The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-23
THE sENATE's SESSION.
Lengthy Discussion of Senator Woods
BiII-Many New Bills.

The session of the Senate was opened
yesterday morning with prayer by Mr..
Carmichael, of the House of Representa-
tives. On motion the reading of the min
utes was suspended and the president
called for the reports os the various COM
mittees President Gilbert himself handed
down the report of the committee on rules.
which, with two exceptions. remained
practically the same as those of the last
session. The report was adopted.
The bill of Senator Wood, which pro-
vides that criminals shall be admitted to
bail pending appeal from sentences of con-
viction with the exception of those con-
victed of murder. manslaughter or trea-
son, provoked discussion that lasted the
greater part Of the morning. The COM
mittee on judiciary, to which the bill had
been referred, made divided report The
majority report was signed by all of the
members of the committee with the ex-
ception OF Senators Brooks and Binkley,
who submitted a minority report. When
the minority report came up for adop-
ton Senator Wood made a strong appeal
against IL, and spoke at some length on
the merits of the bill.
Senator Brooks then made an appeal in
favor of the adoption of the minority
report, saying that he believed the bill
as introduced by Senator Wood should
not be passed, as 1t would give the rich
an advantage over the poor and deprive the
poorer criminal of his rights under law.
He said he had never known In his brief
practice of the law OF an innocent man
having been sent to prison.
Another member of the committee to
make an argument in favor of the ma
jority was Senator Stillwel who was fol-
lowed by Senator Ball, both using much
the same line of argument pursued by
Senator Wood.
Senator Inman. the Democratic leader,
IN speaking against the adoption of the
minority report, said that IT would be no
hardship on any one for the Legislature
to enact law that would give the GRIM
inal convicted in the lower courts the ben
eft of a doubt. 81 believe" said he, that
ir would be better TO let ninety-nine guilty
men 60 free than TO punish one man who
State of Indiana through a law admitting
men to bail unless they have been con-
victed OF murder, manslaughter or
trason."
Senator Agnew caused some amusement
and much surprise by declaring that he
had signed the majority report recommend
ing the passage OF the bill, but that the
argument on the side of the minority re-
port had convinced him of his error and
that he would raise HIS voice in protest
at his former action He said the courts
were proverbially slow and that some
legal steps should be taken to apply a
remedy therefor in cases where the guilt
of the prisoner was well established He
maintained that the Supreme Court rarely
or never considered the evidence in a
criminal case. and said he could not re-
call a case in which that court had rem
dered a reversal on account of the evil
dence.
Senators Winfield and Lambert both
maintained that the majority report should
prevail Senator Wood. In speaking OF
an innovation, said that the law should be
as progressive as any other science. He
insisted that IL Senator Brooks had his
way he would go back to the days OF the
stage coach and would hold up his hands
i'm horror at every sound of the whistle
OF the railroad train. He said that while
they had no knowledge of the conviction
frequent and during his experience as g
PROSECUTOR he had become cognizant OF sew.
eral instances in which innocent men had
been convicted
The discussion was closed by Senator
Brooks and the majority report was Their
adopted by vote of q TO %. An effor,
was made by Senator Brooks and Sena.
| tor Agnew 10 have the vote verified, but
| without avail.
| The judiciary committee was also d.
| vided I'm it's report on the bill of Sen.
| ator Harrison to make electrocution the
| legal mode Of infiicting the death pen
atty In this State. A minority report wa