Morning journal and courier., 1893-06-08
POOL BILL AmErDED

4
teen to Two The state Prison
Committee Returns-Governor Nor.
ris Nominates New Members OF the
state Board Of Charities-The NOR.
ris Cove Read-Other Important
BiIIs-The House and Senate.
HARTFORD, June 7.-[Special. 1.-The SEN
ate to-day by vote of seventeen to two
adopted an amendment to the pool bill,
which provides that the pool law shall not
be construed go "as to prohibit the giving
of prizes or premiums for any trial OF con-
test of skill, speed or endurance of man,
beast, bird or machine and the charging OF
an admission or entrance fee to any contest
in any such trial or contest"
Senator Holcomb offered this amendment,
in lieu of the one presented by Senator
Holden, as had been agreed between the
two senators.
Senator Holden first took up the debate
on the measure. He explained Mr.. Hol-
combs amendment and believed that 1t
ought to pass. He did not believe in gam
bling and never gambled in lis life, but
he did believe that the people needed some
relief from the present pool bill. and that
this amendment would give fair show to
all honest sports and would still prevent
pool playing. 81;
Senator Fox-I am opposed to this
amendment to the present bill. as already
passed. In the first place this amendment
has no business to be here, and Is present.
ed In violation of the rule regarding new
business, and last of all 1t was never re-
ferred to any committee for hearing and
report.
I understand that Senator Holden is the
father of this amendment. I don't see any
difference between betting in pool room
and betting on race track, and this Is
what such an amendment means. I don't
believe at this late day in the session in
coming here in this manner and trying to
force through an amendment to q bill
which had received due consideration and
passed, and especially an amendment
which would rob the present bill of its
value.
The pool bill was passed and covered
everything, and that was proper. This
amendment would at least exempt class
of sports and people and would be class
legislation.
There was no hearing before a commit
tee on this amendment, nor was it intro
dueed under a suspension of the rules, and
1t should not pass.
I am not bitter in my feelings against
horse racing, but when the people demand
of us statute, and we pass one, say do
not repeal it without at least fair trial.
After bill has been carefully considered
by committee and passed, are you going
to allow one senator to come In here and
pass bill, taking away the effect and life
of the present bill.
Senator Pierce-Had not supposed that
some amendment of this kind would be in
troduced before the end of the session, I
would not have voted for the pool bill at
all. In the original pool bill, there was
danger while 1t was pending of fight
which might have held the matter sus-
pended until adjournment, and the people
demanded some immediate relief from the
pool room evil. To satisfy this cry we
passed the bill, which was a rank one,
cutting down the guilty and the innocent,
the just and unjust, and I think the
amendment Of Senator Holcomb should
pass.
The father of this bill as the senator
from the Eighth says, is Senator Holden,
but I am equally the father of it, as he
to day has ten thousand fathers in this
state, who are lovers of fair sports and
who will be hurt by the present law.
trust the amendment will pass.
Senator Holcomb-I do not believe that
there is any necessity for new legislation on
the pool bill, as think 1t already exempts
purses for contests, and I consequently
Others, however, don't agree with nae, and
80 offer this amendment. My amend
ment provides that prizes can be given for
contests Of speed, etc. It can do no harm,
as 1t will not permit gambling or pool play
inc T xu0nld ,of offoy ~ T In
of legitimate contests, and 1t Ia because
other lovers of these sports desire 1t that
make the amendment.
Senator Milner-I am very glad to see
the senators change their minds in this
matter. This amendment is in the line of
the one offered by me, when the original
bill passed, and 1t only received three
votes. The people in general are opposed
to this bill and this amendment should
pass. Horse races should be encouraged
and they must have Inducements. I favor
the amendment.
Senator Holcomb-I would say that my
amendment does not allow pool selling, az
the senator from the Seventeenth would
intimate.
Senator Phelps-I am heartily in favor
of the amendment of the senator from the
Second.
Since distinguished lawyers have written
opinions on the bill, that as it is 1t does
conflict with horse races, bicycle races and
the like, and the amendment can do nc
harm and will remedy this.
Senators Coffin and Cleveland also favor
ed the amendment, which was passed by q
vote of II to 2. Those voting for the
| amendment were Senators Cleveland, Hol
comb, Coffin, Pierce, Holden, Gardner,
Robertson, Ferris, Houlihan, Matthews,
L op5
Keeney.
Against-Fox, Hall.
STATE PRISON COMMITTEE.
The state prison committee returned
from Its visit to Philadelphia and Aubnr1
prisons to-day. Colonel Mowry, of the
committee, was the only member of the
committee at the capitol to-day. He said
We went to the eastern penitentiary in Phila
/ delphia conducted on the same so-called solitary
Imprisonment plan. The law of Pennsylvania ap
plies to all state and county prisons In point Of
fact, however, there is now little, if any compli
| ance with the law. The prison contains some >
100 prisoners and az there Is not sufficient cell
room two and sometimes three men are put to
| gether in one cell. There they sit and work and
| talk and with good food why should they not en-.
Of the cells have to be larger than others to &C.
| commodate them.
back Of the cells and somethng ike Il BY 20 feet
in size, should say, divided by slight fences
They are all in the prison enclosure, which is
surrounded by a wall thirty feet high You
might turn all the prisoners out in this enclosure
and none could escape.
"When a prisoner Is refractory he is put in an
| ordinary cell by himself and heavy plank door
l is closed over his grated door, Between these
doors is large air space, and If he persists In
yelling mattresses are placed between so as to
| muf1e the sound. His diet is bread and
water. There are few prisoners to pun.
! ish and this treatmedt is not needed long
i in any case. The prison at Auburn N v ia on
the same plan as ours at Wethersfeld. Punish
ment is by solitary Imprisonment on low diet; no
paddle is used and no dungeons are employed
| I'm both prisons there is a variety Of occu-
pations which am inclined to think is better
| than having only one line, and instead Of hayinz
] contractors the state does its own buying and
selling and earns quite profit thereby"
STATE BOARD OF CHARITIES.
The names of Miss Rsbecca e. Bacon of
New Haven, Mrs. Mary I. Egglsston of
Hartford and Dr.. A. J. Tracey of Meriden
were sent to the senate to day BY Governor