Newport weekly independent., 1903-04-03
SATURDAY, MAECE 2a.

The majority and minority reports of the committee appointed to investi- gate the convict farm purchase were read in both the senate and house. The majority report was adopted by both branches.
 The trial of Chancellor Leatherman was continued in the senate.
 The house passed MT. Hale's bill, au- thorizing county judges to lease wild and uncleared sixteenth section school lands.
 The Senate.
 The majority and minority reports of the special committee appointed to visit the Cummins place and investi- gate the purchase of the same as a convict farm, were presented and read.
 Senator Fletcher moved the adoption of the majority report, which declared that the penitentiary board had acted wisely in purchasing the farm and recommended that it be retained.
 Senators Hardy and Caldwell op- posed the motion, which prevailed.
 Senator Logan presented an amend ment to the state capitol bill, provid- ing for the erection of the capitol on the site of the present state house.
 The senate proceeded with the trial of Chancellor Leatherman.
 The first witness was Edward Par ham. deputy circuit and chancery clerk at Hot Springs. He testified that the had been given appointments as master, receiver and commissioner by the de- fendant; that he had loaned or ad- vanced various sums of money to the defendant at different times; that the division of the fees was agreed upon by the judge himself and the man paying the same. Witness was not positive the defendant asked for this money. The defendant had offered him checks at various times, but he would not take them, as he thought them worthless. The witness said he had re- ceived in fees about SITS and had loaned the defendant about $100.
 F. c. Place. former county clerk of Garland county, testified that he was on a stay bond for Judge Leatherman for $4O0; that at the defendants sug- gestion he borrowed $4O0 from c. s. Bell. receiver, and loaned the defendant $l5O on his individual note; that Bell accepted this note with cash in payment of the $400 note
 The House.
 Mr. Chestnut presented the major ity and minority reports of the special committee on the convict farm pur- chase. The majority report was adopted.
 H. B. 45O (Hale), authorizing county judges to lease wild and uncleared six teenth section school lands for a term of years not exceeding five, and to have same cleared and put into cultivation, was passed.
 H. B. 432 (Tarver), authorizing coun- ty courts to establish neighborhood roads when petitioned to do so by a majority of the landowners concerned failed to pass.
 H. B. 35S (Stockard), providing that in no case shall state convicts be hired to outside parties on contract labor system or otherwise for a less price than one dollar per day for each con- vict, failed to pass.
 Ii. B. 4S5 (Holmes), prohibiting resi- dents from acting as agents for non- resident drovers to herd, graze or per- init to run at large any stock in this state, was passed.
 H. B. 316 (Holland), defining who are fellow-servants of persons, corpora tons and companies, was taken up and passed.
 MT. Martineau introduced a bill pro- viding for a board of seven trustees for the University of Arkansas. one from each congressional district.
 MT. Brooks introduced a bill proyid-