The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-22
RUsY HOUSE SESSION.
More New Bills Sent to the Speakers
Desk-Denth Penalty Bill.

More New Bills Sent to the Speakers
Desk-Denth Penalty Bill.
The House session opened at 1880 o'clock
yesterday morning with prayer by the Rev.
Jabez Hall. of the Butler Bible College.
Reports Of committees were heard among
the first items of business. These reports
were followed with report from Mr.. King,
of the joint conference which considered
the bill appropriating funds for the expense
OF the Legislature. The report recon-
mended that Section 4, providing for extra
compensation for employees. be stricken out.
The House concurred in the report Of the
committee by vote of 50 to 5. Afterward
Speaker Artman ordered the vote retaken,
saying that he had discovered that there
were not as many members in the chamber
as there were votes. Evidently there had
been a mistake in counting tn, vote. as
the retaking OF the vote made the result
show ~ to in favor of concurring in the
report.
The roll-call Of counties for resolutions
and new bills was begun in the. regular or
der of business. Mr.. Bonham sent up two
petitions to be read. One was from the
Ministerial Association of Jay County de-
ploring the condition of the present d.
yorce laws and requesting the Legislature
to pass bill that would remedy the pres
ent condition of affairs. Mr.. Bonham says
the association desires law enacted that
Will make adultery the only ground Tor
divorce. Such measure has already been
introduced by Mr. Carmichael, OF Della
ware county. The other petition sent up
by Mr.. Bonham was from Jacob Stahl G..
4. r. Post, of Hartford City, requesting
that the Legislature enact measure ex-
empting veteran soldiers from paying taxes
on real estate that is not valued at more
than $1,000. Should a measure OF this kind
be enacted, ii would only apply to those
veterans who were honorably discharged
from the service.
MANY NEW BILLS.
The roll-call of counties for new bills
developed that the members had not yet
exhausted the supply of measures. Among
those introduced were two bills providing
for changes in the divorce laws Of the
State. One was by Mr.. Mummert. who
seeks to provide means by which an In
sane person may be divorced. 1t is claimed
that under the present laws this is impos-
sible in Indiana The bill provides that
where either husband wife are decreed
to be of unSound mind and a guardian Is
appointed, that the guardian may. by pro-
ducing the documents showing that he was
ward is insane. procure a divorce for the
demented one. Representative Trout, of
Clay county, introduced bill which is to
require judges who grant divorces to place
al Injunction in the decree restraining
either of the divorced parties from marry
ing within two years.
Representative Rogers. of Decatur county,
sent up his bill providing for the estab-
lishment of village for epileptics IN In
diana. A similar bill introduced in
the House a few days ago. 1t provided for
the location of the village within six miles
of the city of Columbus. Mr.. Rogers's bill
does not specify as to where the village
shall be located. 1t provides for the ap-
pontment by the Governor of a nonparti-
san board of three commissioners, whose
duty ii will be to select a location for this
asylum. The bill also provides for the
purchase of 1000 acres of land and an APP
preparation of $4,000 to erect a building
1t is understood that Mr. Rogers's bill is
drawn along the same lines as the one in
troduced in the Senate. Mr.. Rogers says
he visited a number of insane hospitals
I'm procuring ideas for the preparation of
his bill.
COUNTY REFORM LAW.
A bill introduced by Mr.. Waugh, Of Wells
county. is meant to affect the county re-
form law, although 1t makes no special
changes in that law and does not criticise
that measure. 1t provides for the payment
of outstanding orders or warrants in GER
tain cases. Mr.. Waugh makes it plain
that he does not seek in any way TO change
or interfere with the provisions work.
ings of the county reform law. His bill
makes 1t possible for county councils to
legally make appropriations for the pay
ment of gravel road warrants for serv-
ices performed prior to the taking enect
of the county reform laws. 1t appears
that in some counties people who held
warrants for services on gravel roads per-
formed before the law went into effect
have been unable TO collect them because
some of the county councils felt that they
could not legally make appropria tons 70,
these amounts. In some counties the coun-
ellis went ahead and made these appropria-
lions. This bill will legalize all action of
this kind heretofore taken and make it
possible for other councils to do the same
thing.
Before the House adjourned Senate bill
No. "a was called up for passage. This is
the bill which Attorney General Taylor
has been anxious to get through both
houses. 1t will settle the question recently
raised as to where verdict providing for
capital punishment can be legally carried
cut in Indiana The bill provides that all
legal hangings shall take place at the
Michigan City prison and that the warden
of that prison shall be the executioner.
The bill did not pass without one or two
objections being interposed to 1t. The chief
objection was made by Representative Pas
hanging. He is not particularly opposed
to capital punishment, hut believes a more
humane way could be de vised for exacting
this penalty. DR.. Passage, with this idea
in view, offered resolution recommending
that the word morphine" be substituted
for the word hanging" In explaining mis-
position he pointed out that prisoner sen
fenced to die could be put out of the world
by the aid of morphine and he would pass
away in the midst of beautiful dreams and
without pain. The House was not inclined
to accept DR.. Passages resolution and it
was tabled Afterward when the bill was
put to a vote DR.. Passage voted in the
affirmative. Representative Galley voted
mo" when his name was called, and rs-
iLg in his seat, explained that he had al
ways been opposed to capital punishment
The bill passed by vote of IS to l.
PRIMARY ELECTION BILL
The primary election bill came I'D for
brief discussion i'm the form of a resolu-
ton introduced by Representative Marshall,
CT Tippecanoe county. AS a result Of Mr..
MarshaTs motion and an amendment by
Mr.. Whitcomb the bill will be made a spe-
cial order of business for next. Tuesday
afternoon at o'clock.
ton providing that two thousand copies
each of the inaugural speeches Of Governor
Durbin and Lieutenant Governor Gilbert be
printed. Mr.. Morgan explained that the
Senate had ordered copies of these speeches
printed. Speaker Artman wanted TO know
IL the House could not borrow as many
copies as il required from the Senate. Mr..
Morgan's resolution was defeated by a
o,,f,,, or h1r Ia,pa hfrr,e<