The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-04
CONVICT BILL COMPLETED.
THE COMMITTEE REPORTS THE
MEASURE TO THE HOUSE.

IN the Pressure of other Legisla-
iou-The BiII Gives the Governor
he Right to Appoint the First
Three Commissioners But the Leg
isiature Likely to Change This
provision Measure Appears 10
Meet the Approval of the senator's.
Atlanta Ga. Dec. 3.-The bill for the
d.snosirion of the couvtcts prepared by the
snecial committee under the Brannen res
olution was reported in the House to-day
but was not taken up for consideration be-
cause of the taking up of other matters,
Walker jenkins called upon the members
to get down to business and dispose of To-
cal bills as Bapidiy as possible, so that the
convict question and others of general i'm
portance may he settled.
A session of the House was held tonight
and a lot of minor matters disposed of. The
new convict bill. brief outline OF which
was given last night, is necessarily a
lengthy document, as it provides all the
machinery for the proposed new peniten-
tiary system. The amount of money ap-
propriated under it is 100000 7 he only
point in which it does not obey the instruc-
lions of the House is in giving the COVER
nor the right to appoint the first three
commissioners, whose salaries are to be
1000 each The committee thought it
proper to take this liberty with the in
structions of the House because it will be
a handicap to the system if the commits
sioners cannot be chosen until the next
general election. 1t may be that the House
viii decide to place the election in the
hands of the legislature as a compromise,
rather than give the appointment to the
governor, and hold the election before ad-
journment. In this event there will be a
very sharp contest for the places.
There is a decided opposition to allowing
the governor to appoint, but his friends
hope 10 be able to overcome this and have
the bill passed practically as il stands.
The bill meets with general approval
among the senator's, and it looks now as
if the solution of the problem We're at
hand. Tomorrow is an off day with the
legislature. but the bill can be read and
GOT ready for discussion on its passage
on Monday. There is good deal of COM
promise in the measure. and while it does
not 90 as lar WllH IHlOitl dS the SONNlAlOl
and principal keeper wished, still 1t is
such an Improvement upon the present
system that Gov. Atkinson will doubtless
approve it without hesitation though he
declared some time ago that he would veto
another lease.
It was reported about the capitol to-day
that Gov Atkinson is likely to veto the
anti-foot bali bill He would not how
ever, express himself about il.
49, Of I. qtf,e,p ~,
the legislature routine to-day was the
action of the Senate in extending an in
vtation 10 Hon Tom Watson to address
the assembly on the subject of finance
next Monday night. Mr. Kemp introduced
the resolution, and it passed with but lit
tie opposition. Mr.. Watson is more than
apt 10 accept
Another bill in the interest of Mrs. No
bes, the Twiggs county murderess, was
sent into the House to-day. II
came from Macon, and is I'M
derstood to have been drawn by Marion
Harris, the old woman's lawyer.
The bill seeks to amend the code so that
the trial judge may sentence TO life inn
prsonment in murder cases whether the
jury so recommends or not, and giving
the judge the right to pass such sentence
either in the first instance or upon re
sentence. Sentence is yet to be passed
upon Mrs. Mobiles. If the bill should be
come a law it would give the judge the
right TO send her to the penitentiary in
stead of to the gallows. The main pur-
pose of these bills, however, is to get
the sentiment of the legislature to guide
the governor in passing upon Mrs. No
bies application for Communication.
The bills introduced by Mr.. Little of
Muscogee, chairman of the finance COM
mittee, were special orders at this morn
ing's session of the House, and were pass
ed without opposition. One was a bill TO
authorize a judicial sale of the franchise
of insolvent private corporations. An
other provides for the renewal of charters
by the superior courts, and a bill releasing
and granting TO the Columbus Power Com
pany all right that the state may have
TO the bed of the Cnattahoochee river OPP
posite fractional lots IS and 50 in the
Eighth district of Muscogee county.
Following these a number of special APP
preparation bills came up for consideration
and were passed. The first was one to re-
imburse the state treasurer for 81 917. 4S
spent on the Garter investigation OF
Judges Reese and Sweat. Another was a
bill to reimburse the treasurer for 81, ISL .Ot
paid the members for per diem and mile
age at the extra session of the legislature
last February. This session of the legisla.
ture was called on account of the charges
against the judiciary. which makes the 10.
taI expenses OF that famous tribunal &c.
SOS 49,
The House then passed a bin by Mr.
Awtry of Cobb to require the state memo
rial board to make an investigation of the
condition of the various confederate Gem.
eterles in the state, and to appropriate $50
Tor the expenses of the investigation
The next bill passed was one to appro
PIRATE 1920 for the expenses of the schoo
book commission.
another bill appropriated s., 400 for tn,
purpose Of erecting new fire walls for tn,
building for the colored insane at Mil
edgeville,. recently destroyed by fire TIL,
appropriation was cut down by the com
mittee from $500 to $500.
bill by Mr.. Knowles of Fulton to an
propriate $205SS to be paid to II. w Thorn
as Tor making digest of the railroa,
laws of Georgia was passed.
a bill putting the county officers on sal
aries and abohshing the fee system il
counties having cities of 5000 population
came up in the Senate to-day with an ad
verse report from the special judiciarl
committee, and expired when the commit
tee report was adopted
Senator Carter's bill exempting Unite.
States marshals ana sheriffs and tbei
deputies from the law against carrvin,
concealed weapons came UP and was sun
ported by him in a short speech. but /,
no erect as the Senate killed il.