Evening journal., 1914-08-04
LEVY COURT SNARLS
OVER BRIDGE CHECK
Several Members and AttOr-
ney Walker Clash Over
Payment HOld-up
ATLAS co. NOW CLAIMS.
CONTRACT is BROKEN

ing, after a meeting featured by fire.
quent tits, stopped payment ON the
check drawn by them last week for
$1,000 in favor OF the Atlas Bridge
Company, and which is being held by
County Treasurer Lippincott pending
claim of the Farmers Bank against the
bridge company. A resolution prOvid-
ing for the drawing Of a new check in
favor of the bridge company WAS laid
over until this afternoon Today's ses-
sion of the court was featured by clashes
between commissioners Scott, Groves
and Burris and Julian C. Walker, attor-
ney for the Levy Court
The Atlas Bridge Company sent let
ter reviewing the holding up of the check
and claimed the Levy Court had broken
the contract. The company asked for
payment for work done and profits they
had been deprived OF by the stopping
of the work
Mr. Walker, after the letter was read,
declared the Levy Court had not violated
its contract but that the bridge com
pany had. Mr.. Groves, chairman of the
finance committee. said there was lots
TO be explained. Mr.. Groves started to
read a list of notes on which the Hor-
rigan Contracting Company and the At
las Bridge Company had borrowed
money from the Farmarc' Bank The
two companies, he claimed. had borrow
ed $4,000 on notes given them for county
work. Mr.. Groves, while reading the list
OF checks, said Il don't think the
president or cashier of the bank are dis
| honest"
Mr.. Scott exclaimed, what do you
mean by that; explain it,"
Mr.. Groves replied that a member OF
the court had made a remark rejecting
upon the honesty Of the cashier of the
Farmers Bank. Mr.. Burris denied
making such a charge, but he took a
verbal slap at the cashier.
Mr. Groves read list OF amounts
/ honored by the Atlas Company from the
Farmers Bank which was as follows:
December 6, $1,000; December p, $1,000;
January o. $4,000; February Z, $1,000;
March ] $1,000; March Z, $1,000; March
| Ia, $1,000. and April 7. $4,000.
"When / heard of how the company
was borrowing money / at once told Mr.
Buiris. chairman of the bridge commit
| tee" said Mr.. Groves. lie added that
all the money had been paid except
| $1,000, which the bank could secure
through legal proceedings.
Mr.. FOuracre said he thought the
money should have been paid by the
Levy Court and thereby save the county
the trouble. The matter, he said, could
have been settled in the courts by the
bank and the bridge company.
Clerk Hopkins asked that the minutes
of the meeting of the finance committee
held in the Farmers Bank last Friday
In an effort to straighten out the mat
Ter be embodied in the records of the
court. Mr. Scott Immediately fired a
volley of questions which were unan-
swered by the court and then the fol-
lowing dialogue, at times rather heated,
took place;
Mr.. Burl.i- 81 want TO know if that
check was turned over to the Atlas
Bridge Co."
Mr.. Fouracre- ! know about the
matter is what have seen in the news
papers"
Mr. Burris-"Wen. are there any
members present who know anything
about it?"
Scott would like TO ask the at
torney of the court what authority
he gave over that check?'
Julian c. Walker don't know
anything about it except that ! ad-
vised Mr.. Lippncott to turn it over.
did not know Mr. Scott would write
an opinion and attempt to have me
sign IT, I will not be dictated TO by
any member of this court.
Mr. Scott want to know if this
check was legally drawn
Walker an' me- '"e attorney for
the county treasurer" ~
Scott-"Oh, II s,,-ns to me that you
have been in this matter"
Walker-"Well, ! am not. and | am
satisfied that have acted right"
Scott--"Well, I am satisfied that
you have acted wrong II is the
duty of Clerk of the Peace Harry
Brown to sign such checks. but he
never saw this check and It was sent
right to the county treasurer and he
illegally and wrongly drew war
rant when he had no right to do
so"
Mr. Scott then ordered Clerk Hop
kins TO read Section 9, of the bonding
laws, TO bear out his contention.
Mr. Scott then stated that the cOun-
" treasurer is the custodian Of the
funds and that orders must be drawn
by Clerk Brown. THE minute we re-
fuse payment TO any contractor
said Mr. Scott, I'VE break our con-
tract and vitiate the bond. just as we
have apparently done here"
Burris - Il don't know anything
about this thing. and we've got lot OF
other things to take up today"
Scott-"Is there any man here who
knows anything about this matter?
, want to know if there is any prece-
dent OF any law which will justify
, the action Levy Court has taken.
think there should be no man alive
strong enough TO stop payment OF
what the Levy Court has ordered
paid"
Smith-"lf any one is finding fault
with the Levy Court, il is all up to the
county treasurer We paid bills ac-
cOrding TO law, and we are relieved oil
, any responsibility. II the payment
was not properly delivered il is up tC
! the county treasurer and there is moi
thing for us to do"
Scott-"Were you just speaking a:
lawyer or a Levy Courtman. Mr.
Smith,"
Smith-"It is hard to separate a
man from the knowledge he has"
Scott-"Upon what right has the
county treasurer TO withhold payment
or warrant"
: Smith-"He hasn't any at all. II
my opinion I think II the Farmers
: Bank wanted to raise the point they
did, they should have applied for al
, injunction and a mandamus proceed