The commonwealth., 1897-02-11
THE LEGISLATURE.
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when not in session, in his judgment,
and this court shall give precedence to
all such cases upon the governors sug-
gestion, and the attorney general shall
prosecute all such cases.
The bill to allow the governor to ap-
point female notaries public, which was
favorabIy reported, failed to pass-44
to IS.
The bill to add Cumberland county
to the Eastern criminal circuit and to
change the latter's name to the First
criminal circuit, came up. 1t provides
for a stenographer for the court.
Mr.. Sutton said the provision as to
stenographer was new, and cited the
case at the trial OF the express robbers,
which it was thought would last two
weeks, but, thanks to the use OF a
stenographer, was disposed OF in tour
days.
The bill passed its second and third
readings.
The following very important bill
passed:
Section l. That it shall be unlawful
for any railroad company to purchase
or lease any line of competing railway
or to enter into any contract with
competing line of railway calculated to
defeat or lessen competition IN this
| state, or to enter into any contract,
combine, pool or association organized
in or out of the state, operating direct
ly or indirectly, by lease or otherwise,
any competing line of railway calcula-
ted to defeat or lessen competition In
this state, and no railway chartered by
this state or operating, by lease or con-
tract or otherwise, any line OF railway
steamboat or other transportation com
pany in this state shall purchase, own
or control, either directly or indirectly
any stock of any railway company op-
Grating competing line in this state
and any person or corporation violating
the provisions of this section shall be
deemed guilty OF a misdemeanor, and
upon conviction shall be fined not less
than $500 or more than 81 900 for each
days violation of the same, In discre
ton of the court.
Sec. 2. That any citizen OF North
Carolina who will provide for securing
costs as prescribed in other civil actions
shall be authorized, on behalf of him
self and other taxpayers, to institute
action to have declared null and void
any agreements entered into by any
railway companies In violation OF the
foregoing section, or when the state i
interested as stockholder in either O
the corporations which are parties tt
such agreement, whether heretofore
made or hereafter to be made, eithe7
any citizen who will provide for secur
ing costs as aforesaid, Or the governo
shall be authorized to prosecute OF
behalf of the people any action for th'
purpose of having such agreemen
declared void. And the governor i
hereby authorized to pay out OF an,
money not otherwise expressly appro
priated, cost incurred In the prosecution
on behalf of the state of any such action
The bill passed chartering the banl
of Greenville.
The bill passed providing that IN cas-
a person who makes deed refuses t
acknowledge it's validity, witnesses ma
De subpoenaed to prove the grantor
handwriting.
By leave, Mr.. Hancock introduced
bill to abrogate and repeal the charte
of the Goldsboro and Morehead Raj
way Company, to which letters paten
were issued by the secretary of stat
and fled in Wayne county October 3Ot
last.
| NIGHT cEcaJON