The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-08
NEW PROPOSITIONS.

Rev. Father G. S. steigenwald, of st. Johns
Cathedral, offered prayer.
NEW PROPOSITIONS.
The following described bills were introduced
read the hrst time, and severally referred to
appropriate committees, unless otherwise stated:
BY Mr.. Shockney-H b. No. 364: An act re-
quiring county auditors to give bonds, and re-
pealing all laws in conflict.
By Mr.. Shockney-H. b. No. 1885, An act 20
amend sections s and z of an act concerning
proceedings in criminal cases.
By Mr.. Mering-H. r. No. 1868: To abolish the
Maple Lawn cemetery of Richmond; TO prohibit
the interment OF any bodies therein; to provide
for the removal OF bodies now buried therein to
new cemetery, where ground can be obtained
free of charge for such interment for the sale OF
this cemetery, the proceeds to be devoted to the
purchase and improvement of the new one.
The town is quilt up all around, and it is ex-
pected to sell the ground for city park.
REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES.
The following described bills were returned
from committees, with a recommendation that
they be indefinitely postponed, which reports
were severally concurred in, unless otherwise
stated
Mr.. McMullen, from the committee on the
Judiciary, reported back Mr.. Miller's bill, Fl. b.
No. 263, to amend sections "a, rs, 70, 80, 95
and LOG of an act concerning proceedings in
criminal cases.
which II. B. No. 263 was indefinitely postponed
On motion by Mr.. MeMulen, the motion to re-
consider was Land on the table.
Mr.. McMnllen, from the judiciary committee
reported back the claim of Neal & Co, CON
tractors for iron work on the Insane Asylum, and
recommended that the bill presented in connec-
tIun with the claim should pass.
Mr.. MeMullen explained that neither the bill
nor the report on the bill allows any part of the
claim, and the committee in making this report
allows part of the claim, but simply allows
the claimants to so into the court and have the
purpose of submitting the same to this or the
next General Assembly for its consideration.
Mr. Patton presented minority report from
the same committee, recommending that the
bill be indefinitely postponed.
Mr. Wiley moved the adoption of the minority
report.
Mr. Stewart said it seemed to him that the ma
jority report ought to prevail. There are men
who claim that they entered into a contract with
the State to do certain work, and these men
claim that they did tho heavy part of the work,
the part on which they could not realizs any
profit; and then the light work, ana thauon
which they expected to realize the profit for the
entire work, was refused them because of the
notifications made by the architect Now these
men desire a bill passed that will allow them to
go into court and present their claim against the
State. This bill does grant this claim. It
simply gives them opportunity TO go into
court and let the court say whether or not there
is anything due them from the State. And if,
after fair hearing, the court decides that there
is any money coming to them, then the next
Legislature will be called upon to grant or re-
fuse this claim II these men have a Just claim
let the court say, and il they have no just
claim, that will be the end of it.
MIR, Adams stated that the minority report
was made as they claimed, upon the provisions
of the contract He further stated that the pro
Visions OF the contract allowed the notifications
which the architect made, and this the gentle
men knew when they accepted this contract.
| Now these gentlemen should have looked to this
matter before accepting this contract, provided
they were capable of making such a contract t,
and he believed they were. This minority re-
port should be concurred In, or else should
make provision for guardian for these gentle
men.
Mr.. Gibson was OF the opinion that these gen
tlemen desired to get judicial construction on
their claim, and then come before the LegslH-
ture and say: "Is this Legislature going hack
Mr.. Wiley spoke IN favor of conourrng in the
minority report
Mr.. Jewett stated that the objections urged by
members on the floor against this bill were con
why the gentlemen had submitted the minority
report. He-did not think that the House should
attempt to decide the constitutional question.
These gentlemen do not ask the Legislature TO
pay them any special amount of money [Mr.
Williams OF Knox, interrupting asked Mr.. Jew
EFT II he knew the amount of the claims. Mr.
Jewett answered that he did not know, and did
not think the matter of paying an honest claim
should depend upon the amount OF the claim.
Mr.. Gordon thought IL was but fair to suppose
that this provisional board acted fair about this
matter.
MIR. Antrim said because differences arise be-
tween parties leading to litigation, IL does not
follow that either party IS dishonest Now this
hill does not propose TO pay the cOntrac tors one
cent. 1t simply proposes TO allow them an OPP
portunity to prove their claim, and il they estah-
ltsh their claim, the next General Assembly may
or may not make appropriations for the payment
of said claims.
Mr.. Patton desired TO call things by their right
names, and when he denounced this as n steal he
meant what he said. He thought that because
these gentlemen had made II bad contract or n
contract on which they had not realized as great
IA profit as they desired, they now appear here