The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-22
DOINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE.

Prison Inquiry at Jeffersonville to Begin
Tuesday-Prison North Visited.
The most interestin event of this week
to the legislators will be the investigation
of the charges against the Prison south.
The two Prison South committees of the
House and Senate will leave for Jefferson
VILE Tuesday. and the investigation will
be conducted there. James Redman, chair
man of the House committee. slipped away
for a couple of days last week. and the
superstition is that he was in Jacksonville
posting himself on the PRISONS affairs.
Since the charges were made number of
people have communicated with Messrs.
Newhouse and Lindemuth. who offered the
resolution in the House. asking to be called
as witnesses and stating that they have
evidence not yet touched upon that they
desire to lay before the investigating COM
mittee.
This proposed investigation of the Prison
South threw the Democrats in O furry
about the Prison North. Though no charges
Warden French's management, they
seemed to fear that some were
coming and tho Senate's Prison North COM
City Thursday evening, returning yester-
day morning. Early next week the major
ity will hand in report that
everything Is lovely up there. a
indorse on the ground that there was
no investigation of affairs. When conf
mlt:ee is shown through a prison OF any
other institution 1t. of course. finds things
all right on the surface. None of the in
mates say anything. the committee is roy
ally entertained and n cursory view of the
books. which none of the committeeman
understand. is taken.
stusrt's Mechanics Lien Law.
The organized labor lobby will exert its
influence against Stuarts Senate bill to
amend the mechanics lien law by reQuir-
ing that notice be given to the owner of
the house or building that he will be held
responsible for the labor or material fur
nlshed. before such labor is done or such
material delivered on the ground.
Under the mechanics lien law there is
the same opportunity for rascslity on the
part of contractor that there
was before. only now the owner
of the house or building is the
sufferer instead of the mechanic and dealer
| in building materials. Out of it has grown
the practice of requiring the contractor to
| furnish bond. not only for the completion
| of the work but also idennify ing the per-
| son employing MIN against any claims for
| material or labor. The practice has put
| the contractor where he cannot escape his
| bills and makes the matter safe ali around
but Stuart's bill would upset the whole
thing. Carr nters and brick masons
| know that they would be dis
| charged if they notified owners that
they would be held responsible. and
| material men do not care to thus offend q
contractor with whom they are dong bust
| ness While the material men are more
J concerned about lt than the mechanics
they are leaving 1t to the labor committee
to handle.
| The Legislative committee of the unions
! is very bitter against Representative Hord
! for the attitude he has taken in trying TO
| put non-union labor on the same footing as
organized labor. and in voting against the
| child-labor bill. which failed to pass for
| want of a constitutional majority on
| Friday. They assert that he was gre at
| friend of organized labor during the cam
paign. They also got after Manson u.
| johnson. yesterday, for voting against the
| child-labor bill. johnson tried To deny it
| at first. but they pulled the record on him
| and he promised to vote for the bill when
| called ND again this week.