The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-08-03
Jasper, Huntsville and Decatur
Are on Probation
ERRORS IN MOBILE COUNTY
Examiner German Makes Report on
Books of the county-Youna
Man Tries to Commit
Suicide.

|
pointment of Gen. w. W. Brandon to com
mand the provisional regiment that is to
| go to Manassas maneuvers of the United
States army, September 8 to 10. There
are to be four companies from each infan-
try regiment selected to complete the reg
iment. The field officers are to be select
| ed according to their seniority.
| At a meeting of the military board to-
day with Governor Cunningham, Gen. r,
f. Ligon. Gen. w. w. Brandon and Gen
b. L, Holt. present, it was decided to
give the Jesper, Huntsville and Decatur
infantry companies which had been or
dered mustered out three months pro-
| baton. These companies strenously OBJ
jected to being mustered out
Examines Mobile County Books.
State Examiner German in his report on
the books of the officials of Mobile coun-
ty takes occasion to complain of the large
number of errors In tax assessments down
there, and expresses the hope that some
way can be found to remedy 1t. He also
calls attention to the fact that the taxa
BILE values of the county have increased
in five years from s2O,2S6,5s7 to s24,945, 4O3
The reports on the various officers fol-
lows:
Probate Judge Price Williams: 81 ex-
| amined the books, accounts and vouchers
of Hon. Price Williams from July l, 1908,
the last date of the examination to June
3d. 1904 His books are correctly and ac-
curately kept. During the year covered
| by this examination, there have been for
| ty-two corporations organized In Mobile
| county with a capital stock of 81, 470SO0.
Proper fees have been collected from all
of these corporations and RENTED to the
state treasury One hundred and four
pieces of land sold at tax sales have been
redeemed for which $769 10 have been col
lected and RENTED $26,250. so licenses have
been collected and paid into the state
treasury. In addition $56400.57 have sheen
collected from retail liquor licenses and
paid to the school authorities of Mobile
county, under special constitutional pro-
vision"
Errors in Assessments.
Tax Assessor Edward Harris: For 1908
| the collector of Mobile county allowed err
rors for state taxes for $685.. 05. These
( taxes were on erroneous assessments,
amounting to s6127 4O. This was, by far,
| the largest amount of errors of any
county in the state; $225,26O Of this amount
were attachments made by the board Of
revenue after the probate judge had fur
nished the auditor the abstract for 1908.
| There were 119 double assessments
amounting to about $4,000, and 2O2 erron-
eous assessments of mortgages. In ad-
clifton there are 242 assessments on the
book of property that has been sold at
tax sales and purchased by the state. The
| assessment for 1904 will show an increase
/ o. 10 mn ID rnf n
the tax commissioner will increase this to
about 100000. The assessments in Mo-
| bile show a large annual increase. My
| examination of the assessment books OF
| Mobile county extends from 1899 The
| valuation OF pre- perty that year was So
SS65S7, while the valuation for 1904 is
| $24, 945, 403, showing an increase OF $4,55S, :
| SIG in five years. There Is still room Tor
much Improvement. The assessment Is
not near as large as it should be- Prop
| crty is repidly approaching In value In
| Mobile county, and from the best infor-
| nation obtainable its market value would
be at least s50,0O0,eO0 consequently prop
| orty is given in for taxation at about
so per cent of its actual value"
Should Change Law.
| Sheriff j. T. Powers; During the period
| covered by this examination the state has
paid s1467S20 for feeding prisoners In Mo-
| bile county. About 50 per cent. of this
amount was for feeding prisoners charg-
ed with misdemeanors, but in every IN
| stance the sheriff holds mittimus, and
was compelled to receive the prisoners in
| to custody For the year ending Septem-
| Der 3d. 1903 the state paid $685. 425 for feed
| ing prisoners. Probably so per cent. or
! this amount was for feeding pif5oners
charged with misdemeanors. Tho only
| apparent remedy for this would be the en-
actment of law requiring the state to
| paw for feeding prisoners charged with
| the commission of felonies and the coun-
| ties to pay for those charged with the
| commission of misdemeanors. Such law
| would no doubt prevent many frivilous
and malicious prosecutions and result in
saving the state nearly $4,000 annually"
| Judge ]. e. Afford of the inferior Grim
| inal court: II have examined the books
| of Hon. ]. e. Afford, judge of the inferior
criminal court from March II, 1903,' the
| date of the last examination to March
\ TO- 1904 His books are correctly and ac-
| curately kept. During the period COW
| cred by this examination he tried 1914
criminal cases. Fines amounting TO
SO. 1O1. O2 were collected and sentences for
| hard labor to the amount of $2359 were i'm
| posed. This makes total Of s5460.02 paid
| into the county treasury; $3.50 for feed
| ing prisoners were collected and RENTED
| to the state treasury
| j. A. Shelton, clerk Oh the city court
81 examined the books, accounts and
vouchers of Hon. J. A. Shelton, clerk of
| the city court, from July l, 1903, the date
| OF the last examination. to June 20. 1904
| His books are correctly kept. His cost
| and removal bills are correct. Under a
| special law all solicitors fees in Mobile
county are paid into the county treasury"
Shot Himself.
| j. b. Willett, young life insurance
| agent, tried to kill himself at the resi-
dence of relatives of his wife on Gold
waithe street last night by shooting him
self with a revolver. The bullet lodged
in his kidney and had to be removed by
an operation. He Is doing fairly well,
with good chance to get well.
| Mr.. Willett tried once before to take
| his own life, 1t is said by taking large
| quantity of laudanum. He was prevent
ed. He has been drinking some, 1t is re-
| ported, and had not been feeling very
| we'll lately.
| Mr.. Willett came here from Hawkins
ville Ga, where he was for many years
in the general merchandise business. He
made money and was considered one OF
| the best dry goods statesmen In Georgia
| Since leaving there, however, he has moi
been doing so well.
| Governor JeIks Better.
| Mrs. Jelks, wife OF Governor w. d
| Jelks, will come to Alabama the first oil
September. leaving the latter to follow
| later.
The governor will leave Las Vegas, N
| NJ, where he has been for several months
for his health in a few weeks and go to
/ the ranch of J. d. Hand who Is an ole