Smyrna times., 1883-01-24
LegisIafiYe Notes.

general awakening to the fact that rail-
road accidents at road crossings are
becoming too numerous and two bills
to compel the erection of safety gates
are already on hand, the latest being
one providing for gate at Newark
Station where the public road inter-
sects the P. w. & B. track. Mr.. Wat
sons bill to divert the oyster revenue
from the sinking fund to the free school
fund was introduced, and it will no
doubt be pushed to a speedy passage.
The plan for the division of North
Christiana hundred has been agreed
upon. Chairman Denney gave notice
of bills to amend the charter of Dover
and to incorporate the Dover Glass
Works Company, and introduced bill
to incorporate the Dover Market House
Company. Mr.. Justis gave notice of |
an act to amend section 16 of chapter |
60, Revised Statutes the object of the |
bill is to prohibit any repairs to roads |
between July and March, and particu- |
larly to prevent the dumping of gravel |
on the roads after November l. DIR. |
Temple introduced a bill authorizing
the Delaware and Chesapeake Railway
| Company to consolidate with the p. w.
&. B. r. r. The title of the bill is
misleading, for while the preamble and
the first three sections refer to the sub
ject matter the fourth section author
ICES consolidation with the Queen
Anne's and Kent County Railroad the
Dorchester and Delaware Railroad"
and any other railroad that the P. w.
& B. may acquire by judicial sale or
otherwise.
A bill providing for the disposition of
insane cOnvicts covers the case of
COllingwood P. Hallet, who was con-
victed last May of the murder of VIM.
+. Deputy at Milford. Hallet subse-
quently exhibited symptoms of insan-
ity, and sentence was suspended.
Under the proposed bill the court may
appoint a commission in lunacy, and if
the convict be adjudged insane order
his removal to the almshouse. If he
afterwards regains his sanity he may
be returned to Jail for sentence.
INCREASED REPRESENTATION.
In the matter of increased representa-
ton the General Assembly promise to
. proceed both deliberately and cautious
ly. The members universally cOncede
New Castles right to more members
in the House and admit that some
thing must be done, if the platform up
on which they were elected is to be
carried out and if New Castle is to be
, kept from becoming Republican. The
subject will be considered first in eau
| cuses of the members from each county
a separately and afterwards in caucuses
of the Houses.
r THE COMPETENCY OF JURORS.
: The bill relating to the competency
of jurors, passed by the Senate last
a week, deserves a fuller explanation
: than has yet been given. AS almost
n every one knows when juror is call.
: ed in capital case he is sworn on his
UOir dire and then the counsel for the
defense may ask the question: "Have
}. you formed and expressed any opinion
Il touching the guilt or innocence of the
4 prisoner at the bar? ?" If the counsel
: has reason to believe that the Juror il
n favOrably inclined toward the prisoner
"a he may waive this question, and thii
y privilege has often been taken advan
" tage of in our courts and the Attorney
70 General obliged to look on helplessly
If while such man goes into the jury
"a box. Mr.. Cooper's bill changes thi
a by making the question mandatOry
o and requiring the court to put it.
20 Again, an affirmative answer to thi
. question, under the present law, dis
~ qualities a man from serving as a juror
i. and, as almost every thinking man il
,o these days of enterprising newspaper
III necessarily forms and is very apt t.
express an opinion, the selection of
20 jury is apt to be confined to person
~ favorable to the prisoner and to me
IA who do less reading and thinking
Al But, under Mr.. Cooper's bill, the ex
1a preston of an opinion will not dis
"a qualify juror if he is still able to sa
re that, notwithstanding such opinion, h
or can render true and impartial verdiC
of according to the evidence.
ps REFORM MEASURES.
N. Several things intended for reforI
,ol have been introduced in the Legislf
To ture by Senator A. B. Cooper, of
nd humane character. One provides this
be convicts imprisoned for life shall nC
he be whipped.
VS. Another does away with the convict
so jacket.
be The bill for the prevention and pul
ill ishment Of abortion, is a very compr
". hensive one. The first section DR.
en- scribes fine of from $50 to 5000,
he imprisonment not exceeding two year
ms in the discretion of the Court, upC
ng any person who shall advertise, pril
or publish or distribute or circulate
de any way, or cause to be published, &c
lch any book, newspaper, notice or adve
ia tisement which shall convey al
ng. notice, hint or reference to any perso
ter either by real or fictitious name, or
nd any place, house, shop or Office whe
an anything whatsoever or any instrume
lgs or means whatsoever, or any adviC
ere direction, information or knowled,
ht- may be obtained for the purpose
of causing or procuring the miscarria,
ith of any pregnant woman. The secOl
ills, section provides, with like comprehe
ON siveness of detail, fine of from 81
ur- to $500, and imprisonment not exces
pie ing five years nor less than one We
/ or upon any person causing or attemI
ing to cause or administering al
h drugs with intent to cause such m
our carriage, unless it be necessary to
It sort thereto to save the life of t
'oof mother.
the Bills have been introduced to inct
tor porate the Smyrna and Philadelpt
DOR Transportation Company Delmar,
nda Fertilizer Company of Clayton the
in Mary's Total Abstinence Benevole
the Pioneer Corps of Wilmington bill
oof. lengthen the cunning season by ms
tier ing it begin October Goth instead
ted November 18th to incorporate I
yer Wilmington and New Castle narrC
er a gauge railroad the River Front La
Iery and Improvement Company of w
the mingtOn; Peninsular Bone Fel
Is of lizer Company of Smyrna; Wilmingt
Pioneer Coach Company amendi
. the charter of the Delaware Beet Sul
ie." Company (enabling the company
ugh make glucose from corn); to incorl
but rate the Mutual Loan Association
ugh Townsend; securing the manufactur
.nfs | and owners of railroad stock in MAX