The Paducah evening sun., 1910-05-04

an armful OF law books. He stated |
as a member of the committee he
desired to explain the report made
by the special committee. He stated
that the report of the county treas
urer showed that the county Is In
debt about $4,000, which was in
herited from past administrations,
and II Is the desire of the present /
county officials TO eliminate this de-
hcit. In order to do II he said II
would be necessary to cut down ex-
penses somewhere and he knew of
no better beginning than the aims
house.
Judge Barkley explained that this
is not an effort to get rid OF w A.
Thompson. but that the salaried po-
sition of keeper has been offered to
him. which with the home and board
of his family furnished. he estimated
worth 800 a month. As evidence OF
fair play. he said the committee had
offered to buy the equipment OF Mr..
Thompson and remunerate him for
all work done on the place.
J Taking up the legal phase OF the
recommendation he said that the
contract was not legal. and that the
40 cents a day for each inmate was
an unnecessary expense. lie said
the law Is plain that the fiscal court
does not have any right to make the
contract for two years. Emphatlcal-
ly he declared that there Is not any
doubt OF the power OF the court to
discharge the keeper. and cited
case from Campbell county where the
appellate court held that the county
bridge commissioner could not be
elected for any regular term OF ONCE.
! In a case from Christian county he
cited almost a parallel case when a
manager from the county work house
was removed from ONCE. In his own
mind he said he Is satisfied that
Thompson could be removed from
Office at the pleasure OF the court be-
cause no bond. no qualifications and
no term OF office were specified. by
the new system, he said. u Is evident
the county can save $3.50 on the
almshouse before the expiration of
Thompson's term.
Magistrate Kuykendall made an
other speech In which he stated he
stood ready TO vote for the change
when convinced that u would be
economical for the county. Magic
Itrate Walston said he felt confident
that the inmates could be fed sub
stantially on IS each and possibly 81
each instead OF the present rate OF
lsi2 each. lie said the almshouse by
the new system could b. run at an
expense 81 about 5000 monthly.
whereas the cost had been nearly
800 every month.
Once more Judge Lightfoot made
a plea for the magistrates 20 con
slider the motion carefully. and not
to do anything rash. when the vote
} was called the office was declared va
cant by a vote OF TO l. The vote
was: Yeas--Magistrates Blelch. EN-
cry. Householder. Splitter and walston
Magistrates Kuykendall Mag
istrates Bennett and Ross decilEed
to vote.
Magistrate Emery made the mo-
tion that the report OF the commit
tee be adopted. which carried by a
vote Of 5 30 3. The vote stood:
Yeas-Magistrates Blelch, Emery.
Housh older. splitter and walston :
nays-Magistrates Bennett. Kuyken-
dan and Ross
+. y. Cartee Elected.
4 The motion was made and second
ed that T. n. Csrtee be elected keep
er OF the sanltarium TO serve at the
pleasure OF the court and his salary
be fixed at $50 a month. Magistrate
Ross offered an amendment that the
lelection OF a keeper be left open and
an opportunity given TO All the posi-