The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-05
LAWS
ARE INCREASED
A vagrancy Bill is Acted
On Fayorably.
EASTERN LABOR BILL
Uzzel!'s Landlord and Tenant Act Ap-
proved. Buffers Education Act
Knocked Out. The Commit
tees and What They
Did.
EASTERN LABOR BILL

The House Judiciary Committee
met yesterday and among other things
discussed the divorce laws as prepared
by a subcommittee after instruction
by a vote of II to II by the commits
tee.
At the meeting yesterday IL mem-
bers were present and IL of these ex-
pressed disapproval of the substitute
as presented This substitute is to be
acted on by the committee at three
o'clock this afternoon.
1t leaves the divorce laws IN the
following shape:
Chapter 100 of the laws of 1888.
and chapter 442 of the laws of 1887
are repealed.
Section / of the laws of 1899, chap
ter 20 is amended so as to read as
follows, the words in black type being
added:
IF the husband, having married
citizen of North Carolina shall re-
move with her to any other State, and
while living with her in such other
State shall, by cruel or barbarous
treatment. endanger her life or render
her condition intolerable or burden
some and abandon her. the wife shall.
upon returning to North Carolina, and
from the husband for the period OF
twelve months, be entitled to an abso-
lutte divorce, to be decreed by the
courts of this State: Provided. first.
that in the event of divorce granted
70 the wife for the causes specified IN
this act the husband shall not re-marry
during the life of the wife; Provided,
second, that the husband and wife
shall be competent witnesses to testify
in their own behalf as to all facts
within their knowledge pertinent to the
issue.
Sec. 2. That this act shall apply to
cases now pending in the courts of
this State, but this act shall not apply
to any separation that takes place
after January 1. 1908.
To section 1886 of the Code the fol-
lowing is to be added as subsection
five: . :.
"If either party shall at the time Of
marriage have any venereal disease.
which disease shall be communicated
TO the other and on account thereof
they shall separate and live apart for
period of twelve months: Provided.
the injured party did not know of the
previous immortality and disease Of
the other"
The above is to be added to the fol-
lowing, which is section 1885 of the
Code, providing for absolute divorce
on application of the party injured:
1. If either party shall separate
from the other and live in adultery.
2. If the wife shall commit adultery.
3. If either party at the time of the
marriage was and still is naturally inn
potent.
4. If the wife at the time of the
marriage be pregnant, and the hus-
band be ignorant of the fact of such
pregnancy, and be not the father OF
wifi xuJi Wi p xxy,G
pregnant at the time of the marriage.
A Va2rancy Law.
The subcommittee on preparing u
vagrancy law submitted its report
through Mr.. Olive, of Wake. He
stated that the Georgia law had been
followed. The bill was given favor
able report and as follows:
The bill repeats section 1894 of the
Code of North Carolina and all laws
amendatory and defines Migrants
thus:
1. Persons wandering or strolling
about i'll idleness who are able to
work and have no property to sup
port them.
2. Persons leading an idle, i'm
moral or profiigate life, who have no
property to support them, and who
are able to work, and do not work.
3. All persons able to work, hav-
ing no property to support them, and
who have not some visible and known
means of fair, honest and reputable
livelihood.
4. Persons having fixed abode.
who have no visible property To sup
port them, and who live by stealing,
or by trading in, bartering for or
buying stolen property.
5. Professional gamblers living in
idleness
g. All able-bodied men who have
no other visible means of support,
who shall live in idleness upon the
wages or earnings of their mother,
wife or minor child or children.
That the punishment for vagrancy
as defined in this act shall not exceed
$50 fine or thirty days imprisonment
for the first offense, and for the sec
ond and subsequent offenses the Jus
tice of the Peace shall bind the de-
PENDANT over to the Superior court IN
the sum of two hundred dollars ($20o)
and upon conviction for said oftense
in the Superior court the defendant
shall be sentenced to the public roads
or to the work house for term not
less than six months nor exceeding one
year.
The Uzzell Bill.
The bill of Mr. Uzzell, of wayne.
providing for the contracts OF land
lords and tenants and penalties TOR
violation was reported favorably all the
amendments being thrown out. mere
was much discussion on TINS, many
members wanting different things. out
these were told to prepare private
bills. Mr.. Uzzell was present and
urged his bill vigorously.
A bill to abolish the three days
Of grace on sight drafts III North Caro-
lima was reported fayorably. This
abrogates the days of grace on all
notes.
A bill to amend section 2191 Of the
Code referring to bills filed or record
ed in the office of the Secretary OF
State adds the Clerk of the Court as a
competent witness. 1t was given
favorable report
A favorable report was made on the
bill to provide for the allotting 81
homesteads before partition lands held
in common.
An unfavorahla report was made on
the act to exempt Edgecombe from the
provisions of the crop lien