The Savannah morning news., 1902-10-25
MEYER PAID 1927
WORTH $4,000 AND WENT TO JAIL
TO SAVE $3.50.
FOR SUNDAY LAW-BREAKING.
WANTED REBATE FOR TIME
SERVED IN JAIL.

Found That He Would Be Forced to
Pay the Full Amount of the Fine.
and Sent to Clerks Office to Get n
Reduction in Court COsts-Had to
Pay Nearly $500 to Gain His Free
dom-wife Prevailed Upon Him to
Leave the JaiI-Strange Attitude
of Man who Owns $4,000 Worth
of Taxable PrOperty-History OF
the Case.
The fine of John F. Meyer. the we'll
to-do German who preferred six
months Incarceration in the county
Jail to the payment of $3.50, was paid
yesterday morning. and a discharge
from custody was issued by Sheriff
Schwarz; not, however, before the
prisoner had made an effort to secure
a rebate for the two weeks already
served and attempted to obtain a re-
duction of court costs from the clerk.
Meyers case is recalled by readers of
the Morning News. Several months
ago he was tried in the Superior Court
on a charge of keeping a tipping
house on the Sabbath" He was
found guilty, and sentenced to pay a
fine of $3.50, or spend six months in
Jail. The case was taken to the Su
preme Court, Meyer giving bond.
Supreme Court Against Him.
About two weeks ago the Supreme
Court, on considering the case. upheld
the lower court in it's finding, and
Meyer was notified to pay the fine and
on failure so to do, be remanded to
Jail. To the surprise of everyone who
knew anything about the case, he gave
himself up to the sheriff, declaring it
his intention to serve his sentence
rather than pay the fine.
Meyer was forthwith locked up His
friends, learning of his incarceration,
made haste to raise the amount of the
fine, but were astonished, on exam
ing the tax books. to find that Meyer
owned not less than $4,000 worth of
taxable property in his own right.
Some of his friends saw him in Jail
and tried to dissaude him from his
purpose. Their argument was of no
avail. Meyer took very philosoph-
ical, though not altogether sensible,
view of the matter.
Meyers Way of Looking at 1t.
81 am out of employment" he said
why should 1 not make $40 a month
doing nothing?" In spite of their en-
treaties he remained obdurate. His
wife has been regular visitor at the
Jail. and it is her visitations, it seems,
that have finally convinced Meyer that
it would be better for him to leave the
Jail and look for employment.
Meyers consent. at first. was condi-
tional upon a rebate being allowed him
for the time he had served. He ar
gued that he should be made to pay
but $780, since he had served $40 worth
of time in Jail. Sheriff Schwarz could
not see it that way. and told Meyers
wife, when she came to see him. that
even If her husband languished in jail
until ten minutes before his sentence
expired, and then desired TO be re-
leased before his time was up, he
would have to pay the entire amount.
Wanted Costs Reduced.
When the rebate plan had failed, the
Clerk of the court was approached. He
was asked if he would reduce the
amount of costs which he held against
the prisoner if he paid the fine The
clerk could see no virtue in such an
act. and declined to make any reduc-
ton. Failing to get any rebate, or any
per cent. off for cash. Meyer decided,
after turning the matter over in his
mind from every conceivable view
point, to pay up.
Instead of a fine of $3.50, imposed by
the court at the trial. he paid yester-
day, or else 1t was paid for him. the
sum of s29I.45. which amount was in
elusive of costs incident to the appeal
of the case and his recent commitment
His ardorous resolution to remain in
the Jail throughout the six months was
doubtless, given a decided jolt by the
HhPprlaGG a
which that undesirable place of abode
afforded, and which it assumed in more
aggravated form as the prisoner count
ed the days of his imprisonment