Newport weekly independent., 1903-04-03
ARKANSAS LEGISLATURE.
Impeachment Proceedings Against Chancellor Leatherman in
 Senate.
TUESDAY. MARCH 24

In the senate the impeachment charges against Chancellor Leatherman were formally taken up. Most of the day was consumed in arguing a motion to strike out certain charges, which was lost The hearing will be resumed Thursday, the 26th.
 The house passed several bills, among them the following:
 Increasing salary of superintendent of public instruction from $1,S00 to $2,5O0 per annum; regulating the sale of dynamite; prohibiting sale of intoxi- rating liquors within ten miles of Hen drix College; increasing fees of jus tices of the peace. The house also concurred in amendments to the in- sane asylum annex appropriation bill.
 The Senate.
 Senator Grays bill dividing whisky license between the county and school funds, applying to certain counties, passed without opposition.
 The senate then took up the impeach- ment trial of Chancellor Leatherman.
 Chief Justice Bum swore in the members to sit as court
 Attorney Loughborough appeared for the accused, and presented a motion that the court should not consider ar ticles 1, 2, 3. 4, 8, g and Il. alleging that they state no offense known to the law for which impeachment may be had. and that the acts charged are not high crimes and gross misconduct in office"
 x.-o. Pindall. representing the house board to conduct the prosecution read the articles of impeachment.
 Attorney Loughborough enterad de- nial of each specific charge and stated that the defendant did not admit his guils to any of the immaterial charges. HeA8 stated that the defendant was ready to meet the real issues and asked that immaterial charges be dis missed.
 Chief Justice Bum announced that two-thirds of the body must be pres ent at all times during the trial.
 The members discussed at length the motion of MT. Loughborough to strike out certain articles of the indictment on the ground that they did not charge crimes upon which impeachment could be had.
 Senator Cotton thought 1t the duty of the senate to proceed to the con- sideration of the charges just as they were prepared by the house committee. On roll call the senate, by a vote of 19 ayes to 10 noes, voted to consider the charges as presented by the house committee
 The House.
 The first business disposed of was H. B. 360, raising the fees of justices of the peace, which passed by mar gin of vote.
 H. B. 104. regulating the sale of. dynamite and other explosives, passed. S. B. 140, appropriating S140,OOO for an annex to the insane asylum, passed with senate amendments.
 S. B. 4S. which increases the sal aries of officials of the department of education, was taken up and passed.
 MT. Kerwin called up s. B. 40 (King), increasing the powers of the railroad commission.
 After second reading of the bill sev- eral amendments were rejected and the measure took it's place on the cal endar
 s. B. 19S, making it unlawful to sell or give away intoxicating liquors and native wines within ten miles of Hen dirk college at Conway, was taken up. MT. Witt urged the passage of the bill, and MT. Crutcher characterized act as a foolish one. He argued that the bill would practically put a large number of thrifty wine growers out of business.
 Messrs. Du Laney and Merriman ar gued in favor of the bill. which passed by vote of 55 to 7.