Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-04-11
TO GET A MAN OUT OF JAIL.
A Bill Passed Through the Pennsyl-
vania Legislature.

Harrisburg, April 11.-A house
bill passed through in the senate au-
thorizing the courts in any proceed
ing at law in which conveyance of
lands or tenements shall be ordered
and where the party who is ordered
to execute the same shall neglect to
do SO, to direct that such conveyance
be executed with the same effect by
the sheriff. prothonotary, clerk or
trustees appointed by the court.
An interesting story lies behind the
bill, and If the governor approves the
measure it will liberate from prison
a man who has been in contempt of
court for seven years. The case Is
that of James Cannon, of Scranton,
who had been sued by his brother-in-
law, Thomas Reel for the possession
of piece of land worth about $4,000.
Cannon lost the suit and he was di
rected to make a deed in favor OF
Reel for all his interests in the land.
This he refused to do. He was adj
judged in contempt of court and
thrown into prison During the past
seven years he has firmly refused to
obey the order of the court, and had
made up his mind to die in jail rather
than make the deed. If the governor
approves the bill, Lackawanna jail
official will probably be directed by
the court to execute the deed ana
Cannon will be liberated from his
confinement The brother-in-law and
the judge who committed Cannon to
prison are both dead.
The senate bill repeating the act
creating the Philadelphia board of re-
vision of taxes was taken up in the
house Wednesday afternoon for final
passage. After debate and the fail
ure of motion to postpone, it passed,
Il to rs
The bill now goes to the senate for
concurrence in the house amend
ments. The house then took up the
companion bill, providing for the
election Of a board of revision of
taxes at the next general election.
A motion offered by Mr.. Cooper
failed by vote of II yeas to 100
nays, after which the bill passed
finally by a vote of 119 to IA
The bill amending the act of 1895,
relative to the rebuilding of county
bridges over navigable streams by
extending its provisions so as to au-
thorize the rebuilding by the com.
monwealth of county bridges which.
have become dangerous and unfit for
the uses intended and providing for
changes in the location of bridges
rebuilt also passed finally in the
house.
Among others this bill passed the
house:
Appropriating $4,000 for the cree
ton of a marker for the grave Of
Governor Joseph Bitner in the church
yard at Mount Rock, Cumberland
county.
When the judicial apportionment
bill was taken up for final passage
Mr.. Scott, of Allegheny, moved to re-
consider the vote by which the bill
passed third reading for the purpose
of amending it by reducing the num-
Der of orphans courts judges of AL
legheny county from three to two. as
provided for by the existing law.
During the debate on the motion
Mr.. Scott, in reply to an interroga-
ton by Mr.. Bliss, of Delaware, said
that Judge Hawkins, president judge
of the Allegheny county orphans
court, did not want an additional
judge. because there was no neces-
sity for it. The motion failed by a
vote of "a yeas to 90 nays. The bill
then passed finally by LAG to 80.