The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-07
REPORT WAS A COMPROMISE.
couuITFEE ACTS FAVORABLY ON
THE CITY COURT BILL.

put IL VIII Not Go Into Effect Until
the Expiration OF Solicitor Gem
eraI OsbOrne's Term-Warm Tilt
Retveen Osborne and Mcmillan.
The Former Characterized as
False Statements by Dillon and
McDonOugh.
Atlanta. Nov. 6.-The general Judiciary
Committee Of the House, by a vote of 20
to 15 this afternoon agreed to favorabl3
renort the bill of Representative LaRoche
10 separate the Offices of solicitor general
of tine Eastern circuit and solicitor general
of the city Court of Savannah and to elect
the solicitor of the City Court by vote
Of the people of Chatham county.
This report was agreed to after adopt
tng a substitute offered by Mr.. Park of
Greene, 20 section four and accepted by
1Ir LaRoche, which postpones the opera
ton Of the bill until the expiration of the
term Of Solicitor General Osborne, JAM !,
1871.
The substitute also provides for an cleo
ton at the general election in October,
1850. thereby striking the provision for an
election by the County Commissioners of
III ChatNdm county.
The Board of County Commissioners
came in for share of the red-hot discus
q sion that ensued between the Chatham
representatives. Messrs. LaRoche and Nc
Milan, and Solicitor General Osborne, the
the latter claiming that the board con-
tanned some bitter personal enemies to
* him, Representative LaRoche retorting
that his father-in-law was the chairman
4 Of the board
Hon. Fleming G. duBignon and Aiexan-
der Lawrence accompanied Mr.. Osborne
In his appearance before the committee
A motion was made to hear from Mr.. du-
4 Bignon, but he refused to say anything
further than to explain Mr.. Osbornes alb
seuce from his office by saying that three
months of Mr. Osborne's absence was due
10 sickness and that he and Mr. Barrow
aud others advised Mr.. Osborne to make
"trip North.
First He Had Heard of 1t.
At The opening of the session Mr.. Os-
borne led off by saying a few words, and
then asked the committee TO call upon the
Chatham representatives to show their
hands. He never heard OF this bill, he
said, till about thirty days ago. 1t was
never made public until 1t was introduced
h the House, ard the first knowledge the
people of Savannah had of its provisions
vas through the dispatch sent to the News
# he day of its Introduction.
Mr. Mcmillan said that the change was
d5mauGad by the people of Savannah and
added that there were peculiar conditions
surrounding the case which they did not
wish to bring out before the committee
and the Legislature.
Mr.. Osborne replied that no reason had
ben presented why the bill should pass
and there was nothing for him to argue
hf EF.alr aNfsar,e
clerk of the City Court that there was
paid only for the three years since he
was in office less than $4,000 for insolvent
costs including his salary, or about $4,000
per year. The two offices, he asserted, had
been held by the solicitor general for for
V-seven years, and all at once there ap-
peared demand for a change He said
a il was because of personal animosity to
q hlm He read a letter from Judge Nor
wood commencing his performance of the
i duues OF solicitor of the City Court, and
ID MS reply to Mr.. LaRoche he declared
n that ne had performed the duties of both
Offices, and did not delegate il TO an as
ssJant except when he was absent be-
cause of sickness.
Mr.. LaRoche in refutation of this de-
claGatlon submitted a certificate from the
c'erk OF the court showing fifteen in
stances where otl ers had acted as solici-
lot IN the Cily Court, embracing a period
o1 as many weeks.
Mr' Osborne answered this by saying
mat h was during his three months ab-
sence' which would take up twelve of the
weeks leaving only three instances not
covered hy sickness.
Mr' LaRoche HrCd he certificate and
calculated from il that only six of The abb
sehc's occurred after Mr.. Osborne's de-
ia,lure IN July on his sick feave That
0I1 hne Instances prior to that time.
sharp Tilt With Mcmillan.
-Hr' Osborne made no reply to this and
a Hol personal colloquy ensued between
NJ, sS'5 Osborne and Mcmillan that en-
~ ~ neg the procee dings considerably. Mr.
J'lN.'8n wanted to know if Mr. Osborne
W. net tod Mr.. MeDOnough that with
TL exception of him (dcDonough) and
an. ne he could send his office hoy up
sofl IeSehl chatham county. Mr.. Osborne
+'u mat IN defer5ne TO the committee
p,.,.ou ~ou d rot repeat what he had said 10
'eS, NATIVE McDonough but that what
NJ AIR. McDonOugh told Mr. Mcmillan
was the truth
,ro ''Iinan Slaton, raped for ordtr say
roe,. VA. any personal remarks would be
T1aUvl as grossly discoui teous TO he
f'''lee. During the tilt Me srs Os-
esab ana Mcmillan glared furously at
r,al preventative LaRoche was the spokes-
-ro..tr '9r lhe Savannah delegation and i'm
H. $50 the committee most favorably with
lar presentation of his side Of the
se1 lie said that they were the repre-
c'',',l'es co,r..s of the people of Chatham
t1Hly' elected without opposition. and
,y lucy We're presumed to know what the
So So, wanted. He firmly declared in re-
Con, 10 a question by a member Of the
thu ''''Il'ee that he believes the majority of
na.. VIlzens of Savannah wanted the bill
v,m,-, ana that he thought the change
l't De Tor the best interests of the pe1-
ce,. He submitted a letter from Tax Re
GO, g' ullon, showing that the insolvont
NV, pad for 1898 we're over $4,000 in the
IN courts. He submitted this, he said,
MAJ s'ahuatc a statement which he had
mn mat the solicitor had received that
",eH for a years work.
bl5 osborne explained that Mr. LaRoche
erg. 'ne figures for 1S9S but that for the
,o lhree years there was only 5000
WON, year. Mr.. LaRoche said he
ba accept that. He said there coulG
f" secured DlQntV Of briohf 0hIo opar-