The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-02
ETTER TO eRCvENSTEIN.
,,rr. DILLON'S ARGUMENT Fen d.
VISION OF SOLICITORS OFFICE.

oe,ee paid More Than $4,000 to
+b,. Present Incumbent-This Is
-b,. Document That Induced the
senator TO support the Bill Great
trs. a solicitor General of the City
court-TcxI of the Bills That Are
~ greatest Present Interest-If
rfty Court Solicitor Bill Becomes
INV. County Commissioners VIII
,,e,.c an Ad Interim appointment.
can't John r. Dillon, usually regarded
90 fine leader Of the Liberal Club factlon
IN rr, feht now waging for the enactment
If certain local legislation by the general
assembly of the state, has given the Morn
inc News an interview that states sue
,frotl,. the position taken by his wing of
III. Democratic party Of Chatham county.
1.-THE matter in which the public seems
n be most particularly interested"
said CAPT. Dillon, lis the bill
nrovi3ine for a separate solicitor gen
oral or the City Court of Savannah. To
,5is bin and the motives and reasons that
animated It's introduction, I have devoted
much serious thought and consideration,
and my IDEAS on the subject have been set
f,rrn IN q letter addressed by ME to Sen
stor Angus N. Grovenstein, representing
This district in the higher house of the
stan. LEGISLATURE" This letter Is as fol-
lows:
savannah. Ga, Oct. "a, 1Ss9.-Hon. An
e,,s NJ Giroyenstein, Senator From the
Fi-sl District, Atlanta, Ga: Dear Slr-In
the Morning News of Oct p. in the course
of an interview, you are quoted as having
said. THE bill providing solicitor gen
ora. for the city Court comes within this
class. and 1 have not yet made a positive
decision on the subject My decision is
LARGELY a question of facts and figures.
n I can be convinced that the office, when
divided win pay such a salary as will
insure The nomination for each OF the
nositions Of the very best men, and the
men who win look after the interests of
the state and county in the best possible
manner. then l viii favor rhe bill proYld-
ing for a separate solicitor. Otherwise l
snail oppose it,.
As one of your constituents, who Is a
tax payer Of Chatham county and the city
al Savannah, and, therefore, interested in
anv proposed local legislation, l desire to
Law before you for your Information and
consideration certain facts and figures,
which. [ think, will convince you that the
office of solicitor general, when divided,
will pay such a salary as will insure the
nomination for each Of the positions OF
ibe very best men, and men who will look
after the interests of the state and coun-
~ in the best possible manner" Before l
place my figures before you, let me call
your attention to the fact that the great
tr. aye the overwhelming, proportion or
the sums distributed to court officers IN
Chatham comes from fines imposed upon
gamblers. The court in which indictments
against this class of offenders is brought
Is selected by the solicitor general, who
can bring hem before the Superior or City
Court as he thinks proper.
The records of the two courts show that
fer the year 1898 the income of the solicit
tor general was $l3,O59. OF, actually paid TO
him IN cash during the year. have be-
fore me as ! write you a statement in the
handwriting of Mr.. James *. p. carr,
clerk OF Chatham Superior Court, show
Ing that for the year 1895 the solicitor gen
eral drew out Of the registry of the Su-
perior Court in cash. 500 from fines
alone imposed upon gamblers, and does
not include any other class of misdemeanor
fines, nor does it include costs. l also
have before ne a statement made up by
Mr.. Waring Russell, Jr., clerk of the City
Court of Savannah, which shows that on
Jan 1899, and Jan. IL, 1898, under or
ders previously granted, the solicitor gen.
eral drew out of the registry of that court
IN cash s. 33I07 for services rendered dur
ing 29S. The orders to which l refer are
as follows: One dated Aug. l, 1898, pro
vdlng for the payment TO this officiS of
A551.U, order dated Dec. Y, 1885, to pay
this same official 81 SIS Il; order dated Jan.
Il, 1889 TO pay him %, 157.1S Should you
doubt the accuracy of my fig
ures I refer you to the civil
minutes of the City Court under date Of
Monday, Jan. 9, 1899 and Wednesday,
Jan Il, 1893 as well as to the two clerks
mentioned ia addition TO these largo
sums The Solicitor General was paid by the
county of Chatham, in cash, $1,000, as sal
airy for services in the City and Superior
Cour
Thirteen thousand dollars is a large sum
OF money. The Governor of Georgia,
serves three years in the State House
without earning mat sum. A judge of the
superior Court works for six years with
out receiving that much 1t is over twice
lhe yearly salary of a United States Sem
ator
cannot lay the figures for 1899 before
you because the recol Is of the Superior
Ceutt snow that a distribution has been
ia" Ior only the March term, 1899, but,
1"N point you out In the minutes of the
.Vii the imposition of fines upon gam
-'' deafegauhg over 5000, without the
U.s. ~ court added thereto; and there Il
s.A. mother, and, generally speaking, a
RH"laple term yet to be held, to-wit, the
becenbcr term
1o1 VIII please bear in mind that the
it-e''or general has, as will have the so
,t OF The City Court, the right to prac-
"5e IN all civil courts, state and federal.
- u1st that these facts and figures.
--n are those of an average year, are
AN --, tent 10 demonstrate TO you, beyond
.1 'l mat the fees of the two positions
", 'I pc sufficiently large 10 insure the
-,l-.l''acy Of the best men," beg to re-
''' WITH respect yours very truly,
John r. Dillon
N Dili providing for the separate So
r...e 9l Tor The Cty Court has never been
b-- tel. II provides also for a special
a. OF 'he City Court, who shall be
ied ~ the solicitor general and shall
n.Ne 10 dismissal by him for mall
It'Nee in office or other wrong doing.
an - Understood that even before the pass
6{ o- the bill there are at least five can
~. Tor this Office of special baliff.
b45 equivalent 10 the similar Office now
81 under the solicitor general of the
"-tfilDT 'D1rrf 4. EN-