The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-09-01
INCORPORATION
COMMISSION
Railroads Notified to Have Represen-
tatyes Present.
TO REVISE THE COTTON RATE.
The state Puts n Prohibitive Tax on
Circuscs A Life Prisoners Term
COMMITTED and He Gets an Al
lowance for Good Behaviour

RALEIGH, y. c.. Aug. 3i.--speclal.--
Corporation Commission meets on Tues
day the 5th. There win be heard the
question Of revising the cotton rate 50 as
to make uniform rate for all the rail-
roads In the state, as the fertilizer rate
now is
All the roads have been notified TO have
representatives here TO make any objec-
ton to whatever rate IS settled upon. The
Railroad Commission before It went out Of
existence made a very low- rate. which
act the Corporation Commission promptly
repealed.
Mr. Daniel Worth. the brother Of State
Treasurer Worth, died at his home IN
Guilford county on Tuesday. Treasurer
Worth had been with him for several
days.
Tho public schools Will open on Sep
tember 18th. The work Of improving and
renoyaung the school buildings is being
rapidly pushed.
out at the Fair Grounds tomorrow,
there will be some interesting races run.
Only Raleigh horses Will be entered. No
admission VIII be charged, but the regular
racing rules viii be observed.
PROHlBITIVE TAX.
The last legislature made the tax so
high on circuses, 800 per day for State and
800 per day for county and city each, with
an additional $50 for each side show that
but few circuses will show in the State
this year.
The sheriff Of Gates county settled his
taxes for 1898 yesterday amounting 10
$26S5.12. still about thirty counties have
yet 10 pay taxes for 1898.
The immense frauds alleged to have
been perpetrated in the sales Of crops
made on the penitentiary farms will re-
quire careful investigation By the inves-
tigaung committee. This committee has
done its work pretty well so far so they
will no doubt look well into this matter.
Lee Summers a white convict sent TO
the penitentiary thirteen years ago from
Swain county, was released yesterday by
Judge Montgomery. OF the North Caro-
lima Supreme Court. on a writ Of habeas
corpus. The question involved was
whether or not a convict serving a life
sentence in the pententiary IS entitled to
Communication as result Of good conduct
I'm the event that his term Of imprison-
ment is shortened by executive clemency.
The executive board Of the prison had
ruled that a convict cannot profit by good
behavior while serving a life sentence.
Summers was sentenced TO the prison
thirteen years ago 10 serve life SEN
tence Governor Carr committed the life
sentence 20 fifteen years imprisonment.
II he had been allowed communication as
result Of his good behavior he would
have been a free man on Tuesday. the 29th
Of August on that day formal demand
for his release was formally made and re-
fused. the executive board having already
decided that life convicts were not en-
titled 10 continuation. If Summers were
denied Communication while serving his lifc
sentence he would have more than a year
yet TO serve. So he sued out a writ Of
habeas corpus and fl was argued yester-
day before Judge Montgomery.
After hearing argument on both sides
Of the question the court held that the
Communication Of sentence granted by
Governor Carr on January 18Th, 1897, was
In Substitution of the original sentence
Of the court and Of the first Communication
granted: that the ac Of 1899 chaper 457
applies 20 this case and the prisoner is en-
titled 10 his discharge.
He has been n good prisoner. and from
the day ne was received into the States
prison he has conducted himself in such
manner that when he left yesterday there
was not a black mark against him for the
whole period of thirteen years. The
prison officials say he is the best prisoner
they have ever had.
II IS said that the decision Of Judge
Montgomery in this case VIII effect the
terms Of number Of other prisoners.