The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-20
NEW SHERIFF IN OFFICE.
swEENY QUALITIES AND Is SWORN
IN by COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.


Fill the Unexpired Term Shall BE
HeId-InconsiEtencie in Public
DODds-TcIephOne Poles on
Schwarz Avenue to BE Removed
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Approve
the Tax Collectors Account for
Collection of InsoIvent Taxes.
Yesterday afternoons meeting Of the
Board of County Commissioners was sig
nalized by the induction into office of Sher-
if Thomas j. Sweeny, upon his giving
the bond and taking the oath required by
law. His commission had been received
from the Governor during the morning
and it was delivered to him as soon as he
had qualified.
The newly appointed sheriff took charge
without much ceremony. His bond had
been prepared, and as it bore the names
of some of the most reliable citizens of the
county, it was readily approved Then
the oath of office was administered, Chair
man Dale delivered a paternal lecture to
the new sheriff, and the ceremonies were
at an end. The commissioners discussed
at their meeting the collection of insolvent
taxes and the chairman reminded Sheriff
Sweeny, that in this matter, as he was
new broom, he would be expected TO
sweep exceedingly clean.
There was no formal discussion among
the commissioners as to the time when the
special election to MI the unexpired term
of Sheriff Roman would be held. From
special election is not to take place within
a month or six weeks at least. As the
law requires that twenty days notice be
given, il is rather probable that six weeks
instead of four will be the time elapslng
before the special election will be held, As
has been said, il is improbable that Sheriff
Sweeny Will have any opposition at this
election and that he will secure the office
for the remainder of the unexpirei term, Is
| a matter almost assured-certaiuly as
| much assured as anything political can
possibly be.
In the matter of the bond that the law
requires shall be given by the sheriff, there
are some peculiar features. He is re-
| quired to give a bond of $4,000, while the
receiver of tax returns is required TO give
a bond of $S5, 900. In the course Of the year
| it is quite possible that the sheriff will
! handle half a million dollars or more
| while it is quite impossible for the receiv-
| er of tax returns TO handle single cent
other than the commissions allowed him by
| law. 1t is among the Inconsistencies of
| politics, that has its base probably in the
| apparent necessity that no unworthy or
| unqualified man shall occupy the office of
| receiver, that this discrepancy in the
| amount of bond required is due. Former
| ly the bond of the receivers of tax returns
was fixed at $150000, but this has been
| reduced by legislative enactment 10 one
| third of the assessed taxes OF the couu-
| ty.
| The commissioners passed an order
| curing certain telephone poles, that had
been placed in position along the right of
| way of SchwaTz avenue, without permits
| sion from the county or its representatives,
| be straightway removed. The order passed
| by the board was as follows:
| Whereas, information has been received
! of the fact that telephone poles have been
| erected along the right of way of Schwarz
avenue, a public thoroughfare, without
| authority from this court therefore, be
it ordered, that the Superintendent of Pub
| lie Works and Roads shall cause the same
| to be removed at once" The Instructions
| were put in place by one of the telephone
| companies without permission from the
| Board OF County Comma SSlOnerS, and IN
| accordance with its orders the poles will
| be removed at once by the Superin tendent
| of Public Works and Roads. 1t is quite
| within the pI liabilities that had proper APP
| phcation been made the necessary permis-
sion would have been granted, but the tel
| ephone company saw fit to go ahead with
! the work of construction before any pre-
| lminary steps had been taken. The re-
| suit was to have been expected.
The commissioners also audited the books
| of the tax collector, so far as they had
| reference to the collection of insolvent
taxes from the year 1890 to the present
| time, and allowed him the commission of
| 5 per cent for collection that had been
! fixed by a former board. The returns
| showed that in this time about $4,000 had
J been collected and the commissioners
agreed that this was quite a good showing
| There was no disposition TO cut down the
commission on the part of The commission
! ers, the entire board agreeing that consid-
| ering the difficulty of collection it was not
! too much.
The informal discussion of the time
when the special election to fill the office
of sheriff of the county, for the unexpired
| term of Sheriff Roman. consumed only
few minutes and none of the commission
] ers was prepared to make its results pub
| lie. 1t is doubtful, though, from all that
can be ascertained, that the people of the
| county will be required to annoy Them
| selves about an election for forty-five days
or more from the present time.