Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-10-23

BRATTLEBORO,
THE LEGISLATURE.
Continued from the first pdge)
can the work of the commission be so eff
fectually crippled and rendered unavaillng.
II is generally conceded that they are now
doing good work, and that in value re.
ceived no other state expenditure gives
better results. The full cost of the board
the past year was $3.50 %. Their report
just issued asks for new legislation i'm the
matter of abolishing grade crossings. They
ask for authority for the board to abolish
two grade crossings in every year In each
county. They recommend that the rail-
road companies be required to bear 05 per
cent of this expense, the town 10 per cent
and the state % per cent-the expense to
the state not to exceed SIS, 900 per year,
however. In this way it is proposed TO
gradually do away with the more danger
Gus grade crossings. There is a house
bill pending providing that the commission.
ers hold their office for the term of six
years, the present governor to appoint one
for two years one for four and one for six
years.
Election Of Stste Officers.
THURSDAY EVENING.
The election of certain state officers
occurred this afternoon under the law
passed In 1894, fixing the third Thursday
of the session for that purpose. The
legislature formerly set the day by Joint
resolution and the work was usually put
off until late in the session; sometimes, it
was claimed, in the interest of certain can
didates who wanted more time to fix
things. The wisdom of the law of 1894
is apparent. The expected opposition to
Superintendent Stones reelection subsidized
early in the week when Principal Landon
of Burlington withdrew from the contest.
The officers elected were as follows
Judges of the supreme court-Hon. Jon
athan Ross, Hon. Russell S. Taft, Hon.
John W. Rowell, Hon. j. NJ Tyler, Hon.
Loveland Monson, Hon. II. Il. Start, Hon.
l.. II. Thompson.
Superintendent of education-Mason S.
Stone.
Sergeant at-arms-Truman C. Phinney.
AuJutdut anu Inspector BcucIdl-l neO-
dore 5. Peck.
Quartermaster general-W. II. Gilmore.
Judge advocate general - Edward L.
Bates.
Brigade commander-Julius j. Estey.
Trustees of University of Vermont and
State Agricultural college-W. p. billing.
land county, and II. c. Cleveland Of Gov
entry.
The above are all present incumbents
except the last three named. All were
elected without opposition except Judge
Thompson and Adiutant-General Peck.
Judge Thompson received 200 votes to %
for Joel c. Baker of Rutland and II for S.
c. Shurtleff of Montpelier. Gen. Peck re-
ceived 200 votes TO 81 for Mai. John II.
Mimms. Col. Haskins nominated Judge
Tyler and Gen. Estey and they were sec
onded by Mr.. Button of Middlebury and
Mr.. Smith of Burlington, respectively.
The Waterbury Asylum Scandal.
The sensation of the week has been the
Indictment of DR.. W. II. Giddings, super
intendent of the state asylum for the in
sane at Waterbury, by The Washington
county grand jury on the charge Of cruelty
TO patients. The indictment consists of
five counts charging the superintendent
with beating and inhumanly treating in
different ways five female patients. The
matter has occupied the attention of the
grand jury for two weeks, having been
brought TO their notice by citizens OF Wat
erbury and Montpelier. 1t has caused
t0NsNiSs-- -sst ssusss0 = sr -i.a--zs-.i&s--.
quite general that, although the reports
10 nj hob Ia tho
subject should be taken up and thoroughly
investigated. Acting on this feeling Gov
ernor Grout sent message to each house
this morning stating the fact OF the in
dictment and recommending the appoint
ment of a joint special committee TO make
a "broad and complete investigation of the
complaints so that an interested public
may, as soon as possible, know the truth
of the premises"
The senate took immediate action, by
adopting a joint resolution providing for
special joint committee of two senators and
three representatives TO investigate the
matter, with full power to send for all
necessary persons and papers. The house
adopted similar resolution calling for
committee to consist of four senators and
eight representatives.
The house took the ground that charge
of so serious nature should be considered
by committee of such standing and size
that no suspicion of whitewashing or con-
cealment Of facts could attach TO their re-
port. The house resolution will doubtless
be adopted tomorrow morning by the SEN
ate, and the investigation entered upon at
once. Mayor Wing of Montpelier and
Judge Hobson of Brighton, trustees of the
asylum, furnished bail for DR.. Giddings,
and state with much emphasis that every
charge against him will be disproved.
Problems in Taxation.
The house committee on the grand list,
of which Mr.. Adams of Marlboro is chair
man, have passed favorably on the bill pro-
viding that buildings erected on leased land
shall be set in the grand list as real estate.
The call for this legislation comes from
Barre and Montpelier and the statement is
made that under the present law the own
ers of such buildings often get exempt from
taxation by claiming an offset on account
of debts owing. This committee are put
ting in their surplus time in studying the
double taxation question and the remedy
proposed by Mr.. Bicknell of Tunbridge, in
house bill No. So. The bill provides that
all debts secured by real estate mortgage
| shall be considered as real estate for pur-
poses of taxation. The interest of the
/ mort on goo is IN he set IN him In the LIST al