Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-09

the State treasury. The work Of the
caucus. he said. could go on.
| Mr.. Willard asked how long it was de-
| sired TO postpone the election Of judges
Mr.. Parker said that question could not
| be answered definitely
| Mr.. willard stated that II the matter
| was deferred longer than January Ist
| the counties would find themselves with
| out judges.
| Mr.. Parker denied that such would be
| the case. as the law provided that the
| Judges should hold over until their sue
| cessors were elected.
Mr.. Stubs then read from the Consti-
| tuition to show that If the judges we're
| elected after January 1st, their tenn Of
| office would commence i'm 1899, instead OF
| 1898. and they would hold their term ten
months longer than the prescribed SIX
| years.
| Mr.. Parker said, even admitting this
| TO be so. it would be better that they
serve ten months longer, at ii salary
| which was proper, than that they serve
| the prescribed term at a salary which was
! not. However, he had not stated. he
said. that the election Of judges was to
| he deferred until after January LIST.
| Mr.. Jennings. of Lynchburg, agreed
with Mr.. Parker.
| FELONIES AND MISDEMEANORS.
| Mr. Minter, Of Bedford. thought the
criminal expenses caused by The trial OF
felony cases should be borne by the State
and those caused by misdemeanOr cases
should be charged to the respective coun-
! ties and cities.
| Mr.. Mann, of Petersburg, then arose
| and stated that he had only offered the
| resolution in order that the business Of
| the body might be done with dispatch,
and that he would after hearing the
statements made. withdraw his resolution,
which was done.
| Senator Flood. few minutes later,
| informed the House that the Senate had
agreed to a joint resolution providing for
| the election of judges. The House, how
ever, refused to concur in this.
COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE.
Mr.. Winborne, of Rockbrdge. offered
the following joint resolution, which was
| adopted:
Resolved. by the House of Delegates,
| the Senate concurring, That a committee
| of three on the part of the House and
| two on the part of the Senate tie ap-
| pointed to investigate the criminal eX-
penses Of the counties of Buchanan,
| Dickinson. Greenesville. Franklin, Pat
rick, Scott, Warwick, and Wise, and Of
| any other counties or cities of the Com
monwealth that such committee may
deem proper, and report as early as prac-
| ticable to what extent If any, the excess
siye expenses of such counties and cities
are attributable to the action of the judges
Of the courts Of such counties and cities.
CONNECTS ON PUBLIC ROADS.
Mr.. Bland, of Portsmouth, introduced
a bill providing for the employment OF
all able-bodied convicts in the State peni-
| tertiary and other persons imprisoned in
the jails of counties, and to provide for
working and improving the public roads.
| The bill reads:
Be ii enacted by the General Assembly:
| 1. That all able-bodied male persons
| sentenced to Imprisonment in Jail or
penitentiary for a longer period than
| thirty days, unless exempt for good rea-
sons stated in the sentence and duly re-
corded. or for good reasons subsequently
arising and approved by some judge of a
court of record, shall be liable Tor sub
| jecO to work on the public roads in the
counties of the State as hereinafter pro-
vided
2. All such persons sentenced to a
county Jail shall work upon the roads Of
such county; provided, that where a
| county may have no immediate need for
| such work, it may hire its prisoners to
any other county on terms to be mutual
| ly agreed upon by their respective au-
thcrites; but in no case shall a prisoner
be hired for any other than road-work.
nor for longer period than the term of
his sentence.
g. All such penitentiary convicts, not
required for necessary service in the
penitentiary. heretofore or hereafter sem
| fenced to Imprisonment therein, shall be
distributed among the counties, upon due
| application TO work on the public roads
| thereof provided, that they are not hired
out under existing contracts that cannot
legally be revoked, cancelled, or vacated;
and also provided, that it shall not here
after be lawful to hire any convict or
convicts under any new contracts, or 10
renew or extend any such contract. all
convicts, save as provided, to be placed
at work on the roads.
APPLICATIONS ANNUALLY.
4. On the first Wednesday Of May, an
nually, and as often as applications for
| unassigned cOnvicts may thereafter re-
duire, the Board of Directors of the
penitentiary, aided by the advice and
information of the Superintendent and
the physician Of the prison, shall con-
slider the applications from the county
authorities for convicts, no application
for less than five convicts TO be con-
number than five TO be made, and no
more than twenty-five to be assigned to
any one county; the assignments to be
made and the conVictS TO be sent in the
order of the dates of application. unless
otherwise requested by the applicants
who desire a deferred delivery every as
signment to be made for year. unless
applicants desire il TO be less, but in no
case for a shorter period than ninety
days; provided that at the annual and
every other distribution or assignment
if the number of convicts assignable be
not sufficient to fill all applications, these
shall be supplied ratably.
5. All convicts assigned for road work
shall be under the control ana direction
OF the county authorities, with respect
TO their work; but as prisoners they shall
remain in the custody of the STATE
authorities as If they remained IN The
penitentiary: and all expenses of IN,
transportation Of such convicts 70 the
counties and return TO prison, together
with all expenses of guarding, feeding
clothing, and medical or surgical atten
ton for them, shall be paid by the Stat
out of money applied for such purpose
or for the general support Of the peni
Tertiary and its prisoners. the guarding
etc, to be provided by the Superintend
ent of the PenitentiaTy under the direc
ton of the Board of Directors thereof
the counties respectively to provide due
and sufficient shelter for the convict:
at their own cost. And, the sum OF s.
is hereby appropriated from any money
not otherwise appropriated in the Urea
sury unless the general appropriation