The Brunswick daily news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1903-1906, 1903-09-12
THE OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS OF
CITY COUNCIL S BUSY SESSlNO
City Attorney Twitty's Reply to Charge
That He Has Been Neglecting Duty.
Other rIatters Handled

August % a1S 20 that Alderman
Kaiser made sGftaiE statements at
the meeting of council on August q
in which he charged, in effect, that
had been negligent in my duties
as city attorney, and intimatng that
| had drawn my salary without rem
dering services therefor. AT the time
Alderman Kaiser made this statement
theFe was not a single reference
from the mayor and council to me
which had not been answered or had
proper attention. During the partic.
ular period to which he referred
that is the preceding two months
had preared for trial three cases in
the superior court, OF which two were
disposed of and settled by direction
of council. | had also tried three
cases in which the city was defend
ant in justice courts, of which two
cases were brought by r. l.. Lamb,
one for salary during the term of
his suspension and the other for the
value of two uniforms bought by him
during his term of Office as a police
man, the other case being a suit by
Lewis Gill fOr the value of uniforms
purchased by him during his term Of
office as policeman, in each of which
cases | had filed a petition for certio-
rari to- the judge of the superior
court, all of which petitions were
sanctioned. During the same period
had prepared a petition to the Judge
on the superior court on behalf of the
trustees of the hospital association 10
authorize the conveyance by them Of
the hospital property to the city, and
had obtained ar ordca granting the
petition, and had prepared and had
executed deed from the trustees of
the hospital property. l had also pre-
pared quit-claim deed to- be executed
by Mr.. ]. J. Spears, and had delivered
the same to his attorney, Judge
Symmes, to whom Mr.. Spears had
referred the matter During the
same ueriod a number of references
had been made to me by the mayor
and council and all of these had been
answered.
It is true that I had been absent
from the city at different times for
several weeks since the latter part
of May, and had of course missed
all meetings of council held during
absence. When in town I have Away
voluntarily attended council meetings,
so as to render any service that
might be desired of me. although this
is not required of the city attorney
except when notified to do so.
trust the mayor and aldermen fully
that practically all Of the
work devolving upon the city attorney
must necessarily be performed at
other times than during council meet
ings.
In view of Alderman Kaiser's in
timation in regard to the city at
torney drawing his salary without
rendering proper services therefor,
and in view of the publication of his
statement. l think it proper to state
the following facts: ,
1 have held theoiWlico of city at
torney for two ,st=4rs and nine
months. and durin4S at period more
litigated cases have Seen disposed Of
than during the previous SIX years.
The amounts involved in these cases
including the suits against eXTreas-
uher Harvey and his surety. and
tue various damage suits against the
city. have aggregated more than $780,
600 | had associate counsel at the
expense of the city in only the case
of j. Person Smith. filed in the Unit
ed States court in Savannah. and IN
the cases against the eX-treasurer and
his surety and as these latter cases
involved more than $4,000 and the
defendants were represented by six
able lawyers, every fair-mindcd mdn
will recognize that | was entitled 70
associate counsel In four damage
suits for amounts aggrc&atins more
than $4,000. there has been paid out
either by verdict or by compromise
agreement. a total Of $3.50. while pre-.
viouslg the city had paid out $1,000
to one of the parties. WHO was also
plaintiff in one Of the C scs to~which
refer. in'a case involving identi-
cally the same state Of facts. which
was settled by me for 500,
During my incumbency cf this
office am satisfied. from a casual
examination OF the records, that more
references requiring written reports
or opinions have been made 10 the
city t8torney than were made fol-
the preceding six years, and these
were all answered to the best Of my