The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-16
GIVING REBATES A FELONY,
TEXT OF THE BILL WHICH HAS
PASSED BOTH HOUSES.
The Governor VIII Make 1t Inv
by Signing II as Soon as 1t
Reaches Him.

Austin. Texas, May 15.--The following
passed finally in the house this morning.
The governor will sign 1t as soon as it
reaches him;
Section /. That II any officer. agent,
clerk. servant or employe, or any receiver
or his servant, agent or employe OF any
railroad company in this State shall. d.
rectly or indirectly, or by any special tate
rebate, drawback or other device, shall,
for and on behalf of such railroad com
pany, knowingly charge, demand, con-
tract for, collect or receive. from any
person, firm or corporation, greater or
less compensation for any service rem
dered or to be rendered by any such rail-
road company in this State, than such rail-
road company or its said officers, agents,
clerks, servants or employees. or receiver
thereof charges, demands, contracts Tor,
collects or receives from any other per-
son, firm or corporation for doing ike
and contempuraneous services or II any
officer, agent, clerk, servant or employee
or receiver, or his agents servants or en-
ployes, CT any railroad company In thiS
State, who shall for ana on behalf OF sueh
railroad Company make or give any undue
or unreasonable preference or any al
vantage TO any particular person company
firm corporation or locality, as 10 any
service rendered or to be rendered or per-
formed by such railroad company, OF TO
subject any particular description OF
traffic on such railroad company to any
undue or unreasonable prejudice delay OF
disadvantage in any respect whatever sucn
officer, clerk, servant or employe, or
receiver, his agents, servants or employees
of such railroad company, shall be deemed
guilty OF unjust discrimination WITHIN the
meaning Of this act, and ON convection
| thereof shall be punished by confinement
in the State penitentiary for not less than
| two nor more than FIVE years
Sec. 2. Nothing herein shall prevent 'ne
! carriage storage or handling by lallrnal
companies in this State, or by thelr
AGENTS, officers, clerks, servants ana en-
| ployes, of freight free or at reduced rsles
| for the state, or for any city or county
| or town government, or for charitable iIf'
noses or to End from fairs and cHposi-
/ tions for exhibition thereof or me Hee
carriage of destitute and lndigsat per-
| sons or the issuance of mileage or ex-
cursion passenger tickets, nor 10 fle-
vent railroads from giving free transpof
tation TO ministers of religion, O! Ifte
transportation to the inmates OF hospilhls
eeemosnary and charitable instituii 'll.
and TO the employees of the agr'cullurd
| and geological departments oil the oIdte
or 10 the peace Officers Of this state IN
nothing herein shall be construed TO pre-
vent railroads. their agents and empioye
and officers from giving free transportu
tion to any railroad officers, agents, en-
ployes attorneys, stockholders or dFeetoii
or 10 the railroad commissioners, thsli
secretaries, clerks and employees. or 70 an
other officer or person not prohioltea D
law. ..,,,n,
Sec 8. Any court, officer or tripuna
having jurisdiction OF the otenae neA
toned in this act, or any district OF couh
tc attorney, may subpoena parsons an
compel their attendance as wltnesSes
testify as to the violations Of TINS aeI
and any person so summoned and eXam'n
shall not be liable TO prosecution tos an
violation Of this act about which nc ma
testify, and for any offense by reason
violations OF this act; eonVlctloh, m,s
he had upon the unsupported eVlaeuc
Of an accomplish or participant
See i 1t shall be the duty 81 ever i
district Judge III this State In whose ~
a grand Jury shall be empaneled, 70 ch"'
said grand jury, whenever orgahl-e,,
: thoroughly Investigate with reieFehO'
violations OF this aci. ,,.,. :, tn
Sec. g. The crowded conu'''0A