The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-10
SENT ANONYMOUS LETTERS.
COUNTY COMMISSIONER TOLD HOW
THEY MUST VOTE.

Commissioners West md LathrOD
the RecIpients-Thc Letters viii
Cut No Figure with Them-The
Board to Elect County Officers To-
morrow AfternOon-They VIII
Caucus First-PrincipaI Fight Said
Races For County Physician and
County Attorney in Status quo.
The first regular meeting of the new
board of county commissioners will be
held tomorrow afternoon at 4 o'clock.
Wednesday was formerly the regular
meeting day, but for several reasons it
has been changed to Thursday, and the
committee on auditing accounts now
meets on Tuesday instead of Mondays as
heretofore.
The situation with the commissioners Is
getting to be quite warm one. The lat
est feature in the fights before the board
is the receipt by Commissioners T. Newell
West and f. s. Lathrop of anonymous
letters, containing limitations of threats
as to what the consequences will be If
they cast their ballots for a candidate
before the board who some time ago was
on the opposite political ticket.
These letters were typewritten, and were
not signed. They purported to come from
some Liberal Club worker, who seemed
to want to instruct the commissioners
how to vote, and tell them II would be
bad thing for them If they didn't How
ever, these letters have given the com
missoners, who received them, no alarm,
and, as they have stated to friends, they
will, no doubt, vote as they please, and
as they think best for the interests of the
county
The anonymous letter incident is very
similar 70 the little scene between Chair
man Dale and Charles Carroll, a few days
ago, the latter making a similar demand
to that contained in the letters. 1t is
hardly probable that any of these efforts
to instruct the commissioners as to how
they must vote will have any bearing on
any of the elections which come before
them tomorrow.
It Is current talk now that the princi-
pal fight has simmered down to a contest
between those who favor the election of
Mr.. w. f. Chaplin to look after the roads
and incidentally the convicts, and Mr.. w.
F. Brown, the present county engineer,
who is a candidate for superintendent of
county public works, a position which COM
bines them ALL
MIR. Brown will undoubtedly be retain
want to see hin. put in charge of all the
county works with a foreman under him
to look after the road construction work.
They say he is fully capable of attending
to the entire work.
On the other hand there are those, who
want to see Mr.. Chaplin placed in charge
of the road work, on account of the fact
that he has made such excellent and sub
stantiai progress with the roads, which
have already been paved under his super
vision. 1t is said the contest among the
commissioners tomorrow will be along
these lines, and that there is not much
show for the other candidates.
OF course, no one likes to give a can
didate discouraging news. but there seems
to be little doubt that the situation is as
stated. Nevertheless candidates for the
position of superintendent of roads keep
appearing, and yesterday another was
added to the already long list. Justice of
the Peace Van r. Winkler is the last to
announce his candidacy for the position
at the head of the road work He has
been ex-officio justice of the peace in the
Eighth militia district by appointment of
the grand jury for more than twenty
years. and has made a good officer. The
other candidates, who have already been
mentioned are Messrs. Joseph Clay n.
b. Habersham, Martin Cooley and Alfred
Chisholm.
There has been practically no change in
the races for county physician and county
attorney. For the former, DR.. I. b.
Chisholm, the present incumbent, DR.. ].
G.. farrell, and DR.. r. S. Kenan are still in
the race. DIR. Chishoim's friends have
been doing some good work In his behalf
1t is said the opposition to him was
brought out through the influence of one
member of the board. AS the commits
sioners are not talking much 1t is hard
to tell what will be the outcome of this
fight.
Practically the same state of affairs ex-
lists with regard to the Office of county at
torney, Mr.. ]. r. Sauusy, the present in
cumbent being opposed by Mr.. p. J. O'Con-
nor Both of these gentlemen were strong
ly allied with the Liberal Club, so it may
be said the race is one wherein friendship
will cut more of a figure than politics.
There is little doubt now that the cleo
lions will take place tomorrow afternoon
The commissioners will probably caucus
first and when they come out in open meet
ing, everything will be put through Sc
renely in cut and dried order. But just
what that order will be Is the thing that is
now puzzling the minds of the candidates
TALE OF A WHEEL.