Morning journal and courier., 1882-03-31
At 5gutn2I au0 ,}yourisr.
Eri..i.a 1Ea}iAn.. March 2I- ssso
The General Assembly.
HARTFORD. March 20, 1882. SenRIe.

'he 0"o nouneS. Lue OenaIe feJecteQ the Dill and the House passed it. Senator Gum was appointed a member of the committee of con ference asked for by the House
 The majority and minority reports of the Committee on Railroads on the resolution incorporating the New York, Connecticut and Boston railroad were received
 On motion of Senator Baker both reports were tabled for calendar and printing
 The Committee on Insurance submitted Q substitute bill on the resolution de life insur- ance companies that have ceased to do busi- ness.
 The bill fixing She tax of telephone and tel egraph companies at ? per cent. of the gross receipts in Connecticut was recalled from the office Of the Secretary of State and reconsid- cred.
 Senator Hoyt moved to amend by requir- ing all companies that do not make returns to pay $1O,OO0 per annum in lieu thereof.
 Senator Colt thought the amendment would not have the desired effect.
 Senator Baker said that the object of the bill is to make the company show it's hand. They now pay about $3, 800, and it is to dis cover whether this is not too small that the amendment is proposed.
 The amendment was adopted and the bill under suspension of the rules, transmitted to the House.
 Business on the calendar was disposed of as follows:
 Bill providing that whenever any joint stock corporation shall vote to wind up it's affairs and dispose of it's property, the Su- perior Court may order the property to be sold at auction upon the petition of one sixth of it's stock explained by Senator Colt and transmitted to the House.
 Bill authorizing the superintendent of the State Reform school to present to the comp troller qual terly bills at the rate of $3 per week for the support of each boy committed to the school, the sum to be paid by the treasurer passed.
 Bill providing for the taxation of shell fish grounds within the exclusive jurisdiction of the State the tax to be one and one quarter per cent.
 Senator Spencer said that of the grounds which it is proposed to lay tax upon 10, ,0OO acres are under cultivation and about 5S, 900 acres have been applied for. The industry is highly important one, and persons en- gagged in it should bear their share of the public expense
 Senator Gum moved to amend the bill by making the tax one per cent. instead of one and quarter per cent. The one per cent tax is sufficient for the support of the fish commissioners and the holders of oyster grounds should not be required to pay 8 larger tax than railroads and insurance com panies. The oyster industry is in it's infancy It costs man $1 per acre for his land and then it will cost him 1925 per acre before it becomes of use to him. Several years must pass before the land can become profitable and besides this there is the danger that it may never be worth anything
 Senator Baker supported the amendment and Senator Spencer said that he had no ob- lection to it.
 The amendment was adopted
 On motion of Senator Hammond the bill was tabled. Subsequently Senator Hammond called up the bill and offered an amendment requiring the collectors to give bond to be fixed by the fish commissioners. The amend ment was adopted and the bill passed.
 Bill providing for the burial of soldiers, sai ors and marines who served in the late war, and whose families are unable to defray the expense, at Q cost not to exceed $35, passed
 Resolution revising and amending the charter of the city of Middletown. The House amendments were adopted and the bill was passed in concurrence.
 Bill giving to any joint stock corporation a for all individual joint and partnership debts due to it as endorser, aceeptor, guarantor or surety passed.
 Bill relating to the ownership of vegetable productions of the seas on shore between high and low water mark The committee reported uDfavorably and recommended that the bill be continued to the next session.
 The bill was rejected.
 Bill providing that invalid soldiers, sailors and marines may be cared for at Fitch's home for soldiers at Darien; passed.
 The bill annulling the corporate existence of the following defunct savings banks say ings societies and savings fund companies was passed: Hartford Sixpenny Savings bank chartered in 1854 the Workingmen's Five Cent Savings bank, 1872; Connecticut Saw ings Fund company. 1888 the Savings bank of New Haven 1920; Townsend Savings bank, 1872; Plainfeld Savings bank 1889 : the Seymour Savings bank, 1872: Portland Savings bank. 1853 the Staffordville Saw 1ngs bank, 1855: Bethel Savings bank. 1860 ; the Manchester Savings bank 1861 Thomp- sonville Savings bank. 1865; the New Hart ford Savings bank, 1870; the Dime Savings bank. New London, 1873.
 Bill adjusting and settling taxes due the town, city and school districts of New Ha- yen
 Senator Bradstreet said that there is about $500 GOO due New Haven by delinquent tax pavers The bill is similar to the one which was passed several years ago in relation to the city of Hartford It provides for the appoint ment of board of commissioners who shall adjust the taxes and settle them up.
 The bill was passed.
 Resolution granting special charter to the Plant Investment company of New Haven; passed
 Resolution authorizing the quartermaster general to issue to the Cambridge Guard. of Hartford. muzzle loading guns not exceeding forty in number; passed
 Senator Alsop called up the bill providing for the payment of interest on certain rail- road indebtedness of cities, towns and boroughs of the State.
 The Senator supported the bill in an able speech, and concluded by moving that the bill be continued to the next General Assem- bly,.
 Senator Hovt opposed the motion and thought that the towns had better pay their own debts and not ask the State to do it.
 Senator Hills could see no objection to al- lowing the people to look at the matter and so devise some plan by which the towns may be aided. At any rate the matter should be laid before the people.
 The motion to continue was lost by vote of 3 to 10. and the bill was rejected.
 Resolution granting 85,00O to Thomas Lamb, of Brooklyn. N. Y, as compensation for work done on the Capitol building lost.
 Resolution committing the sentence Of James Smith from death to imprisonment for life.
 Senator Mills moved to amend by granting & feprleVe rom May D next to the hrSt Frl~ day in May, 1883.
 Senator Mills said that he introduced the resolution because he wished to see justice done. Had Mir. Hayes not been an officer of the law, it is probable that Fmith would not have received the severest penalty The amendment asks that the courts may pass upon the case. The law requires that an ap- peal on the grounds of an error in the pro- csedings shall be brought at least twelve next term of the court for New Haven coun- ty will begin next Tuesday. The case may. also be brought on the first week in May but as the date of the execution is set for then it will not be possible. Senator Mills then re- cited the incidents of the crime and quoted from the legal authorities to show why re- prieve should be granted. It is no more shan fair that Chip" Smith should have chance for his life before the courts. The State's attorneys for several counties have stated that the indictment under which Smith was tried was defective and that under it he should not be hung.
 Senator Bradstreet said that he did not see any reason why the amendment should pre- vail. The statutes recognize no right of the Assembly to grant an appeal. The right lies with the Governor. If the counsel for 'Chip' Smith are honest in their intention to attempt to get new trial why have they not made the attempt during the two or three weeks that the petition has been before the. Assembly? Smith had everything he could ask on the trial.
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