The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-12-30

| for life. After sentence, OdrHoll, ~ 10 al
legged, went insane and was so adjudged.
Upon this being made known to Govern
or Ireland, he endorsed the petition to
commute as follows:
"If he is insane as urged, then he ought
not to by punished at all, and as there is
some doubt about his condition, decline
to commute the sentence and he can re-
main in the asylum.
Since the endorsement, Darnell is de-
clared to be sane and in answer to petit
ton wanting the sentence committed,
/ the governor has endorsed it as below
at is now asserted by prisoners attor-
ney that petitioner is certainly sane. The
action of the governor has been invoked
ON the ground that he was insane. He
now appears to be sane again, and as it
has not been asserted that he was insane
when he committed the crime there does
not appear any reason why the governor
should interpose, and he declines to do
80"
Darnell was convicted of the murder of
one William Gilbreath, of Wood county.
Since adjudged insane Darnell has been
| in the Terrell asylum, and the superin-
tendent declares he has fully recovered
and is now sane, and from Gov. Ireland's
| last endorsement it is more than likely
that the law will take its course and the
death penalty be carried out.
All the departments closed yesterday at
noon, and no business will be transacted
in any of them to-day. During the first
of next week a few clerks will be on hand
in each to attend to all important bust
ness, but as a general thing there will be
a general suspension of work until after
New Years.
STATE DEPARTMENT.
The Caldwell Bucket brigade, of Cald-
we'll, Burleson county, filed charter in
the Office of the secretary of state yester-
day.
ooMPTRoLLER's DEPARTMENT.
The comptroller yesterday received the
official bond of H. L. Bentley, district at
torney of the Thirty-second judicial dis
trict.
A number of assessors bonds were re-
ceived, but not approved. About l42
have been approved to date.
STATE HOUSE ECHOES.
Members of the legislature will begin
to arrive about the 9TH of next month.
The legislature convenes Tuesday, the
18th, and Governor Ross will be inaugur-
ated the following Tuesday.
1t is pretty well settled that Captain Il.
M. Holmes, of Mason will be Governor
Ross private secretary and he is making
preparations to move his family to Austin.
petition in favor of Captain Tom
Scurry of Dallas, for adjutant general is
being sent to all the militia companies in
the state for signatures.
Governor Ross and family will have
rooms at the Driskill, until after the in
auguration when he will move into the
mansion.
Business was dull in all the departments
yesterday.
The report of Col. Darden, superintend-
emit of public buildings and grounds, is
out.
He recommends an appropriation for
an iron fence with limestone or granite
base for the land Office. He recommends
that the governors mansion be thoroughly
repaired and wants $1,000 for the purpose.
Abiding to the building, he says:
"The grounds of this valuable property
have never been properly laid out or suit
ably ornamented. The fencing neither
external nor the subdivisions is in keep
ing with the character of the place or the
dignity of the state. The SIDE walks
around the entire block should be curbed
and paved in the most substantial man
ner, and now that we have such immense
granite supplies, which may be worked by
the states own labor, at a cost compare
lively trifing, 1t is suggested that this
curbing and paving stone and the base for
the fencing, as we'll as that around the
land Office and capitol grounds, should be
of that superior material now so generally
adopted for similar uses in the various
cities of this country"
Of the state cemetary he says:
"The grounds have had the usual care,
and are in good condition, except that
the fencing should be reprinted.
During the past two years the follow
ing named persons have been inferred,
viz: Hon. Ashbel Smith, R. 0. w. Nc
Manus and VIM. L. Hunter, all of whom
we're active participants in the early revo-
lutionary struggles Of the republic.
Though this resting place for our dis
tinguished dead has been established
seemingly but few years, yet the monu
ments, which are OF marble or kindred
stone, generally show indications of early
decay; only few of recent date, are in
good state of preservation, while some
are already crumbling and worthless. 1t
is, perhaps, not to be regretted that no
means have heretofore been provided by |
the legislature by which the law that d. |
reefs the superintendent to erect IAN ODE
lsk of marble at the head of each grave"
could be executed. 1t is almost useless to
employ such material in exposed stu
ations. In my last report I rendered to
the state (by direction) granite, from the
quarries in Burnett county, sufficient to
erect columns for each and all of these |
graves free of charge. This proffered do
nation was not accepted or in any man
ner recognized, and regret to say that
am not authorized to renew the offer.
Though have had no conference with |
the parties, my knowledge of their past |
to the state warrants the opin-
ion that they would generously respond |
to any expressed will of their fellow citi-
Zens.
1 further stated in last report that "the
law should specifically define the class of |
persons entitled to burial in the grounds
and by what rule the superintendent shall |
be governed in granting permits" The |