Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-05-06

*
That the special committee of tho
House OF Representatives appointed by
the Speaker of the House on Thursday,
the. 2oth of April. to investigate
certain charges Of bribery, corruption or
misconduct In otliGs Of mem bers of the
House shall have full power 10 issue
subpenas for any person within this
'Stats 10 appear before said committee
At such Times az tae committee may
designate, ard with the further power
to cause the production of hooks,
| papers. writings, or such other evidence
as tho said committee shall deem adj
Visablo. Tho said committee is further
authorized to ompldy q stenographar or
other clerical assistance. tho same TO be
| paid upon warrants drawn by the
Speaker OF the House upon the State
Treasurer. f"
The House committee engaged Court
Sienoprapher L. @ Hardesty to take
the testimony.
Representative Donaldson handed
Chairman HAZEL a newspaper clipping
reheeting upon him and requested mn
investigation. Mr.. Hazel tbereupon
extended an Invitation to the RESPONSE
Bile person to appear before the commit.
tee and give any information no might
have bearing on the subject. The SEN
ate decided to investigate. aud on
motion OF Mr.. Meredith, the Speaker
| appointed Messrs. Merediih, Alrichs
and William T. Moore as the members
OF the committee.
Senator Fenimore yesterday received
the following. in reply to a letter
written by him to James ii. fIotfecker,
Dr., OF Wilmington:
John W.. Fenimora, ESQ.,, Dover,
Del Dear sir: have yours of the
10Th inst. j take pleasure 10 saying
that you never directly or indirectly. to
my knowledge, said or did anything
which could by any possibility involve
you in the charge of being interested
IN bribery connected with your services
as q Senator OF the State of Delaware.
1.-The newspapers have made mum.
Der OF inis5tatements in connection with
this general subject of bribery wherein
my name has appeared as one Of the
actors. | shall apnear before the House
on Monday next in obedience to itR
surninons and state the facts SO far as
know them. Ii the Senate desires to
have the matter Investigated there will
be no difficulty in finding me IL my
presence and testimony are required.
Yours very respectfully.
-. II. Hoifocker, Jr."
New Castle county road commission.
ers were here in force yesterday, they
having come to enter protest against
the House bill To abolish road commits.
sionera and put the roads in the hands
of the Levy Court of New Castle
county which passed the HOUSE few
days ago The following commissioners
were present: William B. Foard OF
Pencader hundred, John b. Cochran,
DR., John W. Voshell aud Michael
Keegan Of st. Georges, John Townsend
and Edward Graves of AppOquiuimink
and John Simmons OF Blaclbird. They
began their missionary work early in
the morning, and at the morning ses
sion of the HOUSE,, on motion of Mr..
Cheairs, the vote by which the bill was
passed was reconsidered and referred
back to the committee on roads and
vacant lands, and at noon the committee
gave the opponents hearing. At the
afternoon session Chairman whitney OF
the committee reported the bill back to
the House unfavorably, and Mr.. Demp.
sey moved THAI further action on the
bill DO indefinitely postponed. Mr..
Donaldson objected to such action and
moved to amend by referring the bill
back to the committee, SO as to give its
friends an opportunity to he heard.
Mr.. Dempsey insisted On his motion,
whereupon Mr.. Donaldson said that it
looked as il there was some underhand
work in having the bill hnstily killed.
Mr. Dempsey Indignantly denied that
there was any underhand work, and
said that everything was open and
above board.
Mr.. Donaldson insisted on his amend
ment and asked that next Tuesday he
set as the time for reporting il back to
the House.
Mr. Mccoy seconded Mr.. Donaldson's
motion, but the Speaker decided that
motion to indefinitely postpone could
not be amended.
When the Speaker announced his de-
cision Mr. Donaldson askod the mem
bers to vote against indefinite postpone
ment
The question was called and tho
motion to indefinitely postpone was
adopted by the following vote:
Ayes - Messrs. Davis, Dempsey,
Cheairs. l.. s. Hopkins, Taylor, Whit
ney and Martin II.
nays - eS6rH. DODulUB0n, u. II.
Hopkins, johnson. Mccoy, Thompson
and tho Sreaker--G.
Before the vote was announced Mr..
Donaldson obtained leave to change his
vote from may" to "aye," and in
doing 30 be remarked that he would
endeayor TO got vote at some time
when there was full membership.
Mr.. HAZEL was excused from voting
ana several m0mbers were out in divorce
committee.
Representative Short called up his
hill to prohibit pound fishing 10 Broad
kiln River and Sound, and, while il
met with the approval OF the members,
they thought it did mot go far enough,
and on Mr.. Shorts motion was referred
hack to committee. Mr.. HAZEL thought
the bill should be SO amended as to
prohibit fishermen cutching fish t0o
small to have commercial value.
Chairman Wilson Of the House COM
mittee on temperance reported favorably
tho House bill to impose fine on
minors who misrepresent their ages to
saloon keepers. The hill was PASSED,
Notwithstanding the fact that there
was vigorous opposition to it.
Messrs. Donaldson, Dempsey and
HAZEL spoke in favor of tho bill and
the Speaker and Mr.. johnson opposed
it, Mr. johnson called for tho ayes
and nays. which resulted as follows:
Ayes Messrs. DAVIS, Dempsey,
Cheairs, Donaldson, Dukes, HAZEL, j.
ii. Hopkins. L.. s. Hopkins. Mccoy
and ThompsOn-lQ