The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-09
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE AT wAn.
City Justices Charge Their Country
Brothers With EncrOachment.

The influx of out-of-town magistrates
has become such as to almost precipitate
war between them and the city justices,
who claim that justice has no right 10
come from his district to the city and ex-
ercise jurisdiction. The city justices have
placed the matter before the grand jury,
and something in this connection may be
included in their presentments 10 the Su-
perior Court.
There are sixteen justices in Chatham
county who represent the eight militia
districts. OF these there are two repre-
sentatives in each district, one of whom is
elected and the other appointed by the
Governor. The claim is made that all
Judicial acts of the justices outside their
own districts are void, and If attacked,
would not stand in law. The matter has
been called 10 the attention Of the grand
jury by the city Justices who have been
submitting their records for examination.
and 1t may be that some action will be
taken.
Justice G. E. Bevans, city appointee
OF the Governor gave his ideas on the
question and said he did not believe ex-
of1lcio justices outside the county had any
right to act within the city limits. "They
seem to think they have concurrent juris-
dlction with the city Justices" said he,
but, 10 my mind, that is an error. By
the acts of 1S80-S1, the limits of militia
districts outside the county are described
as follows: All the territory east Of ths
savannah, Sea board and, S1idaway Rail-
road, including the islands, and not within
Inc limits of Savannah, shall be she Fifth
militia district. the territory between the
savannah, Seaboard and Skidaway Rall-
road and the Savannah, Florida and West
ern Railroad, not within the city limits,
shan be the Sixth district; the territory
between the Savannah, Florida and West
ern Railroad and the Savannah and Ogee-
chee Canal, not in the city limits. shall
be the Seventh district; the territory be-
tween the Savannah ana Ogeechee Canal
ana the Savannah river, NOT within the
city limits, shall be the Eighth district. +"
justice Bevans said that by section 1858
OF the code Of 1882 the justices OF the four
city districts were given jurisdiction two
miles from the city limits. He thinks.
however. this is unconstitutional. for the
reason that the mere act of the city ex-
tending it's limits did not change the NIL
lltla districts that were established by
me acts of 1Ss0-a, which have never been
repealed. He also said it was provided bv
section 4lO2 of the code of 1895, that JUS
tees courts, notaries public and ex-oficio
justices courts in militia districts en-
braced in any city in Georgia of over 900
population, should have Jurisdiction. over
their districts as fixed by the constitution.
and hold monthly courts at convenient
places. This ne believed TO be unconsti-
tutlonal If the justices outside the CITY
encroached upon it, because the acts Of
lSe5-S5, liking the venue of Justices courts
in cities of certain population. did not
contemplate that the country districts
} should be embraced in Savannah.
Some of the justices comprising the
Firth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth districts
claim that because the city extended It's
UNITS into portions of their districts. they
rave concurrent jurisdiction with justices
mere. Just where the matter will end Is
not apparent, but the out-of-town Justices
now in Savannah maintain their right to
stay