The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-02
COSTS CHARGED TO THE CITY.
CITY COURT OFFICERS PUT IN
BILLS FOR A YEAR.

| The Sheriff Wants 5000 and the
Clerk $500 for InsoIvent Costs.
The City Liable for the Expenses
of the Court Until April Lefty
Attorney Adams to Decide Whether
the officers Are Entitled to the
Amount Claimed or Only the Pro-
portion for the First Quarter.
Mayor MeIdrim Refers to Recent
Legislation.
Clerk ]. S. Collins of the City Court call
ed upon Mayor Meldrim yesterday in ref
erence to the bills for insolvent costs of
the clerk and sheriff of the court, and also
the per diem of the officers between Jan.
and April l.
When the city budget for the present
year was made up no provision was made
for the expenses of the City Court, the
burden of that court having been placed
upon the county by a recent act of the
legislature AS the act does not become
effective until April l, however, and the
county cannot he held liable for the ex-
| penses of the court until that time, and
the city having made no provision for the
court, the officers of that court would ap-
pear to be working for love of country
during the first quarter of the present
year.
AlthoughNall good patriots, the officers
of the City Court are not disposed to
work for glory only when they can find
somebody whose duty it is to pay them
The point as to the city's liability was
raised some time ago, and the city attor-
ney, to whom the question was referred
decided that the city was liable for its
proportion of the courts expenses under
the old arrangement with the county until
the time set for the act to go into effect
The old law provided that the city should
pay the Solicitor General $500. the Sheriff
$500 and the clerk 500 each year on ac-
count of insolvent costs. In the amend
ment to the act the amount to be paid
TO the Solicitor is placed upon the county
Consequently, there is no question as 10
the Solicitors insolvent costs. 1t will be
remembered that some question was raised
year or two ago as to the right of the
CITY Court officers to collect the entire
amounts allowed them for insolvent costs
lot the year in the early part of the
year In reply it was shown that the In
solvent costs of these officers amount to
several times the appropriations made to
TINS purpose by the city and county. The
officers claimed that as soon as their in.
so!Vent costs had amounted to the appro-
prlatlons allowed for the purpose these
latter became due and were collectible nv
theIn, ana 1t was demonstrated that il was
an easy matter to run up bills for insol-
vent costs in short time. Their conten.
tlons were allowed at that time
Inc clerk and sheriff have now nresent
ca ollls for the $500 and $500 due them. re-
spectively, for insolvent costs for tba
present year under the old ARRANGEMENT.
beSldes their per diem for time served
since Jan. l. The bills are for the fun
amount, although the city's liability ends
Aplli l. 1t seems that in making up these
DilIs the officers claim that they have the
risht TO include costs accumulated during
tIle previous year which the amounts an
proprlated for that year were insufficient
to satisfy
Inc matter has been referred to the
CITY attorney for his opinion, " said Mavor
Meldrlm, when approached on the subject
by Morning News reporter yesterday
Ihere are two points to be passed upon
One is whether the officers of the Cjtv
Court have right to include insolvent
costs occurring previous to Jan in MAX
ing up their bills for this year, and the
other is that if this be not the case.
whether the city is liable for the fun
amounts for insolVent costs hitherto APP
- StS--eNNSN annually ny the city IOf tnlS
purpose, or whether it is liable only for
the one-quarters proportion, as the entire
burden OF the City Court falls upon the
county after April J. These questions the
city attorney viii pass upon"
L was instrumental" said Mayor Mel
drim, in having a bill passed at The last
session of the legislature Pacing the bur-
den OF the City Court upon the county
did this because the City Court has long
SINCE become county court in everything
except in name and there was no longer
any reason why the city should share in
its maintenance But for the opposition
OF the senator from this dis
trict the election of the Clerk
and sheriff of the City Court would also
have been placed in the hands of
the county commissioners. I was willing
TO provide that the present officers should
serve out their terms. The present cffi-
Gals were elected for three years and their
terms viii expire while the present board
of County Commissioners are still in Of
fee The term of the present board of
Mayor and aldermen will have expired
by that time before that time, however
and a new board will have been elected
and installed. Those who opposed the
placing Of the election of these officers
in the hands of the County Commission
ers doubles expect that a different board
will be elected at the next election with
whom their chances for reelection will
be better than with the present board
| This explains why the election of the
clerk and sheriff remains in the hands of
Council while the expense of the court is
placed upon the county"