Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-07-23
THE CHOSEN FREEHoLDERs.

Miller. Mr.. Nichol was elected Directo
gro tenn and the business moved off will
usual system.
Mr.. Ledden, of the Aims House Com
mittee, made report that the Isolation
Hospital was free from patients, and moved
vote of thanks to DR.. II. Fl. Clark, thu
physician in charge of that institution or
his successful and economical management
of same, which was adopted. DR.. Clart
expressed his qualification that his services
were thus appreciated.
Mr.. Walton, Of the Committee on Public
Property, reported that advertisements fol-
proposals for repairing the jail had beer
published.
The Stone Road committee reported re
pairs to the lower portion OF the Grown
Point road completed.
The engineer and committee on the Ger
man street road reported that it was in good
condition one year after construction, and
recommended the final payment OF S84 q
be made to the contractors. Report adopted
The same action was taken in regard tC
Delaware street. The balance being
$642. %.
The special committee to confer with A.
H. SwackhameT, ESQ.,, as to his bill fol
recovering the old account against the State
for maintaining insane patients in the
county asylum, reported that they had
heard Mr.. Swackhamer's explanation of his
bill, and in lieu of report, would ask Mr..
Swackhamer to make explanation to the
Board. In his statement to the Board Mr..
Swackhamer said =
Acting under direction OF the Board, that
he had, in 1893, commenced mandamus
proceedings against the Comptroller in the
Supreme Court to compel the payment OF
the county's claim amounting to $7140.
That the Attorney General raised the de-
Tense of the statute of limitations and it be-
came necessary in order to prosecute the
case to successful termination to have the
bar of the statute removed. because the
claim was nearly twenty years old. In
order to accomplish this he drafted and
had passed by the legislature of 1900, and
while the suit in the Supreme Court was
still pending, AN amendment to the County
Lunatic Asylum act by which the bar of
the statute was effectually removed, and
the claim became valid debt due the
county, and enforceable against the State.
In the year 1895, an act was passed pro-
viding that no moneys should be paid out
by the State except by order of an annual
bill in which the moneys
shall be specifically appropriated. 1t
therefore became necessary to apply to the
legislature of 1901 to obtain an appropria-
tion to pay the county's claim, which was
after long struggle, but
owing to proviso in the bill the appro-
priation was defeated, and he was obliged
to apply both to the legislature of 1902
1903 in order to secure the needed apprO-
priation. That the collection of the claim
involved an immense amount of labor and
much expense outside of the suit in the
Supreme Court, because the claim had to
be legalized by legislation before it could
be enforced
Mr.. Mathers said he regretted that the
committee had not made specific report; he
had no doubt Mr.. Swackhamer performed
labor in collecting the claim,
but in his opinion the amount was too
large. Mr.. Wilson moved to refer the
matter back to the special committee, for
report, which was ordered.
Solicitor Watkins advised the Board that
the county is liable for printing on account
Of the County Superintendent of schools to
an amount not exceeding $50. A motion
that the Superintendent be SO informed was
adopted.
On motion, Mr.. Gaul, representing the
Safety Ballot Box Company, of Camden,
was given the privilege of the floor, and
the Board that under the new
Primary Election law, the Board was re-
CURED to purchase two extra ballot boxes
Tor each voting precinct, and that his COM
pany manufactured the only legal box at a
cost of $3.50 each. He pressed for imme-
liate action as his company would have to
make boxes for the entire State, and to get
Them out for use the second week in Sep
5ember required haste. He went into par
5iculars as to who and what the Safety
Ballot Company was, saying that David
Baird, J. Willard Morgan, himself and
,ther prominent men of Camden consti-
5uted the company.
County Collector PiersOn, who is a mem
Der of the County Board of Elections, adj
vised the appointment of special COM
nittee to ascertain if cheaper box could
not be procured As he understood the
aw, plain box, with glass sides with a
lole in the top was the only requirement.
ind he thought cheaper box, and one that
ACo olO ACd menus VI VlO low SOuASt oO
Mr.. Persons suggestion was
adopted, and Freeholders Mathers, Bar
naby and Clerk Bell were appointed such
committee.
The Solicitor gave an OPINION that there
was no authority IN law Tor the employ
nent OF expert testimony by Coroners, ex-
'ept through the Prosecutor. This opinion
was given IN the matter OF expert Emory's
Dill Tor S5o, incurred by Coroner Stout IN
'he wilkins BROS. inquest.
Solicitor Watkins gave an exhaustive
opinion IN the matter OF expenditure OF
moneys, which we quote IN full, as FOL
oWs =
G. N. Bell, Clerk of the Board of Freehold
crs, Woodbury., N. j.
Dear Sir Il am in receipt of your letter
If the Goth instant, in which you state the
Board request my opinion as to the proper
disposition to make OF the sum of $3.50
received from the State, for the mainten-
lnce of insane patients in the County Asy-
um, and in answer, beg to say: the law
provides that the Board of Chosen Free
holders shall order in each year, the amount
If money to be raised for county purposes,
md that the amount so as aforesaid declared
10 be necessary for the several purposes
specified, shall thereby become appropriated
or such purposes, and the aggregate amount
appropriated and ordered to be raised in
my one year, shall not be exceeded, ex-
,epting in the circumstances which will
hereinafter name.
The criminal laws OF this State tsee laws
Of 1898, page 8O3) ,provide that "any Board
If Chosen FreehOldeTS, etc., or any COM