Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-23
THE STANTON INVESTIGATION.
Organization of the Committee
legislative Notes and Gossip.

ORGANIZATION tt thf t"h"'i''-
Legislative Notes and Gossip.
Observation-Disclosures Kent yesterday
appointed Messrs. Stubs and Buchanan
as the committee on the part of the Sem
ate to unite with Messrs. Walker, Hath
away. and Carter n Harrison. the COM
mittee on the part of the House, to in
vestigate the charges made by John l..
Randolph, OF Norfolk. and others, against
the Deaf. Dumb. and Blind Institution at
Staunton.
Shortly after the. Senate committee was
announced the five members OF the joint
committee met and organized, with Sena-
tor Stubbs as chairman. No business
was transacted. and Mr.. Stubbs called
another meeting for this morning, when
the committee viii decide when the in
yestigation will be commenced, where 1t
will be held, and what witnesses will be
summoned.
Senator Stubbs said yesterday that the
investigation would certainly be started
here. and If possible II would be con-
cluded here, but II IL was found neces-
sary to transfer the scene Of action TO
Staunton that would be done. IL is un-
derstood that a score or more OF witnesses
will be examined.
Senator Echols, Of Staunton, when ask
ed In regard 10 the charges made against
the institution. said he did not relieve
there was a word Of truth In them, but
OF course now that they had been made
public. il was proper TO investigate the
matter The charges Of a similar nature,
which were made a few years ago, he
said, were investigated, with the result
that il was proved that there was no
foundation for them.
Mr.. Stubbs, chairman OF the joint Com
mittee on Public Institutions and Educa-
ton and Prisons and Asylums. will this
afternoon appoint the subcommittee
charged with the investigation Of the state
OF affairs at the various State institu-
tions, more particularly with regard TO
the penitentiary.
BILL AS TO BOILERS
4 meeting Of the House Committee on
Counties, Cities end Towns was he'd last
night and Colonel HarwoOd boiler bill
was taken up and passed by until this
morning.
The bin provides that IL shall be unlaw-
ful for any person 10 have charge of or
operate "A steam boiler or engine I'm this
Commonwealth. cspt locomotive boilers
and engines. boilers i'm private residences,
boilers under the jurisdiction OF the
United States. and boilers used for agri-
cultural purposes exclusively, or Of less
than four horsepower, and saw or grist-
mills Of forty horsepower. outside Of
cities unless he holds license obtained
N accordance with the provisions Of the
law II shall be unlawful for any owner
or user Of any steam boiler or engine,
other than those above excepted, TO
operate or cause 10 be operated a steam
boiler or engine for period OF more than
one week, without duly licensed engi-
neer in charge.
Colonel HarwOOd introduced Mr.. Nc
Cook. a practical engineer. who advocated
the passage Of the bill. He was followed
by Mr. II. J. Schlosser. Of this city. who
also spoke in favor Of the measure. Mr.
Frank r. Jones, another engineer from
this city, advocated the measure, but
objected to exempting engineers OF saw
mill plants. Mr. 5. wilkins. Of Accomac.
spoke in favor Of exempting engineers Of
saw-mils. The passage OF the bill as
a measure Of safety for life and property
was also urged by Mr.. Charles Devote.
The bill was finally passed by.
The bill granting a charter TO the town
Of Pocahontas was then taken up. The
bill was introduced in the House by Mr.
James W. Smith, of Tazewell. and in the
Senate by Mr.. st. Clair. OF Tazewell.
Judge Boiling. Of Wytheville. addressed
the committee in opposition to the bill.
while Mr.. Goodman spoke in favor Of the
charter.
Alr. Logan NJ. Bullet. president of the
Philadelphia, Southwest Improvement
Company. of Pocahontas spoke also in
opposition to the bill. and offered sub
s,itute. lie was followed by Colonel
Browning, Of Pocahontas, who expressed
similar views, while Senator St. Clair
advocated the original bill
II was finally decided, on motion OF Mr..
Maupin. OF Henrico. TO refer the matter
TO a subcommittee of three. in order
to endeavor 10 secure some agreement
among the conflicting elements The
Chair appointed Messrs. Maupin. Of Hen
rico. Powell. OF Warwick. and Sager, Of
Shenandoah, members of that sub-com-
mittee.
OTHER COMMITTEES.
The House Committee for Courts Of
Justice met yesterday morning and re-
ported favorab.y the bill introduced by
Mr.. Hundley regulating the trial i'm as
sault cases. and providing that the writ
OF error in such cases should lie from
the Supreme Court to the County Court.
Mr. Hundley's bill regulating general
procedure in criminal courts wasreported
adversely.
The Senate bill allowing In all cases of
misdemeanor in the courts Of record the
defendant 20 waive his right to a jury
and submit the trial Of his case TO
court was favorably reported.
The House Committee on Privileges and
Elections will meet next Tuesday at 10
o'clock. when the Goochland County Elec-
toral Board case will come up.