The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-06-12

Last nights session OF the board of
county commissioners was featured by
an animated discussion on the question
OF raising the salary OF the Judge OF
the Juvenile court, the final result
being that the salary was raised from
$25 per month to $3.50 per month, II
being necessary for the chairman to
cast the deciding vote.
The object OF the action taken by
the board is to provide for the pay
ment Of the salary Of the probation
officer. the supreme court having re-
Gently ruled that. through an error in
the bill establishing this oface, there
was no legal provision for the pay
ment Of any salary to the probation
ofhcer. However, the same bill pro-
vides for the payment Of the salary of
the judge of the juvenile court Ak
ing the minimum salary at S26 per
month, but leaving the maximum
amount to the discretion of the board
OF county commissioners. II is un-
derstood that since the action taken
by the board last night, the Judge of
the juvenile court will employ the pro-
baton officer and pay his salary, il
being necessary to take this action I'm
order to provide for e salary Of tAe
probation officer until the next session
of the legislature, when the bill will
W oAASAACH ~ as 10 piONluS IoT suc
salary.
CLAIMED ACTION ILLEGAL.
Some of the members and the clerk
of the board took the position that
this action was illegal, while the other
members argued that the board had a
right to pay the judge of the Juvenile
court any salary deemed appropriate
and that II is up to him as to employ
ing the probation officer. who Is no
longer known in the transaction, so far
as the county is concerned. The
county attorney passed upon the
resolution providing for the increase
In the salary OF the judge OF the juve-
nile court, while one or two other at
torneys In the city are also said to
have passed upon II favorably.
The resolution provides that the in
crease is effective from the first of
Msy until Dec. 81, at which time the
present board goes out of Office. The
probation officer has already worked
six weeks, for which, he would have
gotten no pay unless this resolution
had been adopted.
Messrs. Mcclellan and Geo. H. Davis
voted for the adoption OF the resolu-
tion, while Messrs. M. o. Baggett and
Arthur w. Davis opposed It's adoption.
Chairman johnson decided the ques-
ton by voting in favor OF the resolu-
ton.
Commissioner Geo. II. Davis RAISED
kick about the number Of convicts
being turned over to the road super
visor, calling attention to the fact that
the records showed that since May Ist
there had been twenty two convictions
in the court of record, while only
eight bad been turned over to the road
supervisor. according to the reports Of
that official.
Mr.. Davis called upon c. @. Harts-
field, chief clerk Of the sheriff, to ex-
plain this, which he did by showing
that a number OF those convicted had
paid their fines. others had made
| ninety-day bonds, some had been sent
to the state convict camps, some had
been cent to the reform school, while
stu others had only been sentenced
for ten days, which was considered too
short time to send them to the con-
vict camps for. Mr.. Hartsfield said
| there were a number Of ways of dis
posing OF them besides sending them
to the county road.
OTHER BUSINESS.
After the reading of the minutes,
VIM. ]. Brown addressed the board,
asking that he be paid for painting
the bridge across the Perdido river,
connecting this county and Baldwin
| to pay one half OF the amount, which
is $50. He explained, and had letters
/ to show that Baldwin county had
agreed to pay $50. Commissioner A.
w Davis also corroborated the state
ments of Mr.. Brown.
The matter Of paying the bin was
| discussed at some length, on account
of the manner in which the work had
| fNor3RnvaH 90 rouo ca-y..,