The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-18
vermont Legislature.
rConcluded from First Page.

as not to take effect, so far as it shall re- |
late to the place of confinement of the in-
mates of the Vermont reform school, until |
December LIST, 1875 but for all other pur-
DO es It shall take effect on its passage. He
said he thought such an amendment neces-
sary. and it was unanimously agreed to.
Mr.. Davenport of Wilmington, moved to
commit the bill to a member to eamend so
as to direct the governor TO purchase the
Sherman farm 80 called, al sum not to
exceed $4,000, which sum shall be a part
Of the 100000 appropriated in the bill,
which motion was agreed to.
The question recurring on the passage of
the BILL Mr.. Churchill Of Goshen, demand
ed the yeas and nays, which were taken
ayes 172, nays AZ, so the bill was passed.
Joint Resolutions. From the senate srls-
pending the 18th joint rule tor the re-
mander of this session; adopted in con-
currence.
From the senate, providing for penc-
Tertiary commission
Mr. Circuit of Barton favored the adop-
ton of the resolution, for the reason that
the state of Vermont is behind her sister
states in the matters of rcformatory and
corrective institutions, and cited the APP
preparations made by the state of Mlassa-
chusetts. He thought we should be will
ing to examine the enlightened policy of
that state in regard to minor criminals. He
hoped we should not refuse the appropria-
ton of the small snm of $500 for the pur-
pose of gaining the information which we
should derive from such commission.
Mr.. Davenport of Wilmington opposed
the resolution as being unnecessary.
The adoption OF the resolution was
then refused ayes 46, nays, &c.
Mr.. Ladd of Alburgh called up fl. 8,
TO abolish the state reform school, and
to repeal all laws relating to, the question
being on the adoption of the amendment
proposed by Mr. Ladd.
Mr.. Ladd said the proposed amendment
took the power of sentencing boys to the
reform school from justices of the peace
and conferred it upon judges of the pro-
bate. also regulated the commitment of
boys to that school. He was surprised to
learn that boys had been committed to the
reform school for offences for which even
justices of the peace are not allowed to inn
pose a fl C exceeding $40. We put boys
in there for altogether too trivial offences,
and cited cases where boys had been SEN
fenced Il ere for mere nothing, TO get them
supporie at the expense of the state, and
free the towns from their support He
though the change Of the power of SEN
tencc from justices Of the peace TO the
judi ges of probate. would obviatc the evil
Boys of To, tender age are sent there who
should never have been taken from the care
of their parents. The reform school has
already cost us, as we figured it, over $780,
900, and, if we keep on as we are now
going, we shall very soon find that amouLt
annually required Ia support the school.
lie said he believed officers, in the larger
towns, had busted themselves in looking up
boys and getting them committed 10 the
reform school for the sake of the fees. We
better strike at the root of the thing and
cut off the power Of sentence from justices
of the peace.
Mr.. Shurteff of Plainfeld, while favor
ing some of the provisions of the amend
ment, could not favor comforting the power
of criminal jurisdiction upon judges of
probate. If he would change the power to
the judges of the county court, he would
favor it.
Mr.. Henry of Chester, was opposed to
the amendment as it now stands. The
section which forbds the sentence of any
boy under ten years of age to the reform
school, met his hearts approval. To the
rest of the amendment he was radically
opposed. The cost of commitment, under
this bill, would be much more than under
the present law. He believed the desirable
features of this bill would be reached by
the passage of the other bills now before
the house, and he hoped this amendment
would he dismissed or voted down.
Mr.. Danforth of Barnard said he should
heartily endorse the provision that took
away from justices of the peace the
the power to sentence boys to the re-
form school. But there are very serious
objections to the bill, and he was OPP
posed to it.
Mr.. Davis of St. Adams moved that
the bill be dismissed.
Mr. Ladd of Alburgh thought there was
nothing in this constitutional objection
against comforting the power of commit
ment on judges of probate. He thought
at first he would confer the power on the
assistant judges of the county court but
again, he thought they were not generally
so competent men as the judges of probate.
His main object was to take the power of
commitment away from justices of the
peace and he hoped this feature of the
bill would be preserved.
Mr.. Tyler of Irasburgh, was in favor of
the general features of the amendment
But he thought it better to confer the
power on the assistant judges of the coun-
ty court instead of on judges of probate.
He would take away from justices of the
peace the power to sentence boys to the
reform school and he would prohibit
the commitment of any boys under
ten years of age. He moved to amend
the amendment proposed by Mr.. Ladd of
Alburgh, by substituting the words ''as-
sistant judges of the county court" in
place of the words "judge of the pro-
bate" wherever they occur.
Mr.. Davis of st. Adams, said there
would be very serious objections to this bill
in its practical workings, which we should
be sorry to find on the statute books. He
was opposed to the bill and hoped it would
be dismissed
The amendment was further discussed
by Mr.. Davenport of Wilmington, Mr..
Ladd of Alburgh, Mr.. Davis of st. AL
bans, Mr. Grout of Barton, Mr.. Tyler of
Irasburgh, Mr.. Brown of Lowell, pending
the question on the dismisson of the bill,
Mr.. Guild of Rupert moved that the
house take a recess until o'clock this
evening; agreed to-ayes 100, nays 81.
House BIllf.-Specia1 Session, 1875.
ii. IAN act relating to sentences to the
Vermont reform school.
II is hereby enacted by the General As
semJiy Of the State Of Vermont
SEC /. No justice of the peace shall
hereafter have power to sentence any boy
to the Vermont reform school.
SEC. 2. When any boy under the age of
sixteen years is convicted of any crime by
justice of the peace in this state, in cases
proper for him to try and determine, such
justice shall hold the respondent to bail in
sum not exceeding three hundred dol
lars, for his appearance TO the next stated
term of the county court in which county
said ollense has been committed; and when
the respondent shall fail to enter such re-
cognizance required, and justice may issue
his warrant to commit such respondent to
the county Jail in said county, pending such
session of court.
SEC. 3. All acts and parts of acts incon-
sistent with this act are hereby repealed.
SEC. 4. This act shall take effect from