The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-08
MAY IMPEACH .JUDGELOVEJOY Information Submitted to
 Supreme Court. RECORD IN CASE LENGTHY There are "A Specifications in the Charges.
 Charging and Receiving Excessive
 Fees, Neglect of Duty and Corruption Charged Against
 Probate Judge of Etowah.

Information for impeachment proceed ings against J. II. Lovejoy, Probate Judge of Etowah County. was submitted to the Alabama Supreme Court yesterday morning by c. D. Motley. lawyer of Gadsden. representing w. II. Hood. T, C. Galloway, s. H. Mayes. Thomas l.. John son and J. w. Lawrence. citizens and tax-payers of Etowah County. who have preferred charges against Judge Love1oy. setting out that he "has been guilty of wilful neglect of duty and corruption in
 The information was submitted to the Court by Mir. Motley for an order re- quiring Judge Lovejoy to appear before the Court and answer the charges. If an order is granted by the Court 1t will be sent to the Sheriff of Etowah County for service on Judge Lovejoy and date will be set for the hearing of the case by the Supreme Court.
 Mir. Motley was required by the Clerk of the Court to give bond for his clients in the sum of $500.
 There are twenty-four specifications in the charges against Judge Lovejoy and the record in the case Is lengthy.
 The first three specifications allege that Judge Lovejoy received excess fees for issuing marriage licenses to Lem Cam- mons and Mexico Davis, and to Allison w. Gray and Lucia Morgan and that up this information he charged and cor ruptly received the sum of s2 for issuing and recording marriage licenses"
 Specification four charges that Judge Lovejoy corruptly charged and received fee of si.So for approvins.. filling and recording the official bond of W. H. Martin, as a Notary Public. which is "a higher fee than Is authorized by law.
 Specification five alleges that Judge Lovejoy charged an excessive fee of s2.S0 for approving and filing the bond of William Chandler as Sheriff of Etowah County.
 Specifications six and seven allcge that Judge Lovejoy charged and received ex- cessive fees for recording mortgages for Mary Gwin and s. s. Gwin and B. o. Lee.
 Specifications eight and nine. allege that Judge Lovejoy charged the County of Etowah excessive sums IS costs for hold ing the County Court and that he re- ceived the money.
 Specifications ten. eleven and twelve al- lege that Judge Lovejoy charged and re- cessive fees for inq,Iisition in Iunacy cases and for recording the minutes of the Commissioners Court.
 Specification thirteen alleges that Judge Lovejoy "corruptly charged and received from the County of Etowah the sum of $i25 for making an abstract for the Tax Collector, which fee or item of cost Is unauthorized by law -t.
 Specifications fourteen and fifteen al- lege that Judge Loveioy charged and re- ceived from Etowah County fees for making statements of the fina ncial con- dition of the County and for statements of bond sales, which fees it is alleged are unauthorized by law.
 Specifications sixteen and seventeen al- lege that Judge Lovejoy unlawfully charged and received from Etowah Coun- ty fees for furnishing an alphabetical list of voters and for registering the reg istrars.
 Specifications eighteen and nineteen all lege that Judge Lovejoy unlawfully charged and received from Etowah Coun- tv fees for keeping an expense ledger and for making semi-annual reports.
 Specification twenty alleges that Judge Lovejoy unlawfully charged and received from Etowah County S7 for nineteen days charged as extra days attendance upon the Commissioners Court.
 The remaining specifications charge Judge l-ovejoy with wilful neglect of duty in that he knowingly and wilfully omit ted to visit and examine the condition of the jail once a week as required by law" that he Knowingly failed or re- fused to record the minutes of all his official acts and proceedings in three months in a we'll bound book as required by law" that he knowingly failed or refused to make the semi-anuual state- ment of the financial condition of the County. as required by law" and final ly. that he Knowingly failed or refused to publish semi annual exhibits of re- ceipts and expenditures of moneys for and on account of Etowah County as re- quired by law"
 Wherefore we. w. H. Hood. T. c. Cal loway, s. H. Maycs, Thomas L.. Johnson and J. w, Lawrence, aforesaid con- tinues the information. for and In the name of the State of Alabama and in our own behalf pray the consideration of the Court of the premises above set out: that due process of law be awarded against the said J. II. Lovejoy. Judge of Probate as aforesaid, in this behalf; that order may he made requiring him to appear at a place. and on q day specified in said order. to answer this information; and that the Court upon the hearing thereof shall render it's judgment here in. impeachinG the said J. II. Lovejov as Judge of Probate aforesaid. and remov- ing him from said office of Judge of Probatei of said County of Etowah or such other judgment as may seem to the Court meet and proper"
 Judge Lovejoy Is serving his first term As Prnhatn Iudce of EinNah CnuntN He