Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-04-01
From the State House.
BosroN, Friday, March 81,

From the State House
Boston, Friday, March 81, 1871.
The state police question, in one form or |
another, has occupied the principal part of the |
line of the Legislature TO-DAY.
The committee on state police began its ses-
sion at half-past nine o'clock in the Green room,
which was crowded to overlooking, After two
Or three witnesses had been examined and had
given testimony which was not very pointed,
and rather uninteresting, the question was
brought up of the seizures, which occurred yes
terday afternoon, of the liquors of Mr.. DaIis-
who had testified before the committee, and of
Mr. Smith, wholesale dealer in liquors, who
had been active in promoting the investigation
into the doings of the force. Mr.. Lovejoy, aud
the counsel who appeared for hun, claimed thar
Major Jones, in Selling the liquors OF these per-
sons, acted out of spite and for the purpose of
witnesses. If he was allowed to go
on with his seizures witnesses would not appear,
and the whole object Of the Investigation would
be frustrated. Major Jones and the counsel for
the force, on the other hand, claimed that they
were merely executing the law, and that pre-
parations had been making for the seizures re-
ferred to several days, and that of Mr., Davis for
weeks. 1t was asked that witnesses might re-
ceive other protection than that afforded by the
resolve which had been passed, bat the commit
tee took no action in the matter, and the exam i
nation of witnesses was continued.
A liquor dealer oil Church street in Boston
was put upon the stand, and he testified square
" that he had paid state constableS regularly,
having bad dealings with three different ones
who had been OF the beat where his store was
located; that he made agreements with them
to pay thems so much week. So; had seat
liquor to the house Of one of the state constables
at his request; and had drank with state con-
stable and a liquor dealer. The hearing con-
tinued for about three hours, and was then ad.
journed to Tuesday Hezt at - o'clock.
Both houses gave up much sf the afternoon
legislative session TO discussion precipitatcd by
the liquor seizures made yesterday in Boston.
In the senate, Mr.. MuarGe, of Norfolk, asked to
introduce bill to suspend the statutes relating
to the seizure OF intoxicating liquors, providing
that section As, chapter 40 of the acts of 1869,
and all sections of said chapter relating 70 the
seizure Of Intoxicating liquors, were hereby sus-
pended for the period Of sixty days from and al
ter the passage of this act. He EefeTed to the
seizures made yesterday by Major Jones, and
said in making them the high constable of the
commonwealth bad placed himself above law,
and given the legislature 10 understand that
whatever his force might do he bad power De-
You'd them.
Leave was granted TO lntfOdAGe the bill, and
Mr.. Munroe then asked for suspension Gf the
rules requiring the bill TO be submitted to a
committee. Slr, Bird, of Norfolk, hoped the
senate would not lose its balance because man
down town had lost his rnm. lie thought the
state constable had only done his duty in the
seizures which he had made. Senators Crosby,
Halves, Wakefield and Goodman favored refer
ence TO a committee V lille Senator Collins was
for immediate consideration.
Senator Aunroe, seeing the temper of the SEN
ate was not favorable 70 Il suspension of the
rules, withdrew the bill, and vas allowed to sub
stitute the following: "Tbe constable of the
commonwealth and his deputies shall not have
or exercise any authority or power under chap
ter 249 of the acts Of the year 1865, or under any
act In addition or in relation thereto, during the
tenn OF thirty days from the passage hereof"
The bill as substituted was referred to the COM
mttee on the judiciary.
In the house the subject was brought mp by
Mr.. Colby, of Newburyport, who asked leave to
introduce bill similar 70 the one which was re-
feffed TO a committee 10 the senate. He said
the constables of the commonwealth had taken
advantage Of the testimony before the commit
tee on state police ana had seized the proper
~ and jmperied the liberty Of mep who had
testified before that committee, in relation to
the means by which they had escaped seizure
for sixteen years, The seizure, he thought, was
made TO eVerawe aud intimidate the witnesses,
and that the pOwers OF the police force ought
to be suspended so that the legislature might
exercise its own rights.
Mr. Fitzgerald of Boston said that persons
living 10 his district had said to him that they
had rather go TO Jail than to testify before the
committee on the state police, Though the law
WHICH had been passed protected them from the
consequences of any corrupt practices they ac-
knowledged in conjunction with the state police,
it did not protect their property from seizure
afterwards,
Mr.. Cogsyell of Yarmouth said that if it was
true as stated that the prosecutions Of witnesses
by the state constable had been made out of
spite, he deserved not only cegsuFe but expul
sion from an Office which it was shown he was
unit for. He favored the appointment of a
committee to consider the subject introduced
and report to the house.
Mr.. Woodbury., of Boston, thought the ques-
ton very gra re one, and that the house should
yindicate its rights in the matter, II measures
had been taken TO intimdate witnesses by the
state constable, the legislature should either
repnmand the constable directly, or address the
governor and demand his removal for viola.
ton OF the constitution. He said that when the
proper time came he would move the adoption
Of the following order: "Ihat a special commits
tee on the state police report whether the nriy.
leges OF the general court have been Violated nv
the constable OF the commonwealth in 1nstitnf.
ing proceedings against persons and propertv
during the attendance Of such persons on tbe
hearing before the JOINT committee on the state
police"
Mr.. Adams of Quincy suggested that the state
constables bad probably acted within the stiict
letter OF the law, and that to discover the bad
intentions and mete out the punishment was a
delicate matter. He favored reference 10 the n.
dietary committee. Messrs. Train of Boston
Towne of Fltcbburg, and several others, spoke
on the question, generally in favor Of the recep-
ton and reference of the bill, which, with the
order proposed by Mr.. Woodbury., was referred
to the committee on the Judiciary.
In the senate, a bill was introduced on leave
to incorporate the Ashburnbam savings bank.
The committee on banks and banking reported
lnexpedient on the order relative TO the equallz.
ing of earnings Of the deposits in savings banks,
and on the order in relation to limiting savings
banks IN declaring dividends. The motion to
reconsider the vote, whereby the bill to iBcor,
pofate the Nashua, Acton, and Boston railroad
company was rejected, was assigned to Tuesday
next: me Dlu TO authorize the New England
| hospital Tor women aud children TO hold addi,
| tional real estate was ordered to be enorossed.
| 10 the house several petitions were 3 esented
in favor Of o prohibitory law, Committees ne,
ported bills 10 incorporate the Amesbury
| savings bank, the Holden savings bank. the
| Deer6eId Valley agricultural SOCIETY, and the
Bristol MASONIC building association, and re,
| solve 10 pay to the museum of comparative
zoology the sum of $4,000, The bills for lie
better protection Of infants, aud relating TO pro-
eeedings 10 divorce cases were rejected,
THE WORCESTER RAILWAY TRACES.
There was large attendance Of Worcester people
ct the bearing before the railway committee on the
petition for the removal Of the railway tracks IRON
the common and adjacent streets In Worcester
Hon. w. W. Rice, attorney for the Norwich and
Worcester road, opeaed the case for the remcn
strants. Re claimed by the bill presented by the
city solicitor that the Boston and Albany railroad
were trying 10 induce the committee TO remove the
Foster street depot, the tracks from Exchange 10
Nadlson streets, and 70 Washington aauare Mhare