The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-08
ON A FRUITLESS MISSION.
THE SEPARATE CIRCUIT BILL
KILLED BY THE HOUSE.

Judge FaIIignnt and the Committee
Went Up Armed With Resolutions
to Urge Its Passage-Chntham
County VIII Not BE Made "A Separ-
nte Circuit For Another Year at
Least-The Committee, However,
Can spend II Day With the states
SoIOns.
rhe Savannah bar was just a day too
late in sending its committee to Atlanta
TO urge the passage of the bill which pro-
posed to make a separate circuit Of Chat
ham county.
In addition to the committee appointed
Monday 10 go TO Atlanta in behalf of the
bill, the members of the bar at their
meeting yesterday requested Judge Rob
ert Falligant and Solicitor General W. W.
Osborne to make the trip. Mr.. Osborne
could not 90. but Judge Falligant consent
ed TO ioin the committee in spite Of the
fact that he was in the midst OF his busy
season.
Probably about the time the Savannah
bar was holding its meeting and prepat'
ing resolutions for the perusal of repre-
sentatiyes and senators, the debate was IN
progress in the House, which ended in the
defeat of the measure in question: and for
the present, at least. the eastern ju-
dicial circuit Will remain constituted as ii
now is.
The members of the bar held a meeting
in the superior court room yesterday af-
ternoon for the purpose of passing resolu-
lions on the suBect with which to arm
the committee The committee appointed
TO draw resolutions reported the follow
ing which were unanimously adopted
duly certified to and placed in the hands
of the gentlemen who went to Atlanta, as
they thought look after the inter
the interests of the Savannah bar and
of the county:
THE members of the bar of Chatham
county. in full meeting assembled at the
Chatham county court house, on the open
ing of the December term Of the superior
court
Resolved, That a committee of five ap-
pointed by the chairman of said meeting
should attend the present session OF the
legislature of Georgia and urge upon its
members tire propriety of creating OF
Chatham county separate judicial cir
cult and should bring to the attention of
that the criminal and civil business in
Chatham county is of a magnitude requir-
inc the undivided attention of the Judge
and solicitor general. 1t is therefore high
" incumbent upon that state legislative
body to provide ample time for its judges,
solicitors and attorneys to accomplish their
legal duties.
ut was further resolved That the said
committee impress upon the members of
the legislature, that in Chatham county
the time and attention of the superior
court, owing to the increasing population
and capital employed in its large
and varied business interests, is
chiefly occupied in the consideration
and determination of cases of the utmost
magnitude, leaving numbers of other inn
portant cases undisposed of from term to
term because Of lack of time for the
judge fully to consider them.
'Ir was further resolved, That his honor,
Judge Robert Falligant, and Solicitor Cen
eral w. w. Osborne be requested to lend
their presence and support to the commit
tee in furthering the passage of the meas
ure now pending for the creating of Chat
ham county into a separate judicial cir
cult.
Savannah, Ga. / certify the foregoing
to be true extract from the minutes of
a meeting of the Savannah bar. held this
afternoon. Dec. z 1897. ]. r. Saussy,
Attest Chairman.
ct. p. Ravenel, Secretary"
In addition to these resolutions some
statistical information from the records of
Chatham superior court was gathered and
placed in the hands Of the committee. This
information shows the increase in the bus
mess of the court from year to year, and
demonstrates how it Is impossible somes
times to dispose of the important business
on account of a lack OF time, from two
to three months of the time of the judge
IL t.s~s,
every year at the courts of the country
counties.
The committee has only a short time in
which TO do its work, and 1t will be fortu-
nate to get the bill through at this ses-
sion, considering the rush of business that
usually comes at the close of legislative
sessions.
Judge Falligant was in the midst of a
busy session here himself and did not feel
like taking the time to go to Atlanta. He
considered. however, that the matter was
one of great Importance to the people here,
and being urged by the bar to go. he con-
scented. Mr.. Osborne could not go, be-
ing detained on account of business
Armed with the certified copy of these
resolutions and with other information
and statistical data, going to show that
the business of the superior court has
been increasing every year. and is still
Increasing, Judge Falligant and the COM
mittee took the train for Atlanta last
night at 10 o'clock, unaware of how fruit
less their trip was TO be.
The report came last night that the
measure had been defeated, after a spir-
tied debate in the House. in which Mayor
Meldrim and others spoke earnestly in
favor of its passage. The committee VIII,
therefore, enjoy a day in Atlanta with the
solons, and return TO report that it arrived
in the Gate City too late to get in word
on the subject