Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-15
PROCEEDINGS or rHE SENATE.
state board of Transportation Gives
nL,IIaiLIa u nln Ln.E.

LINCOLN Feb 4.-tSpecial THE sole
topic of discussion among the members OF
the senate before the hour OF convening
this morning was the grave charges made in
The Bee against Auditor Cornell in connec-
tion with the conduct of the insurance de-
partment. The startling disclosures made
quite took the breath away from the mem-
bers, and copies of The Bee were at
premium.
The first matter of business in the senate
was the report of the State Board of Trans
portation in answer to the resolution of
Senator Schaal inquring as to what changes
in the rates on lumber and coal
shipped into the state and grain
and live stock shipped out of the
state might be made under the decision Of
the United States supreme court in the
maximum freight rate cases. Its reply
was that no changes could be made accord
ing to that decision, these were inter-
state matters. Attached to its brief reply
was copy of the lengthy report made to
the house concerning the advisability of re-
opening the rate cases.
Spohn of Nuckols wanted 500 copies of
this communication printed, including the
house report Prout of Gage wanted to
know what was contained in the report.
order for . o'clock Thursday. His motion
prevailed.
Private Secretary Jewell was announced
with a message from Governor Poynter.
The message proved to be in connection
with the charges made against Auditor Cor
nell in the morning papers and asking that
a full investigation be made
Hale of Madison offered the following mo-
tion:
Whereas, The senate is in receipt of a
message from his excellency, the governor
asking an investigation of the charges pre-
ferred against the auditor of public ac-
counts, / move that a committee of two be
appointed by the president of the senate
to confer with a committee of the house
of representatives to speedily investigate the
auditors office and report to this senate"
Currie of Custer offered the following sub
stitute to the motion of Senator Hale
Whereas Serious and grave charges touch
ing the official conduct of j. +. Cornell, au-
dltOr of public accounts of the state cf Ne
braska, have been published in the public
press Of this state, and,
Whereas Such charges if true, are of vital
interest to the welfare Of the whole state Of
Nebraska, and if not true, justice to the said
j. f. Cornell demands an immediate investi-
CATION therefore, be it
Resolved, That committee of three mem
bers of the honorable body, composed of two
from the majority party and one from the
minority party, be appointed by the pres
ident to make a full investigation of said
charges and report their findings to this
senate at the earliest possible date.
Farrell of Merrick said both motions COW
cred exactly the same ground and he ia
vored Senator Hale's through courtesy, as it
was the first offered. After some discussion
as to the number on the committee and the
representation that the two sides should
have, Prout Of Gage moved as a substitute to
the whole that the governors message be
made a special order for 9 p. m. today. He
said he did not think any of the motions be-
fore the body covered the ground. Pro-
visions for enforcing attendance of wit
nesses, the bringing of papers, documents,
etc, before the committee were absolutely
necessary to give tue committee power to
act. His substitute prevailed and the mat
ter went over till o'clock.
s. +. 242 was indefinitely postponed the
insurance committee having already recon-
mended a similar bill for passage. s. F. rs
WAS also killed and II. r. 153 recommended
for passage. These two bills both related to
the repeal of the 1877 law concerning the
determination of grasshoppers. AS II. r.
1853 had already passed one branch, the COM
mittee reported it favorably and killed S. F.
rs. S. F. 229, relating to the penalty to be
imposed for killing certain kinds Of birds
and game out of season, was recommended
to pass, as was also S. F. S4 concerning the
herd law.
An invitation from Chancellor MacLean to
attend the charter day exercises at the farm
| and on the campus today was read.
Upon motion of Van Dusen of Douglas the
motion to indefinitely postpone II. r. 43 and
|
committed to the judiciary committee. He
explained that the introducers of the bills
| wanted a chance to be heard.
Prout of Gage offered a joint resolution
! authorizing the governor to purchase medals
to present to all members of Nebraska s
| three volunteer regiments.
| H. r. H. the bill to provide a / mill
levy for the support OF the State university
was placed upon its third reading and pas
sage. The bill received 25 ayes and nays
and was declared passed with the emergency
| clause.
| Those voting against it were Farrell, Hal
| derman, Knepper Newell, O'Neill and Van
| Dusen
| S. f. 20 and S. F. 246 were also passed.
| The judiciary committee offered a report
upon the following bills: s. f. 1853, relating
to conservators of the peace, to pass; S. r.
pass; s. f. 166, relating to return of prop
| erty taken under writ of replevin when de-
| fendant gives bond to plaintiff, without rec
ommendation; S. f. 167, relating to the theft
of money or goods or chattels, to pass; s. +.
ia, relating to suits by and against partner
| ships, no recommendation; S. +. 179, cura-
tive act, no recommendation; S. f. 1S0, a
curative act, to pass; S. i. 1S1 and 1872. cura-
tive measures, to pass II. r. ia, relating to
| the appointment Of supreme court commits
| soners, to pass.
Chief Clerk Wall of the house announced
the appointment of committee of three in
| the house to act in conjunction with a com
mittee of two from the senate in the in
vestgation of the charges against Auditor
| Cornell.
| After the joint assembly the senate ad-
journed till 10 O'Clock tomorrow in order to
be present at charter day exercises of the
university.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSE.
| POynter's Message Stirs Up the Mem
l sfs a IN Al