The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-11-02
ST. CLAIR OFFICERS
MAKE BAD SHOWING
Sheriff Was Too Lelielt and Assessors
Books Wrong.
TAX RAISES WERE IGNORED
Board Of Health Divided on the Supreme
Court Question.
The RAILROAD COMMISSION TODAY
The Annual Report Will Make Good Showing
"A Case of Yellow Fever at Speg-
ner's, Where the Convict
Camp Is Located. =
The RAILROAD COMMISSION TODAY


books and records of the officials of st.
Clair county for the past few days.
He has found something wrong in con-
nection with the sheriffs office and the
books of the tax assessor. Governor
Johnston received the following reports
yesterday afternoons
BY your authority and direction I
have examined the office of A. c. Brown,
sheriff of ST. Clair county, from the be-
ginning of his term of office. Sept. 80.
1897.
After a careful comparison of the,
books with the records in the office of
the circuit clerk, as to dates of COM
mitment and release of prisoners, find
that his charges against the state for
their board to be correct.
1 note in this investigation that sew
eral executions for fine and cost in cases
of conviction, when parties with their
sureties have confessed judgment have
been returned to the clerk with the fol-
lowing endorsement
Returned for want of time"
The evidence shows that the money
could have been collected in some of
these cases.
l examined Mr.. Brown under oath in
reoard IN tho al howe opd ho ota4ac
he had perhaps been too lenient in a
few cases of this kind, but would here
after make prompt and valid return of
all executions as the law directs.
Signed and sworn to by w. r. Fos-
ter, assistant examiner.
Tax Assessors Books Wrong
I have, agreeable to your orders. made
a thorough examination of the assess
ment books of ST. Clair county, Ala,
from 1893 to date.
I find the assessor, James w. Casper,
made grievous errors in the years 1894
and 1896, having failed to add up and
carry forward the raises for these years
TO the general recapitulation or final
sum of the taxes. On this amount the
tax collector was not charged with the
taxes on said raises, the valuation of
which is s9O,0S5.
The investigation further shows nu-
merous insufficient descriptions in all of
his assessment books, especially as to
town lots. I had before me a number
of the larger tax payers of the county
whether they were sworn when they
listed their property. This evidence
showed that Mr.. Casper and his depu-
ties have been very remiss in the dis
charge of their duty in this particular.
Mr.. Casper states under oath relative
to all of the above. First, it has been
his custom to hire the assessment books
made, and was under the impre ssion
that these raises had been properly
footed and carried forward until I called
his attention to the error Second, that
he. endeavored to get good descriptions,
but in many cases found it impossible.
Third that he was under the impress
sion that when a tax payer listed his
own property and signed the oath, that
the law had been complied with.
Sworn to and signed by w. r. Eos, er,
assistant examiner.
Board of Health Divided
The board of health is divided on the
question of whether the judges of the
supreme court should be allowed to go
10 Montgomery, convene court and re-
turn to tehir homes in the different por-
lions of the state.
DIR. Sholl yesterday submit. ed his re-
ply to the governors request for an
opinion as to whether there would be
any danger attached to such a proceed
ure. He look the stand that the su-
preme judges should be the first to COM
ply with the quarantine regulations.
DR.. Ketchum, of Mobile, answered that
the plan proposed would reduce The dam
ger to a minimum. and he thought the
judges could return to the northern por-
ton of the s ate without danger.
DR.. Sanders replied that in his cpn-
ION the plan proposed would not, in the
least endanger the judges or endanger
ths communities 10 which they may re-
turn. DR.. CASTOR made similar reply.
DR.. Baldwin said the judges could go
and come with reasonable safety to
themselves and the communities 10 which
they viii return. He added, however,
that in his opinion the judges should
not be granted privileges denied other
CT zens.
This makes FIVE heard from. and four
yet to answer.
Governor Johnston hopes that before
Saturday, the date for the court to con-
vene. The yellow fever situation will be