The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-11

EXTENDED tne courtesies OF the road In the
shape OF special train from Austin ia
Galveston for the lawmakers to visit the
Island City on the occasion Of the battle
ship Texas celebration.
MIR. Harris was complimentary in his rc.
marks Of the road. He submitted To !.
question from MIR. Evans of Hunt. who In.
quired II the invitation included those I'M .
fortunates who had refused annual masses. :.
Mr.. Harris replied: 1T includes every
member of these legislative bodies. anc,
Colonel Polk desires that you all accent n,
his hospitality"
who is MIR. Polk?" voice to the rich,
inquired.
The representative from Galveston
turned. viewed his surroundings and re-
torted:
who is Mr.. Polk, you ask? Who is Mr..
POLK, the general manager OF the Santa
Fe system in Texas? For the information
OF the gentleman, will say that MIR. poly
belongs to family, among the best that
stand on the soil of Texas! Warm al,
plause.) Mr.. Folks ancestors possessed
the blood of that grand old stock of the
uaroilhas! loud applause.) Mr.. Polk
was born among the beautiful mountains
OF East Tennessee. "a ripple Of apprecla-
tion) Mr.. Polk" continued the speaker.
Mr.. l.. j. Polk was reared among the
radiant hills over whose pebbles there ran
the purest waters that ever fell from the
hNuNNHs anu Itittlcu DTllIiantlv the
OF MONDAY sun. prolonged applause /,
Mr.. Polk" he ventured further, but was
detained by the rappng Of the gavci. WELD
ed by Mr.. Bailey of De Witt county who
was serving in the capacity of temporary
chairman. The house paused. tho ap-
plause ceased.
The gentleman from Galveston will ron.
fine himself to the special train and not SO
much on Mr.. Polk Proceed"
But the gentleman from Galveston cared
not to proceed further. and while being ac.
corded one OF the warmest receptions OF the
session, the members crowded about him.
extending congratulations. Somebody then
moved an adjournment.
The house cry now Is. who Is MI
Polk?'
Yesterday before senate judiciary COM
mittee No. ! there was presented the bill
OF Senator Bowser of Dallas granting per-
mission to NJ. T. and NJ C. Chapman to
bring suit against the State of Texas, which
was laid aside until tomorrow when the
opposition and advocates of the measure
are to be heard
Among the latter is Curtis r. Smith. a
Dallas attorney. who is one of the legal ad-
visers Of the Messrs Chapman. The in
PRODUCTION OF the bill is the outgrowth of
a contract for the digging of an artesian
well at the North Texas lunatic asylum at
Terrell, Texas. 20 per cent. OF which
amount is withheld by the State for an al
legged failure on the part of the Chapmans
to comply with the contract with reference
10 the quality of water and the flow there
of.
The bill gives authority for the coptrac-
tors to bring suit in the courts of Kauf-
man county for the purpose of arriving at
the amount the State is Indebted to the
Messrs. Chapman, who are non-residen,s.
Among the bills recently introduced In
the senate which have caused much com
rlent and attracted considerable attention
is the one fathered by Mr.. Darwin, popu-
list of Delta county which tends to fac-
itate the collection of wages due laborers
1t does not stop at this. but enters deeper
into the relations between employc and emf
ployer and proposes some radical meas
ures to bring about a rapid adjudication OF
unsettled accounts. by the probable asses
nent of additional costs. wages and dam
ages. which, the plaintiff is entitled to by
reason of the intentional delays on the
part of the defendant in a cause. No re-
mort has been made by the committee in
whose hands 1t now lays. and il is highly
probable that 1t will never leave there
The bill of Mr. Wayland OF Robertson
county. reported favoraby upon by the
committee on State affairs yesterday, from
present indications will find little or no
opposition in the senate. and not enough
The bill relates to the apprehension of UNI
known persons who may be guilty OF homi- |
eide; also prescribing methods by which all
and circumstances connected
with the murderer may be preserved in the |
secret archives of the adjutant general OF
I bp Stntp Mr. WnNlaOd'S idea is IN ooIa
tee . safeguard for parties possessing in
formation with reference TO crimes shroId- |
ed in darkness who Will give TO the au- |
thcrities such facts as W Ill tend 10 indicate |
who the perpetrator Is. The information |
volunteered is to he regarded the property
term about which tho utmost secrecy is to
he preserved. The same applies to grand !
iures which sit from time TO time,
An instance serving for an application |
for the proposed measure occurred IN a |
Central Texas county not long ago. 4
county official was nlurd ered one night by |
unknown parties. and since there has been |
no evidence of facts at hand to serve as /
assistance to the officers of the law in fer |
ret ng out the crime 1t is evident to the |
that people living in the locili- |
tv referred to have some knowledge OF the |
but through fear of bodily in
Jury. or even losing their lives, they re-
fra in from delivering such information for |
the use of the State or county officials |
when practically no guarantee of secrecy |
or protection from identity is given.
The house bill by Field o. Grayson. with
reference for the extension for two years
OF charters Of railroads and belt lines
granted since 1887 in this State who have
failed to comply with same as required
by law. Will probably pass the senate as
soon as presented. The bill Is almost iden-
tie2l with the ono introduced by Mr.. Bow
ser of Dallas, excepting the franchise tax
which was attached to the
house bill by the committee yesterday aud
a favorable report authorized. The meas
ure Is with a view Of allowing railroads to
complete their extensions and branch
lines as authorized by law, which have fall
len short by reasons too numerous to men,
ton.
On Trinl for Rape.
Dallas, Texas. February l0,-Tho case Of
The State against Abe House, colored, on