Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-11
A NICE QUESTION.
House Discusses An Appropria-
ton for Personal Damages,
Resolution to Pay an award to an lp-
switch Citizen Injured When Assist
ing Policeman

self engaged in a protracted debate TINS
afternoon, on the question Of making AN
appropriation of $4,000 as full compen-
sation for damages sustained by cit
izen of Ipswich, while responding to a
demand for assistance in the name of
the state, made by a police officer of
the town who was getting worsted in
a street fight. The committee on ways
and means. reported against the bill, but
the member from NewbuTyport, Mr.
Mills, made "a spirited fight against the
adoption of this report and succeeded
in having a resolve making the appro-.
priation named, substituted for the ad
verse report of the committee, The de-
bate lasted for more than two hours.
Mr.. Stone of Springfield occupied the
chair for the greater part of the time
during the afternoon.
IN THE SENATE.
The mayor of Everett asked for leg
islation to compel the city Of Boston to
rebuild Maiden bridge, between
Charlestown and Everett The rules
were. suspended to admit the petition.
Senator Morse of the cape introduced
a petition for the Incorporation of the
Falmouth Harbor Company, which was
admitted under suspension of the rules.
The committee on rules reported ad-
Versely on. the order to provide stem
ographer for the committees On harbors
and public. lands and prisons, sitting
jointly on the proposition to build the
Cape Cod canal by prison labor. The re
port went. into tomorrow's calendar.
NO legislation necessary, was report
ed. ON the governors recommendations
on military affairs.
The committee on ways and means
reported ought to pass on a resolve
in favor of James r. Dunbar, it provid-
ing for his salary as a member of the
taxation commission.
Without debate, the senate engrossed
bills relative to election of Euperintend-
ent of streets in Lawrence by popular
vote; making appropriation for the eX-
penses of the sergeant-at-arms' office;
making appropriation for expenses of
Typographical survey and man of Mas
sachusetts; relative to distribution of
trust estates.
Adverse reports were accepted on the
petition of William H. Hayas for an
additional stable license for sale stables;
OF Massachusetts Homeopathic Hospi-
tai for right to hold property to any
amount 1t may receive by gift, beuuest
or otherwise; of Alexander Lockhart,
for use of the Australian ballot in city
council electi9HS;~of petition Of Samuel
Coffin for bounty for the destruction
of dog-fish; of VIM. F. Merrill for pro-
hlbition Of liquor selling in Maiden by
charter amendment; of w B. Tyler, as
sistant clerk of Maiden district court,
for salary increase.
IN THE HOUSE.
Leave to withdraw was reported by
the committee on military affairs on the
petition for legislation to provide that
the word veteran, as used in the civ,i
service law, shall apply to all soldiers
or sailors who served the United States
in time of war and were honorably dis
charged. Leave to withdraw was re-
ported by the same committee on the
petition for legislation to increase the
amount of money allowed for the burial
of INDECENT soldiers and sailors, their
wives or widows.
The committee on probate and insolv-
ency reported the bill to authorize the
city of Quincy to sell certain real estate
conveyed to the town in 1922, by John
Adams.
The committee on ways and means
reported a resolve for the payment of
sum Of money to Timothy Crowley, as
heir Ct John Crowley by whom the mon
ey was deposited in the Emigrant Saw
ings Bank, and afterward paid to an
other person by mistake.
-Fne house coneurrai with the senate
in the admission of the petitions of the
" 1reester and Marlboro and the Bari-
stable county railroads for an extension
of charter privileges.
The committee on Iabor was author
ized to employ a stenographer for it's IN
vestigation into the New Bedford labor
troubles
The adverse report Of the ways and
means committee, on the petition OF
George p. Smith for compensation COY
injuries received in assisting a police
officer Of the town Of Ipswich, in making
an arrest, gave opportunity for sharp
debate.
Mr.. Mills of Newburyport was respon-
sible for it, in his effort to substitute fo1
the adverse report resolve making an
appropriation of $4,000 in full compensa-
tion for the injuries received by said
Smith.
Mr.. Mills opened the discussion by
moving as an amendment to the report
of the committee, the substitution OF
the resolve already mentioned, and then
calling upon the ways and means COM
nittee for a justification of what he
considered mistaken report.
Mr.. Hall of WtIliamstown, in respond
ing to this stated that while the COM
1nfttee recognized the good service OF
the petitioner in-responding to the cal
of the officer, who made his summons
in the name of the commonwealth, and
also the extent of the injuries he had re-
ceived, could not report for a state ap-
propriation for which there was not a
single precedent. If Mr.. Smith was tC
be compensated, it was for the town OF
Ipswich to act, in its corporate capacity
or through it's citizens
Mr.. Mills retorted that the petitioner
was injured in defense of the laws OF
the commonwealth; that his ser
vices had been called for in the name
of the commonwealth and could not
have been enlisted through demand oil
town authority. The supreme court
had decided that police officers were
public officers, and in no sense city oil
town officers. They were appointed an6
paid to maintain the laws of the com
monwealth, and not those of the city ol
town AS to precedent, there were plenty
of them: from employees of the gypsy
moth commission, who happened to fal
from trees and break arms; to militia
men who happen to meet injury Whilt
performing military duty. Had TIL,
petitioner refused to render the aid
when summoned in the name of tn,
state, he would have been fined hun
dred dollars, and for violating a law o
the state, not of the town.
Mr. Kenefick Of Palmer, anothei
member of the committee on ways ant
means came to the defense of the com
nittee's report with the argument tha
Smith was defending the peace of th'
town of Ipswich, and not that of tn,
state. If the commonwealth was liabl,
for the damage sustained by the peti
tioner, then all laws allowing cities t,
reimburse police officers and assistant
for iniu1ies received should be repealed