The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-03-08

not required upon charters granted by
the Circuit, Courts Fees aggregating
some $4,000 were paid since the passing
Of the act in question. and a law was
enacted durins, This session. at the in
stance OF Mr. vtthrow. OF Bath county.
remedying the evil caused by some ones
oversight, and providing that all charters
snail be void unless the tax on the same
IL pad within ninety DAYS
or interest to lawyers Is the act pro-
viding that no defects In any indictment,
presentment or other criminal 3ccusa-
ton shall DO considered unless the same
are presented in writing TO the attention
OF the trial court before the jury Is
sworn. By another act the Common
wealths attorney Is forbidden 10 10 into
the grand Jury room, but may advise
members Of the jury as TO their duties
In the presence Of the court.
y bin To provide that when the Com
monwealths attorney prosecutes for a
F. felony and convicts TOT mlsdemeanor
ne shall receive only Zee OF I'VE dollars,
failed To mass although favorably re-
ported. The right Of the person accused
OF n canifat orence TO elect TO be tried
in the Circuit court was abolished.
Law Il form.
~ Jaw ItlfIli 49, -+-r'' '"N R"Nh
prepared bv the state Bar Association,
were gmotbored in the Committee for
Courts ~ T,e,ice. one Of these bills con-
templatcd the practical merger OF legal
and equitable remedies. and, although the
bill never nasa,d. some measure OF relief
will hereafter be afforded the unhappy
litipant ubo may have mistaken his TO-
rum bv senator hays bill, now law.
excluding from the running Of the statute
Of Iin,itation., tho time during which a suit
which sbo,,ld have been brought at COM
mon law is pendng in equity, and vice
versa
Husband and wife will now be compe-
tent 10 testify for or against each other
i'm civil cases except suits TO set aside
COnvevances from one 10 the other on
the ground OF fraud. ana divorce proceed
ings. Either may tesiliy IN behalI OF me
other i'm criminal proceedings, but the
failure of either 80 10 TESTIFY shah ho'
create any presumption against the az
cused. nor be the subject OF coihihe"1 -
fore the court or jury py me prosecu s,,,s
riage from one TO the o','er cdnIlol NC IA
troduced without mutual consent.
Mr. Withrow's bill. curtailing the list
/ Of exemptions from Jury service. became
a law after good deal Of ventilation,
and Il will i'm all probability. do some
/ good service The principal fight was on
/ the provision that contributing members
/ Of military organizations shou1d no long
or be exempt but they were finally re-
stored 10 their former immunity. Bank
/ presidents. directors and cashiers, now
/ ever. have been cut off, but they VIII
no doubt secure their old privilege by
/ becoming contributing members Of mill
| tary organizations.
The Railroad Measures.
Two other bills which attracted general
/ interest. and which have since become
laws. are the one Incorporating the Rich
mond and Manassas railroad ana ito
companion bill authorizing the Board OF
| Sinking Fund Commissioners to sell the
stock owned by the State in the Rich
mond, Fredericksburg and Potomac rail-
road
The constitutional amendment. necessi-
tated by the decision in the Mary Miller
case. providing for the trial Of minor
] offences without a jury. has again passed
/ both houses. and will be submitted 10
the people ~ the election next fall II
| the majority Of the votes in this State
decide in favor OF the amendment. an
/ extra session Of the General Assembly
| will be necessary next winter TO enact
| the necessary legislation. Another rea-
son. which will. in all probability. cause
| the calling Of an extra session will be the
! growing desire among the people at large
/ 10 have constitutional convention. Dur
ing this session Mr.. Withers. Of Dam
! vile. was very anxious TO bring about
the necessary legislation preparatory 90
the holding Of the convention, and intro
| duced resolution looking into the adj
/ visibility Of such a convention. His res
| olutiOn came very near being passed.
! had il not been for the speeches OF Cap
tain Camm Patteson, who endesvored 10
convince the House OF the necessity Of
curtailing the right OF suffrage through
the convention by excluding those from
voting who cannot read and are unable
10 understand two sentences Of the Con-
stitu'ion read 20 them.