The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-02-09
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
Short Sessions In Both Branches OF the
Legislature Saturday.
Tie Senate Committee on Prisons
Visit the Michigan City Institu-
tion-Other Notes.

Both bodies of the Legislature adjourned
at noon Saturday, TO meet at , o'clock to-
day.
Directors Of the prisons and Trustees Of the
benevolent institutions will be elected at 2:30
p. m. to-day.
Mr.. Gooding is opposed to compacts be-
tween insurance companies and has intro
duced bill TO prevent them.
The parties TO the Knightstown Home
controversy have employed attorneys and
the disclosures are expected to be ssusa-
tional, dirty and costly.
A bill introduced By Senator Hilligss en-
powers County Commissioners TO open books
for subscriptions to erect soldiers monu-
menis and to appropriate money for the
same.
When the House assembled Saturday
there were but sixty-three members present,
and the aid of the Sergeant-at-Arms had to
be invoked. Five wandering statesmen were
corralled and the House proceeded to bust
nkss.
T. w. Tomlinson, of Logansport, has been
appointed clerk and stenographer for the
Knightstown Investigating Committee at a
salary OF So per day, and days work is
fixed at eight hours actual employment
Considering that stenographic court report
ers are worth but 80 per day, this seems Just
little odd.
The House has ordered printed the Senate
bills providing for q temporary loan and
appropriating money for the completion
and equipment of the new insane hospitals
If Mr.. Moody proposed ID investigate the
asylums. it would be we'll for him to begin
st once, as they are likely to De completed
within The few years.
THE SENATE COMMITTEE AT THE NORTHERN
PRISON.
The Senate Committee on Prisons, repre-
sented by Senators Hoover, Faulkner, Benz,
Null, Campbell, of st. Joe, and Marshall,
returned Saturday afternoon, after a very
pleasant trip to the Lake City. They were
accompanied by Miss frankie Faulkner and
Miss Susie Morgan, and Mrs. John Saids,
and a numar Of others. Both on the cars
and at leisure moments while at the
prison Senator Hoover's bill for the encour-
sgement of life time conVicts in the
State Prisons was freely discussed and earn
estly approved by all members of the com.
mittee. the bill provides that prisoners
sentenced for life shall be liberated by the
Governor at the expiration OF twenty-five
years from the date OF their sentence. less
the time earned by good behavior during
the time OF lmprlson ment. a convict whose
behavior had been uniformly good
would, under the provisions of this
bill, be released at the expiration
of fifteen years and three months
The release, however, would be only provis.
ional; the slightest infringement Of la after
their release would remand to prison for the
unexpiIed term. Rev. Mr.. Mccain, chaplain
of the Southern Prison, said that no life
time convict who had been pardoned by the
Governor had ever committed second OF.
tense which returned him to prison. War.
den Murdoch gives like testimony as to the
Northern Prison. Senator Campbell, of St
Joe, who is one of the sblest Repub-
lican Senators, made somewhat
strict Investigation OF the prison
accounts, and called for vouchers as to time
of convict labor, not only from the guards
but also from some of the contractors for
nation OF the Wsrden's bond. Mr.. Mur.
dock said that he was willing and ready at
any time to permit the moet searching in
yestjgatioD as to every detsil of expenditure
and every act CT discipline. And he added
that il the Legislature did not think bond
Of goo was ample, be was willing to
give one for $50 GOO or for $500, 900,
at twenty-four hours notice. The Senator
from st. Joe said be was satisfied that the
present bond was large enough, aud good
enough and that the books showed a salts
factory management of the finances. Clerk
Condor was complimented by members OF
the committee on his bookkeeping The
Hen. Henry Manning, of Fort Wayne, one
OF the directors, was present, and aided the
committee materially in their investigation
Mr.. George Majors, one of the other direc.
tors, was unfortunately absent by reason OF
sickness.