The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-04
rroviding for separate vote, which was

coln took the floor and made a speech
against Judge Sweat declaring that what
ever might be the action of the House, the
people of the state who had read the re-
ports of the investigation had made up
their minds that he was disqualified. The
yeas and nays were demanded on the vote
and it showed that there were the follow
ing members who wanted to so on record
to cenSure the judge of the Brunswick cir
cult, the Indian Springs scandal being the
basis of their objection to him: Messrs.
Atkinson, Bates, Bush, Bond, Boyd, Berry,
Brown, Branch, Baggett, Brinson of
Burke, Bennett of Jackson, Cole, Cook of
Oconee, Collum, Calhoun, Durham Deak-
ins, Dawson. Duncan of Lee, Ellis, Edge,
Edenfeld, Ennis of Baldwin, Ford, Foster,
Griffin, Henderson of Forsyth, Jordan,
johnson of Taliaferro, Kaigler, Kendrick,
Leard, Longley, Law Morgan, Meadows,
ael McCranie, McGehee, Nicholas, Nisbet,
Patten, Parker, Phinizy Quillian, Reid,
Rudicil, Salter, Turner, W. Underwood
Walden, Watkins. Wilkes, Wilcox of Tel
fair, Wilcox of Wilcox, and Yates.
Mr. Fielder then introduced the itemized
cation, together with the resolution re-
questing the payment of the expenses out
of the contingent fund by the governor,
The resolution was unanimously adopted
and Immediately transmitted to the SEN
ate.
There was a lull of few
Sweat, and the most exciting incident of
the day came with the introduction of
resolution by Mr.; West Of LoWndes, pro
of the investigating committee so that it
might take cognizance of the charges
against Judge George F. Gober of the Blue
Mr.. Branch of Columbia Immediately
offered a substitute which embodied the
same intention, and also contained a copy
of the specific charges of the Nixon case
as they were made by Senator Carter be-
fore the committee.
Before anybody except the speaker, Mr..
nf m ~ hn w n
was fully aware what was taking place,
Mr.. Patten> of Thomas had
made motion TO table both ,,iile the
was carried viva voce, but while this was
being done the populist members and
others were calling for the ayes and nays.
Things looked very squally, as the inn
preston was created that the chair was
trying to run things rough shod to dis
however, ordered, the chair stating that
the motion had been put, but rather than
cause row he would put it again. The
tions were tabled Overwhelmingly.
While the motion was pending Mr.. Mose-
ly of Cobb asked to have letter writ
ten by Judge Gober read for the informa,
In this letter Judge Gober said that the
charges We're being pressed against
him by outside influences, by
a man who was not a member
of the legislature, for malicious reasons.
He said that whatever the House should
Ton of his action in doubling the sentence
of Nixon, stated that he had intended to
cali the prisoners attention TO the SEN
tence in person, but could not certify TO
the fact of his having done so when Gov.
Northen wrote to him about it. Mr.. Nose
ly made speech, saying that the people
of Judge Gober's circuit had every conf
dence in him, and had no fears of the re-
suit of an investigation.
Chairman Fielder of the committee tried
for half an hour to have his say in oppo-
sition to the resolutions providing for the
investigation. He declared that he would
not serve on the committee.
Mr.. johnson of Hall and Mr.. Blalock OF
Fayette caused the House to be in an up
roar of confusion by interrupting Mr.
Fielder who lost his temper and declared
that if those gentlemen did not care to
hear him they could leave the hall. Mr..
Blalock got a little warm at this and
speaking to a question of personal privi-
lege, said Mr.. Fielder. even If he was from
Fulton county, which paid one-seventh of
the taxes of the state, as he had declared,
had no right to ask him to leave the hall.
AT the afternoon session the House and
the Senate locked horns on the question
of paying the expenses of the committee,
and Incidentally there was trouble over
the per diem and mileage of the members
of the legislature. A committee was 9p-
pointed to confer with Gov. Atkinson and
see if he would approve a resolution to
pay the usual mileage-for which 1t was
admitted there was no law-and when he
said that he would, such a resolution was
then passed.
The House passed a resolution request
ing the governor to draw his warrant for
$1,000 to pay the expenses of the investi-
eating committee, witnesses etc, and
when this went TO the Senate that body
attached an amendment paying Senator
Carter $160 for his services i'm working up
the cases, this being his per diem and
mileage for thirty days. The House, how
/ ever refused to accept this amendment,
as the members declared that Senator
Carter should not receive any compensa-
tion, as he had assumed the burden of
the investigation.
position and a conference committee was
appointed This conference finally agreed
to allow the senator $50 as per diem and $S
for mileage, and this compromise was
agreed to.
A joint resolution was passed authoriz-
ing the commissioner of agriculture to
use 1900 of the appropriation for his de-
partment in removing the exhibit of the
state to the Nashville exposition. Fifteen
hundred dollars of this amount is to be
used for the exhibit proper and $500 is to
be devoted to the exhibit, which is to be
made by the women, the lady managers
of the Atlanta exposition, who have rais-
ed 81 600 being at the head of this branch
of the movement. The $500 for the wo-
The House at the opening of
offered by Mr. Bialock of Fayette pro,
viding for a committee, Of which he is
| chairman, 70 make thorough investl-
cation of all the departments and insti-
tutions of the state, and report upon their
management to .the next session The
work of this committee, will include an
| investigation Of the assessment laws and
| the lost lands of the state, as shown by
! the books OF the controller generals office,
| and upon its report some OF the most ims
portant legislation of the next session
! will be founded.
Both President Berner and Speaker
| jenkins took occasion to make
personal explanations to their
| respective houses this afternoon
on account of rumors growing out of the
| Investigation, which put them in an un-
| favorable light. President Berner stated
| to the Senate that there was not a word
| Of truth IN the report that he was in any
| wav responsible for the insertion of Judge
Reese's name IN the Carter charges. lie
read letters from Senators Carter, Battle
| and Brooke, and from ]. X. OIL com
| pletely substantlatng his denial of The
| reports and the Senate adopted a motion
| that these letters be spread on the Jour
| nal I'm Justice to the president
| The cause OF Speaker jenkins EXPLAIN
ton was an article attacking the
/ work OF the committee, which was pub
| lished I'm his home paper. Copies Of this
| paper had been sent 20 members OF the
| legislature, and some had been led to be-
/ lleve that he had Inspired the article
This, the speaker denied most emphnt-
| icaIlV saving that he had nothing what