The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1898-01-28
ITEMS OF NEWS
FROM ROUND us.
The Bridge Case at Rome to
be Investigated.
HIGH WATER AT MEMPHIS
Macon's Mayor to Issue the
Twelfth Annual
Address.

Special % The E1pos.ior
ROME. GA-(speclal)-Tbe Floyd
County grand jury has stacked mp
more trouble for ex-County School
Commissioner W. NJ. Bridges.
In addition TO the many charges al-
ready pending against Bridges, such a.
forgery, embczzlement, etc, the grand
jury came In with an indictment
charging him with larceny after trust
delegated and names an amount OF
some $500.
This is that part Of the common
school fund which Bridges was re-
quired TO pay into the Treasury Of the
city Of Rome for public school pur-
poses Under n late ruling OF the Su-
preme Court Bridges Is not liable 10
the county Of Floyd for this money.
but is liable personally to Commission
er Glenn and in tuin Is liable to the
city OF Rome.
Bridges is now out on a $1,000 bond
and was only released from custody
after several unsuccessful attempts To
make his bond good He viii proba-
bly, have to 60 to Jail again as soon
as a warrant is issued under the new
charge.
The situation as explained by an emf
nent Rome lawyer Is this: Commits
sioner Glenn, instead Of sending this
money to the city treasurer direct
sent It to Bridges, who was then Coun-
ty School Commissioner. The money
should not have been sent through
Bridges in the first place Therefore
the county cannot hold Bridges for EN-
bezzlement, but can hold him for lar
ceny after trust delegated, and in fall
IRE Of that 1t would seem that the city
would look to the commissioner for
this money
Bridges was convicted Of embazzle-
ment at the last term Of the Superior
Court in Rome, and sentenced to five
years Imprisonment in the peniten-
tiary. The Supreme Court reversed
the lower court and he is now out on
bond awaiting a new trial.
That portion of the Supreme Court
decision upon which this case hinges
reads as follows "That portion of
the State school fund which is devoted
to the maintenance of the public school
system in the city of Rome is not the
property of the county Of Floyd, and
the County School Commissioner OF
that county has no authority, in bis
official capacity, either to receive OF
disburse it, and hence an Indictment
alleging that such officer had embez
zled a certain sum of money which
was alleged therein to be the property
of the county of Floyd is not supported
by evidence that he received and ap
proprated fund belonging to the city
of Rome"
The principal ground of reversal ii
the old case seems to have been the
decision above quoted, and now thu
grand jury brings in a separate bill
to-day covering that decision.
Bridges was County School Commits
sioner in Rome for many years ant
had the confidence of all the people
He was very prominent Baptist min
lister and stood very high among his
brother ministers. His career in re
cent years has been the one big sen
sation in Floyd County-and more in
terest has attached to his case thai
any in this section Of the State 70
years.
When the numerous cases now pend
ing against Bridges were first brough
to the attention of the grand jury tn
alleged embezzlement of the count,
school funds and the city school fund
were included in the same true bill
which proved fatal error when car
ried up to the Supreme Court.
Bridges new trial under the late rul
ing Of the Supreme Court will com
UP next week and is sure to attract
great deal Of attention.