The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-12
CORRIDOR GOSSIP OF
 THE ALABAMA CAPITOL
BY HERvEY W. LAIRD.

Bessemer case that it has no right of existence, which decision will likely ap- ply to most of them.
 .I am not sorry of the decision of the supreme court in the Fourteenth and Eff teenth circuit cases" remarked a state official yesterday. Ut will have the ef- feet of forcing all judiciary laws to ap- ply to the whole state alike. I believe this will be the very best thing that could happen. The plan of the legisla- ton seems to have been for every man to be allowed his own way in matters concerning his own county, The conse- quenee was that each member would seek the best trade possible, leaving largely to chance the affairs that con cern the state as a whole. It does look as if the lawmakers were awfully negli- gent, and did show rare inability to do things, If at all, correctly. If they were as careless in their own worK as they seem to have been as servants of the state. it's dollars to doughnuts many of them would now be in a bad way fnan- cially."
 Just after the announcing of the decis- | ion in the circuit eases Tuesday | Associate Justice Haralson was enter tainng a group of friends in the supreme court library, telling of the various ques- l tions which the cabinet found 1t neecs- sary to consider. He spoke of the diff culties In the investigation as evidenced l by the fact that three of the members | Denson Tyson and Dowdell, dissented and the great amount of work required | before a decision was reached. Some one suggested that the legislature was to blame. Well" Ventured the Judge as he walked back towards the court room,
 ''I don't won't to be a member of the legislature"
 Capt. J. V. Allen of Birmingham had a story to tell the Governor yesterday which he did not divide up with the reporters l If the law and equity court of Walker county is re-established Judge Peyton Norvell will draw back pay" 1t appears, besides coming again into his position to hold until 1908. Judge Norvell was elected in 1902 at a salary of 5000 a year. to be paid by the county. He was dis I placed in 1903 by the establishment of l the Fourteenth circuit and has since | been "out of a job That circuit having I been declared invalid it looks as if he would be reinstated in the light of the | Clay county opinion. This will give Judge I Norvell a nice little nest egg of $4OO0 with which to begin all over again. | One of the well known Alabamians at the capital this week is MT. J. w. Over ton of Roanoke, who is busy with several | cases before the supreme court.
 l Many have noticed recently and spoken 1 frequently of the lfe-size painting of Col. l ]. M Falkner, district counsel of the 1 Louisville and. Nashville railroad, now on exhibition in a down town show win l dow. Few men visit the capital who
 have more friends than the well known
 official especially since he has taken so l prominent a part for the old confederate | veterans. Colonel Falkner has not been
 well for several months and Is now in
 the country to the south. seeking health. 1 IT will be heard with pleasure however,
 that he is improving rapidly and expects
 to come back home much better than for
 some time.
 Few men are better known in Alabama
 than Capt G. r. Sedberry, assistant ex-
 amlner of public accounts, who has hand
 led two investigations within the last few
 months where large amounts are said to
 be due the state. Though an office-holder | by appointment for a score of years, he
 has never been elected to any place in
 the gift of the people. Fearless, accurate l and persistent he Is terror to the office
 holder who is trying to do less than
 his duty in handling the state funds | His remarks about the books of Ex-Pro-
 bate Judge S. P. Prowel of Marengo
 county were especially scathing.
 Acting Goverhor Cunningham threatens
 to have some lively readin' " for the
 newspaper corps before the end of the
 week, but refuses to go further just now.