The Dickinson press., 1897-02-06
THE LEGISLATURE,
Proceedings of North Dakota Law.
makers.

Bismarck. y. d., Jan. ~. Gov.
Briggs sent his first message to the
legislature yesterday. approving sen
ate bill No. ~. governing method of
proof of written instrument or contract
to which there are one or more sub
scribing witnesses.
NO business in the senate except the
Introduction of the following bills:
!iaggart. appropriating $5.G21 Tor
boarding refractory boys at HlanliinS-
ton reform school; Little. amending the
law relating to penitcntiary and re-
form school boards. lcgislateS present
board out of office; Itourke. amending
the law relating to counties whose
Judges of county courts have increased
jurisdiction: Rourke. amending the law
relating to soldiers home. making q.
A. Il. department commander IL men,
ber of trustees; Rourke. appropriating
$25,00O for Lisbon soldiers home;
Wishek, amending law relating to
adultrry-cOrrccts present law: ItOurkc,
relating to negotiable Instruments act
to establish uniform law with other
states Oh that subject.
House adjnurncd after roll call as
tho assembly hall could not be suf-
fcicntlv heated.
Bismarck. n. d.. Jan. @.-The house
elections committee reported on the
Ward-lsichartls contest from Burleigh
county in favor of Richards. II was
made a special order for tomorrow at
: o'clock. This case has attracted
considerable attention because of scn-
oh, lat
complaint. lie alleges that polls were
closed election day in the Second and
Fourth wards of Bismarck for thirty
minutes. during which time Republic
an Judges of election were alone with
tho ballot baXes; that 15O ballots voted
for him were taken from boxes and
40 for Richards placed therein. The
count only shows rs votes for Ward
in the two precincts. while 100 voters
testified that they voted for him. If
the vote of the two precincts were
thrown out Ward would he elected by
II majority. Leading Republicans
laugh ut the charges. and say that they
arc not substantiatcd by evidence.
Democrats and P"rallists. who are sup
porting Ward state that while there is
10 show for seating their man. they in-
tend To make fight in order to give
publicity To the evidence.
There was nothing hut a monoton-
GUS grind iu both houses.
Senate bills introduced: Dobie, re-
pcaling sections 16S1-S2, Revised
Codes; Clark. providing for deputy
county clerks in counties of 15.OuW or
more inhabitants Senate bills passed:
Providing for attachment of property
of nOn-rcSitlcnts after Judgment is Oh
tanned; providing that in appeals to
supreme court where amount involved
does not exceed 5000 no briefs need
be printed. House bills introduced: (:
Francis. providing for special jury to
assess damages under laws of eminent
domrin: Murphy, compelling physical
culture in public schools; Francis. COM
pclling railroad companies to fence pas
lures along tracks on side nearest rail-
road: Francis. giving hOtcl;reperS lien
on baggage of guests; I.ensc. provid-
ing for change of Venue in civil actions
same rs in criminal; Francis entire re-
vision Of game laws, reduces price of
nOn-residents' license to $1l. House
bills passed: Memorial to congress for
relief Of settlers OH lands formerly en-
blaced in Indian reservations; provid-
ing for reduction of sentences OF con.
victs for good behavior House con-
cured in senate amendment to hill
prescribing holidays. providing that
when holiday falls un Sunday, Monday
shall he observed.
bismarck. y. d., Jan. 30. - Cryan,
Pop. introduced a resolution in the
house asking the state treasurer how
much money there is in the state treas
ury. and where 1t is, and to report not
later than Monday When the Ward
richards contest came up on IL special
order in the house Guillan, Dem. made
a minority report favoring Ward and
bitterly condemnng Burlcigh county
officials. In conclusion the minority
report says regarding the election In
the Second and Fourth wards of the
city of Bismarck: 1--WE further report
and find tilnt the whole election prop.
or and matters pertaining to the same
in these precincts were imprcglLatcd
with frauds of the grOssest kind. even
to the extent of criminality, and we
believe that the evidence can and does
force but one conclusion. viz: That the
ballot boxes in said precincts were
deliberately robbed of the ballots east
by the electors therein and others sub
Stituted in their places, and we regret
the necessity Of saying the evidence
strongly tends to implicate certain Of
ticerS of Bllrlcigh county as parties to
such wrong. The evidence showed Il
number of other gross Irregularities,
such as the acting of disqualified per-
sons as judges of election. under pro-
test: the refusal to allow a secret bal
lot and failure to count for contestant
ballots that were east for him, but suf-
iicient has been shown herein to prove
that w. o. Ward was elected" \ hot
debate occurred on the motion to sub
Stitutc the minority for the majority
report. participated in by Cryan. Cole,
Hawk and Guinan. AIcFherson, Pop,
said there was no question of rotten
ness in Bismarck, and was in favor of
having the evidence presented to the
house. The majority report was
adopted and Richards retains his seat.
a committee was appointed in the
house to investigate what employees
were doing to earn their salaries and
the number employed.
House bills introdllccd: Hawk, 10
make playing foot ball mis,lemeanOr:
Baker. providing for increasing the
number of county commissioners in
certain counties; Francis. providing for
defendants pcremptOry challenges in
criminal cases; Francis. taxing insur-
ance companies 2 IL per cent on gross
premiums.
Nothing but routine work in the sell
ate. Bills introduced: McGillivray. ap.
$1,000 to Stark county for
expenses in prosecuting criminal cases
arising in unorganizcd counties; Han
ma, providing for the investment of
school funds; Little. amending game
laws. Senate bills passed: Providing
for appointment of county assessors;
$500 for expenses state |
board of health.
Bismarck. y. d., Feb. 1. - Senator
r'rcel introduced Il bill In the senate
hat. if passed. will prevent the ole-
.atiOn of all trusts in the state The
ill revising the game law ana pro.
libiting the killing OF deer and ante
ope for five years occupied the at.