The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1922-06-14

eIUl sessions, winch convened here
Monday morning, was halted when the
attention Of Judge Frank B. Gary, of
Abbeville, who is presiding, was called
to the fact that the appropriation OF
|$3,201 for holding court in the county
was exhausted. This is the third
court to be held here this year and
including the present court there are
three more.
The grand jury's attention was di-
rected to the state of affairs, and, as
result, the delegation to the gen
eral assembly was summoned to ap-
pear before the grand jury. In a spe-
cial presentment made to the presid-
ing judge, the grand jury said that
public interest will suffer should the
courts not be held as provided for by
law" The presentment included a
signed statement made by Senator
Goodwin that he will incorporate in
the appropriation bill for 1923 an
amount sufficient to pay the expenses
OF holding the pending courts and the
money for such purposes.
The court thereupon authorized the
treasurer and supervisor to borrow
the money and the court continued
its session.
In the final presentment Of the
grand jury submitted to Judge Gary
yesterday reference was made to the
appropriations forSthe Sheriff, Judge
Of Probate and other county officers
that are already exhausted. For the
Office of Judge of Probate the appro-
priation last year was $1,4OO, while
the appropriation this year was $500.
The cut in the appropriation for the
Sheriff's office was from $3,419 to
$1,000, while the proportion of crim-
nails handled by that office has in
creased by a ratio OF 3 to 1, according
to the sheriff.
Judge Scores Delegation
Judge Gary, in commenting on the
facts disclosed by the grand jury said
that the county delegation was prac-
ticing false economy in It's appropria-
tons for the operation of the courts
and the administration Of county af-
fairs. He scored the delegation say
Ing that the courts here are part of
a state system of courts and that they
must continue to operate whether or
not the delegation will provide for
their maintenance
The State, Judge Gary continued,
orders the courts, and the expenses in
cident to the running of courts are to
be raised and provided for by the re-
spectiye counties. The legislature de-
fers to the delegation from each coun-
ty the fixing Of the amount necessary
to be raised for the courts or other
county expenses, but should the dele
cation fail to make these provisions,
the general assembly on It's own ini-
tiative will make the necessary an
preparations, and nothing is saved by
the county.
Following are the final and special
presentments of the grand jury to-
gether with the statement of Senator
Goodwin which was attached to the
special presentment:
Final Presentment of the Grand Jury
TO the Presiding Judge:
We have passed on all bills given
us from the Solicitor.
1t has been brought to our attention
that the appropriations for the ex-
penses Of the Sheriff's office and that
or the Probate Judge for the fiscal
year 1922 are practically exhausted
and that the appropriations made are
entirely insufficient to meet the usual
and necessary expenses Of these Of
fees. We recommend that all abso-
lutely necessary bills incurred in the
proper administration Of the duties of
these offices for which the county Is
liable, be paid. These Offices as well
as all public Offices should be run as
economically as is consistent with a
proper performance of the duties Of
the officers, but the work should not
stop by reason Of insufficient appro-
priations. RI necessary to borrow
money, to carry on the work OF these
offices, In excess Of the amount ap-
propriated then! we recommend that
this be- done and that the County
Treasurer pay the proper accounts In
Cured from the moneys so borrowed.
5fVya f,Irther 10 r,nYn ,,,a rd IN AI,o ,ono