The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-10
THEIR BILLS TURNED DOWN.
County billed for a Disqualified
voters List of 1886 Names.

voters List of 1886 Names.
The bills Of The clerk of the Superior
Court, tax collector and Ordinary for
$2l5.9i each, for making out the list of
disqualified voters for the last county
election, as required by law, were turned
down by the commissioners in a most de-
cided manner on the ground thai the bills
were out of all reason.
The law regulating this matter provides
that before each county election the Ordi-
nary, tax collector and clerk OF the Supe-
rior Court, acting together, shall investi-
gate all the records of The county for the
purpose of ascertainiug the number of
those who are disqualified by law from
voting either by reason of default, taxes,
crimes as disqualify voter, or having
been convicted OF idiocy. list Of all
such disqualified voters is required TO be
furnished to the board Of commissioners,
and each OF the three officials named is
allowed a fee or one and a half cents for
each name on the list.
The three officials Interested were evident
up the list of disqualified voters for 1898.
Whereas there were only 4,340 registered
votes the official committee turned I'm q
list of 1886 names of disqualified voters.
Each billed the county for that number
of names at IL cents each. amounting to
the sum of $215.34 each for their services.
The manner in which the matter was
viewed by the board is set forth in res
olution. offered by Commissioner Lyons
and adopted by The board. The resolution
orders that the bills for making out tho
list of disqualified voters be returned for
Information and for certihcation. and that
there be made out 'one list alphabetically
arranged, showing whether white or col
ored. of all persons living in the county of
Chatham on Jan. I, 1898. who were disqual-
fled from voting in that year by reason of
the caused named in the registry act, and
that the said officers submit TO this board
the list SO made out"
1.-THE bill presented of IA, 1856 names is so
disproportionate to the population that the
commissioners are convinced that there Is
some error in the bill, says the resolu-
ton
IL is understood that in making up this
list the officials included all whose names
appeared as tax defaulters since 1878 and
also an convicted of crimes or idiocy, dis
qualifying them as voters for number
of years. glance over the list showed
that il contained the names of men who
had been dead for years, some who have
been in the asylum for years and others
who were sentenced to the penitentlary
some time ago. This the commissioners
do not believe is the intention of the law as
il calls for list only of disqualified voters
living within the county. The yearly re-
ports of the city directory show how
shifting the city's population is, thousands
departing and thousands coming In to
take their places. Adding the "a 1856 names
reported as disqualified to the 1910 who
were on the registery list for 1898 and there
would result an apparent total of 1896
males of voting age in Chatham county,
or about three times the largest regislra-
ton ever recorded. The officials, the com
missioners believe. msconstrued the law
and exceeded the duties required of them.
They were acting, as they thought, on an
opinion furnished by the county attorney.
Tax Collector McGowan's bill included his
charge for the registration of 1898, $40
names al cents each amounting to SILT
This bill is strictly within the law and
will be paid.