Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-01-26
From the State House,
BOSTON, Jan. 25, 1871.

COMMITTEE HEARINGS.
Quite large number of committees gave
hearings this forenoon, but the one which re.
ceiyed the most attention was that before the
committee on elections. The matter under con-
sderation was the allege,, t,auds in the election
in ward five of pJston, whereby Messrs. Wood
bury. surphy and Regain of the house were
Elected, and now occupy seats as representatives
from said ward. Mr.. A. A. Ramsey appeared
as counsel for the contestants, and Hon. R. NJ.
Morse as counsel for the sitting members The
city clerk of Boston, the assistant city messen-
ger, and constable who was present at the
election, were examined; also, DR.. J.
P. Ordway and Z. F. Maynard, two of
the contestants. The constable testified
that he saw bundles of votes taken from the
ballot boxes and torn up by one of the in
spectors, and DR.. 0rdway testified that the
number of ballots cast was 1928, while the num-
Der of names checked on the voting list was only
9O7. These were the principal grounds on
which the charge of fraud rested, and the effort
of the counsel on the other side, in his cross-eX
animation, seemed to be directed TO showing
that the voting lists were, or might have been
tempered with, after they were sent into the
city hall from the ward room. The hearing will
be continued tomorrow
The committee on federal relations gave a
hearing on the petition of the Massachusetts
society for the prevention of cruelty to animals,
in relation 10 memOraliziDg congress for the
passage Of a bill now before that body, to pre-
vent cruelty to animals while in transit by rail-
road or other means of transportation within the
United States. Mr.. Frank b. Fay, secretary of
the petitioning society, appeared before the COM
mittee, and explained the abuses which it is
hoped the bill will prevent.
DIR. Bemis, superintendent OF the Worcester
lunatic hospital, appeared before the committee
on charitable institutions to explain the petition
of the trustees for permission to sell certain
small portions of the land bought as a site for
new hospital. The petitioners also ask that the
state assume debt of about $4,000 assumed
by them.
The railway committee heard the board of
railroad commissioners and others on the gen
eral features of the proposed general railroad
law.
PETITIONS.
Very few petitions wer3 presented to-day but
among them, as usual, was one for n railroad
which it is proposed to build from Medfeld to
Dedham. Allen Lockwood and 521 others of
Fall River petition for a ten hour law; and the
grand division of the Sons of Temperance for
the repeal of the liquor law of 1870, and the re-
VI Tue pTOLlDIOry law OF 1870. a
savings bank is also asked for in Lexington.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.
The committee on the judiciary in the senate
reported that the bill to aid In the construction
OF deeds introduced on leave, and the bill con-
corning bail in criminal cases, ought not to
pass.
The committee on mercantile affairs reported
a bill to incorporate The Boston Tumverein,
with a capital not exceeding $50 ,000 aud bill
in relation TO the Lynn Odd Fellows associa-
ton.
The committee on mercantile affairs in the
house reported bill to incorporate VIM. B.
Spoonerof Boston, j. Henry Walker of Worces-
ter, Moses Howe of Haverhill, Lyman B. Frazier
of Lynn, their associates and successors, as the
New England shoe and leather association, for
the purpose OF promoting the general welfare
of the hide and leather and boot and shoe inter
ests OF New England.
The committee on education reported resolves
concerning the bust of Hon. George S. Boutwell,
offered the state by Isaac Rich and others,
thanking the donors and stating that the bust
will be placed nthe library until otherwise Or
dered.
ORDERS ADOPTED.
In the senate, orders were adopted: That the
committee on the judiciary inq uire if it be eX-
pedent to provide that all offences shall be pun
ished as the first offence, unless it is alleged in
the complaint, or indictment that the defendant
has been previously convicted; whether or not
administration
Oaths now required by law; and also the eXpe-
dieDcy of amending the statute relating TO trus-
tee process, so that judgment and execution
may be awarded against persons or corporations
adiudged trustees without scire faciaS.
Orders were passed in the house: That the
committee on education consider the eXpedi-
ency of establishing and supporting school in
the town of Florida, at the eastern mouth of
Hoosac tunnel for the benefit of children en-
ployed in the work; that the attorney general
be requested to report to the house what action
has been taken in relation to the claims of the
commonwealth upon the Eastern railroad com
pany, and the Norwich and Worcester railroad
company.
INTRODUCED ON LEAVE.
Bills were introduced on leave, in the house,
to authorize aqueduct corporations, cities and
towns TO take water from streams land and reSer-
voirs, and to lay and repair water pipes and for
the assessment of damages; ratiiyng the action
OF the town of Northampton in supplying its
inhabitants with pure water; and to authorize
the Trinity church corporation in Boston to sell
the land on which the church now stands and
for other purposes.
EVENING SCHOOLS.
The bill which Mr.. Vbbert, of Rockport. in
troduced as a substitute for the report (inexpe-
dient) on The order relative to the establishment
of evening Schools was discussed at some length.
The bill provides that every town in this com
monwealth having thirty-fve hundred and more
lhhdoltahAS euail3 vi llC ptllllOu VI twenty le-
gal voters thereof, establish and maintain eve
ming schools, to be kept at least four months
in the year, for the education of persons over
sixteen years of age. A motion to substitute
''twelve' for Sixteen" in the bill, was
lost, and a motion to substitute " fif-
teen for Sixteen" was then carried. A
motion to substitute "twenty persons sixteen
years of age or upwards who wish to attend
the school, for "twenty legal voters" was lost,
after which the bill as introduced was substi-
tuted for the report Of the committee.
The other matters in the orders of the day,
viz: reports inexpedient on various subjects,
were all accepted.
FRAMINGHAM AND LOWELL RAILROAD.
On motion of M. Howe, Of Mddlesex, the re-
lection of the bill to authorize the birmingham
and Lowell railroad company to issue bonds,
was, after some debate, reconsidered, and the
bill was recommitted to the committee on rail-
ways.
ORDERS OF THE DAY.
The resolve to aid in the suppression of con-
tagious diseases among cattle came up in the
orders of the day, and after being discussed and
amended, so as TO provide that the appropria-
ton of $4,000 shall include all expenditures here
toiore made, it was ordered TO third reading.
All The other matters in the orders of the day
were advanced one stage.
An APOSTLE OF TEMPERANcE.-The follow
ing good temperance story is told by the New