The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-11
THE BRUNSWICK CIRCUIT.
No Change Needed, Says solicitor
General Bennett.


Waycross, Ga. Sept. 10.-A topic OF
interest is the talk of changing the
Brunswick judicial Circuit and the
formation of a new one Solicitor Cen
eral John w. Bennett has returned
from Cornelia, Ca, where he has been
spending the summer. He was seen by
a reporter, and asked as to his opinion
about the new circuit talk.
II have read the interviews that
have appeared in the state papers in
reference to the creation of new judi
cial circuit by taking counties from
the Brunswick and Southern circuits,
he said. Il am of the opinion that
there is not the slightest necessity for
the creation of such new circuit The
| dockets of the several counties of the
| Brunswick Circuit are not in the
| slightest degree crowded or congested,
with the possible exception of Coffee
| county, and in my opinion two weeks
session of court will clear 1t up. A large
proportion of the criminal cases pend
| ing there are old offenSes. Former sher-
ifs were not successful in apprehend-
ing and arresting many of the old Of
tenders Sheriff Switzerland is meet
ing with more success, with the result
that they are nearly all in custody
ready for trial.
If ii should be found necessary to do
so, however, the court calendar of this
circuit could be changed without incon-
venience, to give Coffee county a two
weeks session, instead of one. The
other counties usually get through their
dockets in about half the time allowed
them. The sevral city courts of the
circuits have largely relieved the dock
cts of the Superior Courts.
Mr.. Bennett was then asked his opin-
ion as to the prohibition laws of the
Brunswick circuit. 1t has been known
by a few people that the high license
laws of at least eight counties in the
circuit are null and void. Mr.. B. b.
Gray of Coffee county stated in an in
terview a few days ago that the courts
were somewhat tardy in dealing with
violators of the high license law.
Commenting on this, Solicitor Ben
nett said LAS to the liquor cases in
Coffee county, it is true that the grand
jury did indict Guthrie for running a
barroom in Douglas, and the County
Commissioners empowered Mr.. Gray to
employ counsel to assist in the prose-
cution of this case Mr.. Gray conferred
with Mr.. ]. w. Walters of Albany about
the matter. Mr.. Walters, am inform
ed after investigating the law, told
| Mr. Gray that it would be a waste of
money to employ counsel to prosecute
! the case, as, under recent decisions of
the Supreme Court, the act creating a
| high license for Coffee county was void.
ut is true" continued Mr.. Bennett,
that this question was submitted sew
eral months ago by Judge Bennett, upon
a demurrer filed by Quincy e McDon-
aid, of Douglas, in the case of the state
VS.. Nat Solomons. l argued this case
before Judge Bennett, and he intimated
that he was inclined to sustain the de-
murrer. / requested him to withhold
his decision until Hon. L. A. Wilson
could submit brief upon the subject.
After Mr.. Wilson had submitted the
brief, Judge Bennett informed him in
my presence, that he was prepared to
render his decision, but would be COM
PEELED to sustain the demurrer and hold
the Coffee county law Unconstitutional
Mr.. Wilson then requested Judge
Bennett to withhold his decision, and
permit him to make case in the City
Court of Waycross, and take it to the
Supreme Court, as he was satisfied that
Judge Williams had a different opinion
on the subject. In order to allow the
state this opportunity the decision was
withheld. Judge Bennett did not sus-
pend his decision for fear of being re-
versed, but he did it at the earnest
request of Mr.. Wilson, myself and 9TH
ers interested in the temperance
cause. Had his decision been rendered
that the law was unconstitutional, the
result would have been that every man
who desired to do so could have opened
UP a bar room in Douglas, provided he
could obtain the necessary license from
the city of Douglas"