The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-03-24

Washington March 23-The house spent
most of the day considering the Curtis
| bill TO abolish tho death penalty in all
/ cases whore 1t is prescribed In tho Fed
eral statutes. save in cases of rape and
murder under sections $3.50 and 53i5 OF the
! Revised Statutes, under which however,
| the jury might qualify the verdict with
ont capital punishment" The hill makes
no changes in the penalties that can be
inflicted by military aud naval court
| martial
Among tho crimes now punishable by
death abolished by the bill are murder
ana robbery on the high seas. accessory
before the fact of murder. piracy. etc,
on the high seas, destruction of vessels
at sea. piracy. arson of vessels of war,
etc,
Tho bill failed to pass for want of n
quorum.
OF educational lands In Arizona. which
was n modification of the bill passed by
the house over the presidents veto some
time ago, was passed, ns were also sew
eral bridge bills.
This was District OF Columbia day in
the houses. Some business was transacted
by unanimous consent before Chairman
Babcock Of the District committee claimed
the cay.
DELEGATE Murphy OF Arizona secured
consent for the consideration OF the SEN
ate bill to authorize the leasing OF lands
Tor educational purposes in Arlzona
THIS was modification OF the bill vetoed
by the president ana passed over the
veto by the house. The senate modified
the bill to meet the objections raised bv
the executive The bill was passed
lSHlS were passed to authorize The
Aransas Harhor Railway Terminal COM
ITr Mt
corpus Christi channel; to amend the mr.
OF March T. 1898, relating TO the promotipn
Oh Oh sadSty OF employees and travellers on
:. The house then proceeded TO the con-
sluefati9n or District OF Columbia bust
nl ness, after which NJ, Henderson Ctep.,
mittee. called up the Curtis hi. abolish.
ing the death penalty In certain cnsaa
ana permittins 1nries in cases OF rape
without tho death penalty"
have no objection TO the enactment
e sa,d ihe A. pm INTO law little later on"
would like first to get rid OF Tho cut.
ihroats and robbers the government is
protesting PREF. u, in the Indian Territory"
blll his support. lie said with References
70 the Indian Territory. In which seventy
. .h murder eases were pending, that
could more easily be secured If ouaiiieI
y.rdicts were allowed, as few OF the mtr-
utIS were deliberate, premeditatcd kin.
inIs, lie criticised the bill however be.
cause II made treason punishable only
with life imprisonment. Although thers
We're few cases OF treason, the crime i'm
Hls opinion. should head the list
MI Grosvenor rep. Ohio opposed tho
bliI, not because II curtailed the death
penalty, hut because he did not beIIeva
that 3uries should TX penalties He Wa
not willing 10 yield his judgment on this
subject to the judiciary committee or The
department OF Justice while tho present
attorney general was very DISTINGUISHED
lawyer he tGrosvenor) did not believe he
NAG tried 9 criminal case In his life
DURING the progress OF the debatc thu
disagreement OF the senate to the con-
ference report on the Cuban resolutions
was announced, but no action was taken
by the house today "''
MT. Gillette tRep., Mass.) and Mr. Hon.
nurn tfep., fowa) opposed the Curtis
M while Mr.. Ray (Rep., N. W en-
Mr.. Little Dem.. Ark) proposed an
amendment providing that in other Grim
maj cases the jury should fix the p,n-
Atty, not exceeding the maximum fyed
10 TO 81
Mr.. Gillette offered an amendment