Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-03-23
Till HNI[vDIKTT1II6THN
Extradition Statute to Be Made
More Effective.
BULK SALES BILL is DEFEATED
Republican Legislative Caucus Re
dominates Present State Printer anc
Passes Soldiers Preference Bill.


Passes Soldiers Preference Bill.
Des Moines, March 22.-The discov
cry by the governor that the extra.
dition laws of this state were faulty
has led to the introduction of bill
during the past week which will form
a very important piece of legislation
when passed. The case of Mrs. Dye
of Boone, who is charged with having
sent poisoned candy through the mails
to Miss Nelson at Pierre, S. d., and
Miss Nelson's death supposedly as a
result of eating this candy, developed
very peculiar feature in the extradi
ton laws.
The governor of South Dakota is
sued requisition upon the governor
of Iowa for the arrest and delivery of
Mrs. Dye to the representatives of the
South Dakota authorities. When Gov
ernor Cummins investigated the law
in the case he discovered the follow.
ing peculiar conditions: If the crime
was committed it was not committed
in Iowa, because Miss Nelson received
the candy In South Dakota and died
there Consequently there was no
crime committed in Iowa for which
Mrs. Dye could be arrested or extra
dited, for the reason that the extradi-
ton laws only apply to fugitives from
justice. When it was discovered that
she could not be extradited on
charge of having sent the poisoned
candy to Miss Nelson, an attempt was
made to invoke the United States
statutes to the misuse of the mails,
but here, too, the laws were lacking,
as they only provide against sending
of mail matter of swindling charac-
ter or such as constitute an offense
against morals. The governor con.
suited the attorney general and the
outcome was that he was compelled
to refuse to honor the requisition and
Mrs. Dye was accordingly discharged.
attorney general prepared a bill to
cover cases similar to this and it has
been referred to the judiciary commit
tees of both houses, and will undoubt-
eddy soon become law. The bill pro-
vides that if any person is found in
this state who is charged with treason
or felony committed in any other state
or territory who is not extraditable
as fugitive from justice under the
laws of the United States, such per-
son may, on demand of the executive
of any state or territory where the
crime is charged to have been com.
mitted, be delivered up and removed
to the state or territory having juris-
diction of the crime. 1t is required,
however, before warrant for arrest
or surrender shall be issued. that
duly attested copy of the indictment,
information or complaint shall be for
warded to the governor together with
copy of the warrant of arrest issued
on such indictment, information or
complaint.
Insurance Bills Passed.
Both houses have passed the insur-
ance bills prepared by the state aud
itor's department and they will be-
come laws The bills provide for the
appointment by the auditor of COM
petent actuary at salary of $4,000
per year, and authorize the selection
of such assistants as may be neces-
sary at salary not to exceed $500
per day and expenses while engaged
in the duties of their position. The
fees charged the different companies
for examination are to be turned into
the state treasury. 1t is also provided
that rigid examination shah be given
companies desiring to do business in
the state.
The house has had the subject Of
road tax before it on several occa-
sions during the past week. The Chas-
sci bill, which in brief. provides that
IL shall be optional whether the road
taxes are worked, as under the old
system. or paid in cash. as under the
present law. The house committee on
highways presented two reports on
this bill The majority report favored
its indefinite postponement, while the
minority report recommended its pas
sage. Mr. CHASED put up stiff fight
for the substitution of the minority
report and won out by vote of A to
Al. Then came a long fight on the
merits of the bill. The vote on sub
stitution of the minority reports was
so close that it indicated the necessity
of securing at least seven more con-
verts in order to pass the bill. When
the bill came up again, on Wednesday.
it was ordered to engrossment, as its
friends were not sure that they had
votes enough to pass 1t.
Railroad Legislation.
II seems that the railroad legisla-
ton of this session will be devoted
solely to requiring the railroad COM
panies to issue free transportation to
stock shippers and that nothing will be
adopted which will require the rail-
road companies to transport stock at
not less than given rate of speed.
The main features of the DeLano and
Doran bills, which the stock shippers
specially endorsed. were the require
ments of rapid transportation of stock
TO market and the issuance Of free
transportation. The latter provision,
however, was not so strenuously in