The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-09
MAY HAVE TO WAIT FOR IT.
COUNTY HAS NO MONEY FOR CITY
COURT OFFICIALS.

New Law Makes the County ResPon-
sibIe for City Court OfhciaIs' Fees
and Per Diems From April 4, But
There VIII Be No Money in the
Treasury for That Purpose Until
October-CIerk j. 6. Collins Thinks
the Matter VIII Come Out All
Right-City Has Made No Provision
Up to April.
An interesting question arises with re-
gard to the per diems and fees of the
sheriff, clerk and bailiffs of the City Court,
which, after April of this year, are pay
able, under the recent act of the Legisla-
ture, by the county. The interest in the
question comes of the fact that the county
has no money on hand with which to pay
those fees and per diems, and according
to all accounts will not have until the
taxes for 1898 are collected.
Up to 1889 all the expenses of the City
Court were born by the city. In that year
an act was passed, under which the coun-
ty was required to pay the judges salary
and the jury fees. Since that time there
has been a tax levied by the County Com
missioners annually amounting generally
to $1,000 or $4,000 for expenses of the
City Court.
Under the law the county budget is made
up and presented to the grand jury of the
Superior Court for the March term every
year. The commissioners, in making their
levy In August, after six months expert
ence with their budget, may reduce the
amount allowed to any one account, but
the appropriations cannot be increased
beyond the amount allowed by the grand
jury. Neither can the commissioners use
money appropriated for any other purpose
than for the account for which it is APP
propriated. The result is there is never
any Incorporated money in the county
treasury.
The appropriations made by the county
for the judges salary and the jury fees
for 1897 is about exhausted, and there Will
be no surplus when the time expires in
March.
The clerk of the City Court, Mr.. ]. :.
Collins, has written the County Commits
sioners letter notifying them that under
a recent act of the legislature all the ex-
penses of the City Court were put upon
the county, including the per diems and
fees of the clerk, sheriff and bailiffs.
In these expenses put on the county by
the recent act, are the fees and per diems
of the court officers, as stated, the insolv
ent costs going to the court officers, in
GLIDING the solicitor general, the fees to
the sheriff for conveying prisoners from
the Jail to the court house, printing and
advertising, meals for jurors and summons
for jurors. The amount expended for this
purpose by the city in 1896 was IS, 320.S5.
The county has no money on hand with
which to meet this additional burden, and
will not have until October, 1898, when
the collection of taxes will begin. Under
the law, it is stated, the county cannot
use any of the funds now on hand for the
purpose of meeting these expenses, be-
cause there are no unappropriated funds
in the treasury. This new expense must
be provided for in the budget of 1898, and
it will be prepared in March, the begin
ming of the County Commissioners fiscal
year being March 4.
1t appears, therefore, that the officers
of the City Court may have 10 wait for
the collection of taxes in October for the
fees due for their services from April I
UP to that time, which will be a wait of
about seven months Some of the officers
of the court have other sources of income
and would not be Inconvenience thereby
but it is not so with the bailiffs who de-
pend upon their per diems. Another perth
nent question Is how will ii fare with the
jury that is locked up for three days, if
the county has no money to buy meals?
Clerk j. s. Collins of the City Court was
asked about the matter and said he did
not think the court officers would have
any trouble in getting the amounts due
them, and which under the law are pay
able by the county.
Il do not see any reason why we should
have to wait" he said 1.-The county is
compelled to pay what is due under the
law, and the act distinctly states that the
County Commissioners must levy a tax
for the purpose. If they haven't got tho
money on hand. it seems to me under the
law they will have to levy a tax and pay
the expenses. l have not gone fully into
the subject, but 1t seems to me there is
no getting around the matter, and 1 do
not anticipate any trouble"
The city is responsible for these expenses
under the act until April of this year, but
it is said no provision has been made in
the city budget for them up to that time
Clerk Collins said he had written Mayor
Medrm about the matter, but did nct
know what would be done as he had re-
ceiYed no reply as yet.
SEEKING INFORMATION.