The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-01-07

with the opening of the court year
yesterday, number of changes took
place about the court house. Judge W.
G.. Newcomb took his place on the
bench: County Controller u. a. Jones,
Coroner j. T.. Saltry. NJ D., and Coun-
ty Surveyor NJ. p. Mitchell assumed
the offices to which they were elected.
and the county commissioners and
county auditors reorganized.
Judge Newcomb ascended the bench
with President Judge Edwards and
Judge Kelly at the opening of court.
The members of the bar who We're
present in large numbers rose and re-
nlained standing while Judge Ed
wards formally introduced the new
Judge. Clerk Williams read Judge
Ncwcomb's commission and then the
three judges proceeded to hear mo-
tions.
The motions being disposed of Judge
Edwards and Newcomb retired. leav-
ing Judge Kelly to deal with the grand
jury, constabes returns and equity
court BY invitation of Judge Edwards
the new Judge sat with him in cham
bcrs in the hearing of a rule to ap-
point Il guardian for an aged weak
minded woman and the taking of tes-
tmony on the rule to dissolve the in
junction in the case of C.. y. OMalley
against the borough of Olyphant.
FIRST OFFICIAL ACT.
The first individual official act of
Judge Newcomb was the attaching of
the courts conditional approval to the
.,r lo I.in ~
to make Brown Hollow turnpike free
road. The petition was represented by
c. r. Gardner.
Judge Newcomb was located in the
chambers on the first floor formerly
occupied by Judge Carpenter He
spent the afternoon there attending to
correspondence and receiving callers
who came to proffer their congratulate
tions.
The county commissioners reorEan-
lied by electng John J. Durkin.
chairnan: John Courier Morris, Sec
rctary and John Penman treasurer. In
the afternoon they held another ses-
sion and elected eX-Coroner S. p.
Longstreet, NJ. D.. as Jail physician to
succeed DR.. Saltry. who yesterday be-
came coroner There We're eight can
street was chosen as compromise.
All the other officials and employees
selected by the commissioners We're re-
appointed.
The auditors reorganized by electing
A. l.. Kiefer, president; William T..
John. secretary, and P. w. Costello,
treasurer
The county controller succeeds the
IL
all accounts up to the time the con-
troller took Office, July /, 1901. The ac-
counts yet to be audited are those
bearing date between January 1. 1901
and July !, 1901.
Both the commissioners and auditors
are in the third and last year of their
terms.
COMPENSATION THE SAME.
The auditors and commissioners met
and fixed the compensation of the
treasurer at the same figure as last
year.
The commissioners also proceeded to
fix the allowance of the sheriff for
feeding prisoners, but We're halted by
notice from O'Brien & Martin tina
they had no power TO deal with this
matter.
1t appears that Lackawanna county
has been illegally providing for this
matter ever since its organization. The
law under which the county has been
working is the act of 1868, special
act, referring specifically and conclu-
sively, not to Luzerne county, but to
the Luzerne county prison. Just COM
pleted." This act provides that the
county commissioners shall fix the
compensation to be allowed the sheriff
for feeding prisoners. The general act
of April II, 1856, is the one that con-
trolls, according to the contention of
Sheriff Schadt's attorneys, OBrien & |
Martin, and this act stipulates that the |
compensation shall be fixed by the |
court of quarter sessions.
WANT COMPENSATION FINED.
Mr.. Martin, of O'Brien & Martin, |
went before the court yesterday with |
a petition from Sheriff Schadt to have !
the court fix the compensation. Court |
declined to grant the petition, but di- |
rected that the matter be argued next |
Monday. Instructions We're given Mr., |
Martin to notify the commissioners |
and controller to be ready TO argue
the case Monday. Mr., Martin served |