The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-04-03
OHIO LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS

MARCH 24-Eouse-The committee which |
the charges against the Long
view Asylum officials. submitted their
report, signed by Messrs. Estill and Quinn.
In presenting the report, Mr.. Estill |
said the investigation had been made
with closed doors to prevent intimida-
ton of witnesses, and because so many
people were intesested. 1t would have
been necessary to hire large hall to accom-.
modate them if the doors had once been
opened. The report says fifty witnesses
were examined, a large number of whom
are now employed at Longview, and that
the committee are compelled to report that
the chargea of inhuman and cruel treat
ment of inmates are sustained by the evil
dence; also that there was testimony as to
ducking, kicking, beating and other marks,
of cruelty and over.working of weak
patients, and that vermin in large numbers
have been allowed to accumulate upon the
person, bedding and clothing of patis nts.
Testimony was also adduced showing that
the dissecting room was fitted up without
the knowledge of the Directors. The
Committee state that the decision that the
Superintendent has been guilty of gross
neglect of duty has been forced upon them,
and also that he must have had knowledge
that various cruelties were practiced. The
committee recommend that some action be
taken by the Legislature to ameliorate the
condition of patients at Longyiew. Rep
resentative Paine signs separate report,
declaring that the testimony was SUCH as to
demand, for the honor of the State and
justice to the Longview authorities, the ap-
pointment of another committee to actwith
the Senate Committee to more fully investi-
gate these charges. The reports were placed
in the journal.
MARCH 25.-Senate-A communication
was received from the Governor, trans
mitting the denomination of Isaac G. Pee
try to be his own successor for term of
five years as Director of the Ohio Peniten-
tiary. A number of reports of committees
were received, and bills ordered engrossed
for third reading. Mr.. johnson called up
the resolution offered by him on yesterday,
into the cause of delay in making
the annual report of the State Mine
Inspector The resolution was adopted.
Considerable time was spent in discussion
of the bill introduced by Mr.. Jackson, of
Perry, for the suppression of tramps. The
bill proposes a penalty for vagrancy OF q
fine Of one hundred dollars, to be worked
out by the vagrant at seventy.fve cents
day. Mr.. Richards offered an amendment
to the bill that any tramp refusing to work
his fine shall be kept in confinement on
bread and water until he will work. The
amendment was agreed to and the bill
passed-yeas, %; nays, 2....... .House-The
Senate amendment 10 the bill to provide
for publishing Sheriff's advertisements in
German newspapers was disagreed to.
The Senate took up the special order-the
Senate joint resolution to make sundry
amendments to the Constitution. MIR.
Hitchcock offered an amendment to the
resolution to submit further amendment
to the Constitution, giving to every county
a Representative in the General Assembly.
In support of his amendment, Mr.. Hitch
cock said that, owing to decrease in the
relative population of some localities,
there would be six counties in the State
that, after the next census, would be de-
prived of separate representation in the
Legislature. These counties are Carroll,
Geauga, Harrison, Henry, Ottawa and
Paulding. The motion gave rise to some
discussion and was defeated, reconsidered
and again defeated. The House then voted
on the adoption of the resolution, and it
was lost-yeas 81; nays 34-65 Votes being
necessary for its adoption. The Senate
amendments of the bill to reduce the fees
of the county officers were taken up and
discussed two hours, and all important
Senate amendments disagreed to. The
House bill for the relief of the sureties of
the late Treasurer of Van Vert County,
Peter F. Feigert, was passed.
MARCH 26.-H3use-Mr. Paine, of jack
son, asked for leave to offer resolution
providing for a committee to investigate
Longview, in company with the Senate
Committee, insisting that the gravity of the
charges made it due to officials and patients
that further Investigation should be made.
Dodds urged further investigation, say.
ing if the officials were guilty, as the formar
committee suggested, then they should be
indicted and sent to the Penitentiary; but
he did not believe a fair investigation
would prove them guilty. Meuser asked if
Dodds's idea was to have another committee
to prove that the former committee had
reported falsely? Dodds replied that
that was about what he meant,
because he thought fair
and open investigation would show a differ
ent state of things. Mr.. Sextro said he did
not favor a new committee, and thought the
former committee did right in not allowing
lawyers to be present to bulldoze witnesses
in the interest of Asylum officials. The
House has made its record on this matter
now let the Senate do as it pleases. Town.
send favored another committee. The
IlOuSc ny d NOIc VI tt 10 ItluS6u 10 Sus-
pend the rules to allow Paine to introduce
his resolution.
MARCH 27.-Senatc-Senate bills codifyine
the laws relative to county officers and prop.
erty were passed. Senate bills providing
that action against Mutual Insurance Com.
| panies may be brousht in counties where
the suits originated, and to exempt the re
gala, working tools, and books, of secret or
| CARNATIONS, from sale on execution, pas ed
Mr.. Lord introduced bill providing that
any person holding property in trust fol
any religious, educational, charitable, OF
other association, shall not cucumber OF
ALLEVIATE the property in any way, without
the written consent of the association, anG
to provide that where legacies are left te
such associations, for the improvement OF
purchase of any property, and has already
been devoted to the purposes of such pur
chase or improvement, any debts agains
the es,ate of the legator shall not con
stitute lien upon such legacy, except in
the same proportion which the beques
bears to the entire value of the property
......... House-A communication was re
ceived from the Directors of Longviev
asking the Legislature to investigate thu
charges against them, which was referred
to the Committee on Asylums. Bills wer,
introduced: To incorporate free avenu,
companies; to authorize the admission O.
children of INDECENT soldiers into tn,
Orphans Home, and to repeal the oEjec
tionable sections in last years law
to declare it libel to make any picture
or write or print any article tending to ex
pose any one to public ridicule or hatred
or to vilify the memory OF any dead person
and to punish the same by fine of fv
thousand dollars and one year imprison
ment in the county jail. Senate joint reso
luton 55, by Mr.. DUNCAN, proposing al
amendment 10 the Constitution by fxin,
the compensation of county officers, cam
up by special order. aud after some discus
sion was lost by 46 yeas to As nays.
MARCH 2S.-Sendte-A number of loca
bills were passed.. .House-H. B. No. s56
by Mr.. Bohl, providing for the disposition
oflife insurance policies payable to the wifi
of the insured in certain cases of divorce
was, af er some discussion, referred back t
the author with permission to report at an,
time. A motion to reconsider was laid OF
the table. On motion Of Mr.. Oglevee, tn
use of the hall of the House of Represents
tives was rendered to the Democratic Stat
Central Committee and their invited guest
in the evening. The afternoon was devote
to the third reading of the codifed bill O
roads and highways, and recess was had bt
I'll. A.