The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1944-01-27
CIESSMAN SUES
TO RECOVER SUM
HE CLAIMS DUE
Former Commissioner Files Suit
Against Present Board For
$4,000 For Alleged Old Debt

A court action to force the Board
of Garrett County Commissioners to
refund what the plaintiff declares was
the money he was called upon to put
up as bondsman about 80 years ago
when his father was county treasurer,
was filed Monday in Circuit Court by
G. Blaine Giessman, of Oakland, for
mer county commissioner.
The Commissioners, through their
attorney, E. Ray Jones, declare there
is nothing due from the county to Mr..
Giessman, or any member of the
family.
Giessman declares that by an act of
the 1889 legislature the county COM
missioners were empowered to pay
neglected back bills of which his own
claim in the amount of about 1000
was one. At that time Giessman him.
self was a member of the county
board. In 1910 vouchers for CHESS
mans claim were renewed, according
to the plaintiff.
But the money to pay him off did
not become available until 1912 Giess-
man states, about the time he and
his two fellow commissioners went
out of office. Since then, he says, the
county treasurer has refused to pay
off the vouchers when presented to
him.
Giessman's court action is in the
form of suit, asking for $4,000, and
he is represented by Charles G. Wat
son, Cumberland attorney Defendant
commissioners are John w. Herman,
Walter G. Meyers and Jonas W.
Sines.
Commissioners Get Records
Mr.. Jones said yesterday that the
suit was docketed by titling sometime
ago and that the declaration had just
been filed Monday claiming $4,000
but without setting out any special
cause of action. He declared he would
ask the court to require the plaintiff
to file a bill of particulars.
Mr.. Jones said that the records at
the Court House disclosed that the
Maryland Casualty Company was on
the bond of George Giessman at the
time he was treasurer and not Blaine
Giessman, as set out by the plaintiff
and that in the June Term of Court
in 1927 the suit was brought against
his bond. The records further dis
close that on June 6 jury rendered
verdict in favor of the county for
$5,728.03, as the result of shortage in
the accounts of Mr.. Giessman, and
that later on motion for new trial
a credit was given of $42448 and
Judgment entered by the court or
September 26, 1927, for $5,303.55
which the Maryland Casualty Com.
pany paid.
At that time, Mr. Jones said, George
Giessman took protection under the
bankruptcy law. He stated there was
nothing due from the county to any
Of the Giessman family.
Delving further into the records
Mr.. Jones said that on November IS
1912, at a special meeting of the
County Commissioners, at which G
Blaine Giessman and c. II. Browning
were present, a resolution was
adopted as follows:
Motion by Mr. Browning, sec
ondcd by Mr.. Giessman, that the
orders issued in 1919 and sold to
the bank, were not cancelled by the
County Commissioners. being an
order on various lcvics on the
Treasurer for 1919, levy being
levios on: Road and Bridge levy,
Election LcvieS, Contingent Fund,
for total of $1l ,667.05, with inter
est at 6 percent per annum, as per
chapter 225, of the Acts of 1899 of
Public Local Laws. Motion carried"
Mr. Jones further declared that or
December 2, 1912, according to the
ICNpIbNs lIltlJ OlNtiS NClt JSSutu u
Blaine Gicssman for $3.50 from the
annual bridge levy of 1912; $3,88C
from county roads levy of 1912;
| $3,88905 from election levy for 1912
and on December 3, 1912, an order fol
, $15,575.45, from levy for 194l
termed Prepayment of uncollcctcc
taxes" for interest on orders.
Jesse J. Ashby, now clerk to the
Board of County Commissioners, anC
County Treasurer until J. Edward
; Hclbig took office in 1913, declared
that Mr.. Gicssman had never pre-.
scented these orders to him. Jonas w
Sincs, president of the Board OF
County Commissioners, said they were
never presented to the board and that
their whereabouts were unknown.
! Mr., Jones predicted that the case
! would not come to trial at least be
+ fore September.