Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-27
THE END IS In SIGHT.
COMMITTEE ON EXPENDITURES
NEARLY THROUGH IT'S WORK.
WILL MAKE 4 STARTLING REPORT
Members of the Committee silent,
hut other Legislators Are Making
Guesscs-some Important Bills Act
ed On I'm Committee.

The special joint committee TO investi-
gate expenditures at State institutions
will complete its work this week, and sub
init its report probably Tuesday or We'd
nesday.
The report will be very brief, and Will
show some figures, IL is said, that VIII
astonish the members of the Legislature.
The gentlemen composing the committee
are extremely reticent regarding the ma
ture OF the report, but ii is said that
It will make some surprising statements,
and present some startling figures. III
was said last night by a senator. who
is not a member of the committee. that
the report will call attention to the sact
that many of the officers at various State
institutions now purchase their supplies
I'm connection with those purchased for
the institution. thereby receiving them
at a great discount. While the repors
may not recommend that this be taken
into account in calculating the salaries
of these officials, it is said that some OF
the members Of the Legislature will adj
wise taking this ground and that the
salaries be kept at what they are at
present, including the addition Of the
amount by which the officials are bene-
fitted by having advantage Of the dis
counts alluded to-
COMMITTEE ON COURTS.
The House Committee on Courts of
Justice met yesterday. and reported favor
ably Mr.. Withrow's bill, which seeks to
prevent the preferring of creditors in the
case of assignments. with the view CT
defrauding other creditors. Mr.. Withers
explained the objects Of the bill, and
stated that he had received numerous
letters asking its passage. The measure
had been drawn by Mr.. III. r. Pollard, or
this city. A similar bill, of which Mr..
Booker is the patron, was also before
the committee. This measure prohibits
the conveyance of property for fraudulent
purposes.
Mr.. Campbell was opposed to both bills,
aud claimed that 1t was fight on the
part of wholesale merchants in cities
against the small dealers in the counties.
The same fight he said, had been made
Mr.. Withrow said he had been mis-
quoted He was buyer and a seller on
a small scale, and had conceived the idea
of the bill himself. He had only asked
Mr.. Pollard to put the measure in legal
shape. II the bill was passed, the small
merchants would be benefited.
Judge Watkins was heartily in favor OF
the measure. 1t had become bylaw, lie
said, in other portions of the Union that
Virginians only passed laws to evade the
payment of their debts.
WILL REPORT FAvORABLY.
The committee then decided to report
the bill favorably.
The measure provides that If any per-
son, firm, or corporation create any lien
or encumbrance on his or their property
or estate for the purpose of giving pre-
ference to one or more creditors or Such
person. firm, or corporation over any
other creditor or creditors, except to Sc
cure a debt contracted, or money bor-
rowed at the time of the creation or the
lien or circumference, the same shall
enure to the benefit notably of all the
creditors of such person, firm, or corpora
ton existing at the time such lien or en-
cumbrance was created.
WITNESSES FEES.
When the Senate bill, seeking to cut of
the fees and mileage for witnesses in
misdemeanor cases came up for conside-
ration. il caused quite a discussion.
Messrs. Embrey and Walker favored the
measure. Mr.. Early took the position
that it would work a hardship upon the
moor people who would be forced to at
tend court and travel at their own ex-
pense. Judge Watkins entertained the
same view Mr.. Campbell also opposed
the bill. He was in favor of cutting
down salaries. and thought the retrench-
ment movement had started at the wrong
end The Capitol police were receiving
S65 a month. while the guards AT the penl-
tertiary received only $45 per month.
Some of the clerks in the Auditors and
Treasures offices were receiving Wow
and 81 DO "a year for about three OF Ioui
hours work a day
WANTS TO CUT SALARIES.
When the appropriation bill came up.
the speaker said he would make a motion
to cut down salaries, and the members
could then put themselves on record on
those questions. He thought that the
office of the Second Auditor, and that OF
the Register OF the Land Office could be
abolished or merged into other offices.
No such attempt had been made, how
ever.
Senator Turnbull, the patron of the
measure. spoke in advocacy OF his Dill,
and mentioned the numerous abuses per-
petuated under the present law. He
cited a case where the charge had been
made of stealing peaches. Ten witnesses
had been called. some of them women
who were guarded for two days before
the trial and were attended by physl
clan at the expense of the State.
Mr.. Diggs offered, as an amendment,
that witnesses shall be paid mileage II
they are summoned from another county
Mr.. Saunders thought that such abuses
were only confined to certain cases, anc
that if mileage and witness fees were
10 be cut off, that a law might as well
be enacted TO cut OFF the fees for jurors.
The committee finally adjourned with
out acting upon the bill.
RAILROAD CHARTERS.
The House Committee on Roads and In
ternal Navigation met yesterday morning
and after considering the following bills
reported them favorably:
To incorporate the Virginia Railroad
and Mining Company.
To amend and re-enact section . or ar
act entitled an act to incorporate the
Port Norfolk Electric Railway Company
so as TO allow persons representing as
much as two fifths OF the capital stock oil
said company equal voice in the manage
ment of its affairs.
To incorporate the Virginia and West
Virginia Railroad Company.
TO incorporate the Richmond and Tide
water Railroad Company.
To incorporate the Peach, Neilds &
Mccormick Company.
BILLS IN COMMITTEE.
The House Committee on Privileges and
Elections has set Saturday morning at
% -,.l-.-1- ~. LII, lima for considering the