whole short
age to date foots up $4,000, and the ex-
treasurer has no visible means with which
to make good the loss; so no one can blame
the last set of bondsmen, on account of
the criminal negligence of the county COM
missioners in not checking him up once
in period of five years, for contesting the
case to the last ditch.
j. H. Saves, county superintendent of
schools, was at the county seat (Titusvne)
during the whole of last week attending
10 the teachers examination. This
brought large number of the pedagogic
element, many of whom are girls from
Tennessee and Kentucky, to town. All
the schools of this district are now pro-
vided with teachers-mostly females-and
the superintendent reports the largest at
tendance this year of school children in
the history of Brevard county.
A thriving trade is now being
carried on with Cuba in the
cattle shipping line from the whole
east coast section of the state. and the
hitherto worthless Florida COW is rapidly
becoming an expensive luxury. The poor,
thin, long-horned creature, known as the
fiat-woods' steer, is now worth from $12
to SIS, and may, before Gen. Weyler's
friends get their appetites satisfied with
our stew, command $25 to $50 head
Baron de Steuben of Rio San Lucie has
been circulating among his many friends
in town during the past week, and wears
a broad smile when reporting the sub
stantial returns received from his pine
apple shipments the past season. He is
the owner of one of the largest planta-
tons on the st. Lucie river, and feels con-
fident the next crop will bring close on to
100000 into the pineapple region.
The criminal court of Brevard
county convened yesterday, Hon.
M. s. Jones presiding. There is
quite lengthy docket of small
offenses. and it will occupy the time of
the court for several days.