The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-08
KEILBACH TO BE ORDINARY.
COMMISSIONER WILL APPOINT HIM
AID INTERIM. TO FILL VACANCY.

AID INTERIM. TO FILL VACANCY.
Appointment VIII Continue Until an
Election Is Held to FIJI the Unex-
pfred Term and the Ordinary
Chosen at This Election Is Quail
fed-C commissioners VIII Call Thls
Election for Jan. 20 or Jan. 30.
Mai. Screven and Mr. Alexander
and Probably MIR. kciIbach viii
he in the Race-Mr. Saussy ana
Col. Cam Regarded Strong
Probabilities.
Either tomorrow or Thursday after
noon, at the called or regular meeting of
the Board OF County Commissioners, Mr..
Frank +. KeIbach, for nearly seventeen
years clerk of the Court of Ordinary, will
be appointed, ad interim, to fill the va
cancy created by the death of Judge Fer
rin
! While this announcement cannot be made
officially, IL may be relied upon as cor
rect. The representations made the Com
missioners yesterday in behalf of Mr..
Keilbach were so strong and the Commits
sioners' own appreciation of the propriety
of his appointment to the ad-interim term
so complete that their minds were qu.cx-
" made up, and any doubt on the sub
| ject that may previously have existed van
ished.
one OF the controlling factors in induc-
Ing the appointment was the fact that
there are many accounts still owing
Judge Ferrill, which should be collected
through the Court of Ordinary, and much
judicial work already done by him, while
he was in life, for which he has never
been paid. With these various matters
no one is so familiar as Mr.. Keibach-
indeed he is the only man who knows
anything about them, and it was felt
that he should be permitted to have
charge of the Office untn these accounts
| could be adjusted, the amounts owing to
Judge Ferril be collected and the office
be got in readiness to be turned over TO
| his successor.
1t was the wish of Judge FerriIPs fam
lily that Mr. Keilbach should be given
this position, and this wish was ex-
| pressed to the Commissioners and other
prominent citizens of Savannah who have
Influence with them.
Yesterday morning Mr.. James X p
Carr, clerk Of the Superior Court, as
oNihSH 'ileti &c VI the once OF Ordinary.
as he is directed to do under the law
when it becomes vacant by the death Of
the incumbent. MIR. Carr is authorized.
under the law, to do whatever the Or
binary might do as the clerk of his own
court, pr whatever the clerk of the Court
of Ordinary might do. but not 10 discharge
any judicial functions Two marriage
licenses were issued which bear his name
The County Commissioners seem to
have got rid of the idea that there is any
doubt about their qualification and their
right to exercise their powers as COM
missioners and on tomorrow afternoon,
when a special meeting will be held or
on Thursday afternoon, when the first
regular meeting Of the board will be held,
the Commissioners will proceed to APP
point Mr. Keilbach Ordinary ad-interim,
and to call an election to fill the unex-
pired term of Judge Ferrill.
This term viii be of nearly four years, as
Judge Ferrilfs last term began only on
Jan. l. of the current year
If the Commissioners call on election at
either of these meetings. it must be held
on either Jan. % or Jan. 30, according
whether it is called tomorrow or Thurs
day. The law says the Commissioners
, shall give twenty days notice of the cleo
ton.
When ii comes. there will be two candi-
dates certainly in the field, Maj. Thomas
Screven and Mr.. A. L. Alexander. 1t is
very likely that MIR. Frank e. Keilbach
win also be a candidate, and very prob
able that there will be other entries in
the race
With triangular fight for the office, be-
tween Maj. Screven and Messrs. Alexan-
der and Keilbach, the race would be an
interesting one All of them have been
members of the Citizens Club. the present
dominant political faction, since the time
of its organization, so that on this basis
! they would start out even. Maj. Screven
has the advantage of wide personal pop
uiarity, that extends Through every class
of the population of Savannah; Mr.. Alex
ander, it is understood. will have the
backing of the administration and certain
a ly already has the strong Endorsement Of
a number of those most influential in its
councils; Mr. Keilbach is also popular
would be likely, in the event of the three
cornered race not being made more ang l.
lar still, to receive the Endorsement and
support of a majority of the members Of
the bar, and have the prestige that comes
from seventeen years of connection with
the office, and a thorough knowledge of
it's duties.
Mr.. j. r. Saussy and Col. George T
Cam, of the several others who have
been spoken of in this connection, are re-
garded as the most likely to be in the
race at the election to fill the unexpired
term. Both are strong, and with their
addition TO the field, it would take a pc
litical prophet of more tnan average abn-
ity to forecast the result. Mr.. j. S Col
Inns has said that he would be in the race
and he, too, has many elements Of
strength.
With every addition to the field that is
made there is an added inducement to
other candidates to declare themselves
Opposed to a single other candidate. some
of these gentlemen might not feel them
selves strong enough to make the race
and win, but, with a bunch at the post and
clear field, even a comparatively weak
man may hope that he viii come under
the wire ahead of the others.
DROPPED MANY MEMBERS.