Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1912-09-25
THE PROPOSED NEW JAIL FOR ANNAPOLIS
SHERIFFS FEE FOR
EXECUTION DISPUTED
w. Hallam Claude Questions Pay
ment of Fund as Extra.
STONEY CREEK BRIDGE SITE.
County Eng neer Green Directed to Sur.
Wv Several OcatiOns Proposed
for Structure.

Discussions over the location of the
bridge to be constructed over Stoney
creek, in the Third district, and the
question of whether or not Sheriff
Beasley is entitled to the fee of $500
for officiating at the execution of the
negro Andrew Taylor, who was
hanged in the county Jail yard on
August for the murder of Fannie
Clifton, a negress, absorbed the at
tention of the County commissioners
during the greater portion of their
weekly meeting yesterday. And the
Board adjourned without taking final
action on either of the matters hold
ing them over until next week.
Although the bridge question is
of prime Importance to residents of
the upper section of the county, prob
ably the greatest agitation has been
aroused over the Sheriff's fee ques-
tion. 1t was brought before the
Commissioners at their meeting last
week by Attorney W. Hallam Claude,
former police magistrate of this
city.
Mr.. Claude registered protest
against the county paying the Sheriff
the $500 fee for the execution on the
ground that as the Office of Sheriff is
governed by fees and his salary is
limited to $4,000 per year under the
law, unless, of course, it is included
in his fee, and that the allowance of
it does not exceed the limited salary
of $4,000.
The Commissioners thereupon
sought legal advice on the question
and called on their counselor Mr..
Ridgely P. Melvin for his opinion.
This opinion in written form was laid
before the Board yesterday In it
the counsellor how that under the law
the Sheriff's salary is regulated by
fees, and that $500 is the amount
fixed as fee for services in perform
ing an execution; that the Sheriff is
required to file report of all fees
coming to him through various sour
ces. and that he is only entitled TO
this amount for an execution, when
included in his report along with
other fees, the total OF which does
not exceed the limitation of SO, 900
per year.
AS to the location of the Stoney
creek bridges a question that has been
hanging fire for long time, the Com
missioners as well as the County En-
gineer have made several personal in
spections of the proposed sites, with
out reaching conclusion. Several
petitions also have been filed in which
the petitioners urge one or the other
sites under consideration. Another
such petition has just been filed. 1t
urges that the bridge be constructed
from Mr.. Curran's farm on che south
side of the creek, to the farm of Mr..
Fait, on the north side. The petition
bears numerous signaturs.
Provision for this bridge was made
by an act of the last Legislature.
This act specifies that the bridge shall
be placed at point that will pro-
vide the shortest and quickest route
to Baltimore city, in connection with
the county roads. So, as a final
move to comply with the provisions
of the act, the Board has directed
County Engineer Green to make a sur
vey of the several proposed sites, and
file report thereof.
Upon the certi6cati1n of DR..
Thomas B. Horton and DR.. HI. Lee
Frank, Thomas F. irwin, of the Fifth
district, has been committed to the
Maryland Hospital for Insane. Mr..
Irwin is the father of Chief of Police
Thomas w. Irwin, of the Fifth dis
trict force. Recently he was confined
to is home with severe spell of sick
ness, and it is said that his mind be-
came affected.
The county officials have been
notified of the death of John Briscoe.
colored, resident of this county, who
was q patient at Montevue State
Hospital. Biscoe died at the institu-
tion on Sunday.