The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-08
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Senator Spann's Bill Providing for
Constitutional Convention.
The Decedents' Estates BiIl-The Claim of
Neal s. Co Disposed of-Important
Bills introduced.
poposEp CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.


s, tor Spann yesterday introduced
very portant bill for convention of the
people OF the State to revise, amend or alter
the constitution of the State. 1t provides
that there shall be an election on the first
Monday in April for the purpose OF select
ing delegates to the convention, which shall
consist of number of delegates equal to the
whole number of members composing the
State Senate, and who shall be elected ia
similar manner It is provided further that
the convention shall assemble in the city OF
indianapolis on the first Thursday in June,
and organize by electing president and all
other officers necessary, under the direction
of the Secretary of State. The members of
the convention shall have the same
power and authority as the mem
rcrs of the Legislature Their COM
pensation is fixed at $40 per day,
nd they are to be allowed the usual mileage
nd travelling expenses The convention
tilay submit one or more OF the amendments
which it may propose, to be voted upon by
the people separately or together, as to them
may seem expedlent. These amendments
are to be deposited in the Office of the Secre-
tary of State and the Governor shall issue
a proclamation to this effect and also cause
them to be published for three weeks in the
Journal and Sentinel. The amendments are
to be voted upon by the people on the first
Monday after thirty days after the adjourn
Fnent of the convention. The usual restric-
tons are placed about the voting, and the
bill is carefully guarded. 1t is almost an
exact copy of the law which called the con-
Btitutional convention in 1852
THE SUBJECT OF DEcEDENTs' ESTATES.
One of the most important subjects that
this Assembly has to consider is that of de-
cedents estate and various measures have
already been introduced concerning it. The
Senate judiciary committee has been work
ing for two weeks to get up good bill on
the subject, and the House committee has
already prepared one, which has been made
the special order of Friday morning. The
principal provisions are as follows:
1t abolishes the master commissioners and
provides for the removal of an executor or
administrator if he leave the State, and also
for his removal in the discretion of the court
If he leave the county but not the State. 1t
allows the payment OF claims amounting to
500 without filing and allows actions to be
brought by complaint and summons against
an executor or administrator for the recov-
cry of claim when it is against the dece-
dent and another. 1t dispenses with the
nected Herewith. 1t allows proceed
ings to be instituted to en-
force mortgages or other liens
after one year from the death of deceased,
instead of one year from the appointment of
the executor or administrator and provides
that the last named shall be made party
defendant. 1t dispenses with the semi-an-
nual settlement, and provides for notice of
the hearing of final accounts only. 1t al
lows executors or administrators to make
distribution among the heirs, and allows the
settlement of insolvent estates at the same
term at which notice is given. 1t provides
that notice OF the sale of real estate shall be
given by publication only, and allows the
clerk for his services in connection with any
claim filed against an estate not litigated 25
cents and no more.
PROTECTING THE FARMERS.
The House spent considerable time, yester-
day afternoon, in considering Mr.. Jewetts
BILL which proposes to repeal that section of
the Revised Statutes that places notes payable
in bank on the same legal footing as internal
bills of exchange. The Judiciary committee
made two reports, one for the indefinite
postponement of the bill, and the other
favoring its passage. Mr.. Jewett spoke
earnestly in favor of the latter, claiming, in
behalf of his bill, that if it was enacted it
would protect the farmers of the State from
the swindling schemes of patent-right opera
tors, who, by false representations, secure
signatures to notes payable in bank the signer
supposing that they are mere articles of agree
ment, or something of the kind. Under the
existing law, these must be paid, and the
farmers of this State have lost hundreds of
thousands of dollars in this way. In his
speech Mr.. Jewett quoted recent remark of
Attorney-general Hord, to the effect that
swindlers had obtained notes of this kind to
the amount of $500 in Bartholomew
county alone. Mr.. Smith, of Tippecanoe.
Mr.. MUTT, of Shelby, and others spoke in
favor of the bill, and it was opposed by Mr..
Wilson, of Marion, and Mr.. Frazier, OF Kos
ciusko, who claimed that its passage would
destroy long-established usage among bust
ness men, and would be a source of great an
noyance to them. They claimed further,
that farmers should be on the lookout for
such swindles and avoid signing their names
to papers, the exact purport of which they
did not understand. After considerable dis
eqssion the motion to Indefinitely postpone
t'@A r. was defeated by vote of GA to 10,
ANA the report as amended was concurred in.
Pending motion to engross the bill the
House adjourned
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
There is no longer any doubt that Mr.
Heffren is the Democratic leader in the
House.
Senator Fletcher's bill allowing cities and
towns to invest their surplus money in bonds
and other securities yesterday passed the
Senate.
Why should Mr.. Heffren be selected as
Speaker of the House in preference to such
men as Mr.. McMullen Mr.. Moody, Mr..
Jewett, Mr.. Wilson of Marion, who have
clear records2
In the House yesterday tine bill providing
for the permanent endowment of the State
University was recommitted to the commit
tee on education with instructions to report
not later than Friday morning.
And now it is said that ex-Doorkeeper