San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-03-13
STATE LEGISLATURE.

Reports Of committees were pre-.
sented, and Senate passed bill re-
vising charters of corporations
that had lapsed, also Bowser libel
bill with amendments. The bill as
amended reads:
Section |. Be it enacted by the
Legislature of the State OF Texas {:
In any suit brought for the publi-
cation OF libel in any newspaper
in this state the plaintiff shall re-
cover only actual damages if it
shall appear that the publication
was made in good faith, and it's
falsity was not due to negligence,
mistake or misrepresentation Of the
ia; ITS, and that the publishers
thereof have reasonable ground to
believe that the lib3lous state
ments are true, and that in the
next regular issue Of said news
paper, after such mistake or mis-
apprehension was brought to the
knowledge Of the publishers,
whether before or after suit
brought, a correction was pub
lished in as conspicuous a manner
and place in said newspaper as
was the article sued on as libelous.
Sec. =. That in actions for libel,
IL there is no express malice, then
no exemplary or punitive damages
shall be awarded, but such malice
may be inferred from the negli-
gence, nature and tone Of Il ne state.
ments claimed to be libelous, the
falsity thereof and the want Of
probable cause to believe the libel
Gus statement to be true.
Sec. ). No exemplary or punitive
damages shall be removed unless
the plaintiff shall, before bringing
suit, give notice by mail or other
wise to the defendant to publish a
retraction of the libel, and allow
the defendant a reasonable time in
which to publish such retraction,
and make such amends as are
reasonable md possible under the
circu instances of the case; and
proof Of the publication Of any
UGH retraction or correction
shall be admissible in evil
dence under the general issue on
the question of good faith of the
defendant, and in mitigation and
reduction OF damages; provided,
that the retraction shall bo pub
lished in equivalent type and in
the same or equivalent editions of
the paper as the original libel, and
so far as practicable in the same
position.
Sec. t. In an action for libel
against the proprietor or editor OF
any newspaper or other periodical
the defendant may plead in his an
swer that the libel was inserted
without gross negligence, and that
at the earliest subsequent oppor-
tunity he inserted in such publica-
ton full apology, and that the
apology was printed in as large an
edition and equally conspicuous in
position and style OF type and de-
gree Of publicity as was the inser-
ton Of the original or il such publ
cation was published only at inter
walls exceeding month, that he of.
fered to publish such apology with
equal degrees Of spicuousness
and publicity in any paper which
the plaintiff might name, and II
such plea is filed in the answer,
evidence OF it's truth may be ad-
mitted and may be taken into con-
sideration by the jury in estimat-
ing the damage.
Bill was reconsidercd and tabled.
HOUSE.
Resolution was passed calling
for an examination into the print
ing Of the Supreme court reports.
Senate finance committee met to-
day and agreed to report faVorably
with amendment Tips bill to
make appropriations for registered
and estim ated deficiencies from
March l, 1898, to Feb. -, 1895, and
previous years in the different de-
partments, which amount to about
$4,000 registered and $4,000 esti-
mated. Total, $2I5,OOO.
Senate judiciary committee No.
l met today and agreed to report
favOrably the following bills: Bal
ley's bill, making fire insurance
policy liquidated demand for to-
tai lose; also Cages bill, relating
to salary OF county judges; also
Colquitt's bill, relating to private
corporations; also McComb's bill,
to fix the compensation Of county
judges as ex-of1icio county super
intendents; also Cages bill, to for
bid the dismissals oiappeals in GER
tain cases by reason Of defents
in appeal bonds. 1t will report
favorably on Agnew's bill, to pro-
vide for lien in favor of the city