The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-02-13
THE LEGISLATURE,
Proceedings of North Dakota Law
makers.

legislature yesterday. approving Sell
ate bill No. 20. 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:
Haggart, appropriating $5,621 for
boarding refractory boys at Planking-
ton reform school; Little, amending the
law relating to penitentiary and re-
form school boards, lcgislates present
board out of office; Rourke,. amending
the law relating to counties whose
judges of county courts have increased
jurisdiction; Rourke, amending the law
relating to soldiers home. making &.
A. II. department commander MEM
Der Of trustees: Rourke, appropriating
$4,000 for Lisbon soldiers home;
Wishek, amending law relating to
adultery-corrects present law; Rourke.
relating to negotiable instruments act
to establish uniform law with other
states on that subject.
House adjourned after roll call as
the assembly hall could not be suf-
ticiently heated. r,s
Bismarck, \. D.. Jan. 29.-The house
elections committee reported on the
Ward Richards contest from Burleigh
county in favor of Richards. 1t was
made special order for tomorrow at
2 o'clock. This case has attracted
considerable attention because Of SEN
sational charges made by Ward in his
complaint. He 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
the ballot baxes; that $50 ballots voted
for him We're taken from boxes and
$50 for Richards placed therein. The
count only shows IS 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 be elected by
IT majority. Leading Republicans
laugh ut the charges. and say that they
are not substantiated by evidence.
Democrats and Populiste, who are sup
porting Ward state that while there :is
no show for seating their man. they in
tend to make fight in order to give
publicity to the evidence. -,
There was nothing but monotOn-
GUS grind in both houses.
Senate bills introduced: Dobie. re-
pealing sections 16S1-So, Revised
Codes: Clark. providing for deputy
county clerks in counties of 1900 or
more inhabitants. Senate bills passed:
Providing for attachment of property
Of non-residents after judgment is OBJ
tanned; providing that in appeals to
supreme court where amount involved
does not exceed 5000 no briefs need
Il; int
Francis, providing for special jury to
assess damages under laws of eminent
domain: Murphy, compelling physical
culture in public schools; Francis, COM
polling railroad companies to fence pas
lures along tracks on side nearest rail
road; Francis, giving hotelkeepers lien
on baggage of guests; Lense, provld-
ing for change of venue in civil actions
same as in criminal; Francis, entire re-
vision of game laws, reduces" price of
non-residents' license to SIS. House
bills passed: Memorial to congress for
relief of settlers on lands formerly en-
braced in Indian reservations; proyid=-
ing for reduction of sentences OF con-
victs for good behavior. House con-.
Cured in senate amendment to bill
holidays, providing that
Wlleu Hills VII SuAAAS, XAOAuSAJ
shall be observed.
Bismarck. n. D.. Jan. 30. - Cryan,
Pop, introduced resolution in the
house asking the state treasurer how
much money there is in the state treas
ury, and where it is, and to report not
later than Monday. When the Ward
richards contest came up on special
H,,sv,
q minority report favoring Ward and
bitterly condemning Burleigh 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 that the whole election prop
er and matters pertaining to the same
in these precincts were impregnated
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 cast
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
llCeES5 I'll COuAty "
such wrong. The evidence showed a
number of other gross irregularities.
such as the acting of disqualified per-
sons as judges Of election. under pro-
test: the refusal to allow secret bal
lot and failure to count for contestant
ballots that were cast for him, but suf-
ficient has been shown herein to prove
that w. o. Ward was elected" \ hot
debate occurred on the motion to sub
sttute the minority for the majority
report. participated in by Cryan, Cole,
Hawk and Guinan. Mcpherson, 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 wac
adopted and Richards retains his seat.
A committee was appointed in the
house to investigate what employees i
were doing to earn their salaries and
the number employed.
House bills introduced: Hawk. to
make playing foot ball a misdemeanor;
Baker. providing for increasing the
number of county commissioners III
certain counties; Francis, providing for
defendants peremptory challenges in
criminal cases; Francis, taxing insur-
ance companies IL per cent on gross
premiums.
Nothing but routine work in the sen
ate. Bills introduced:- Nice illiyray, ap-
prcpriating $4,000 to Stark county for
expenses in prosecuting criminal eases