Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-02-13
IN THE HOUSE.

today had sport WITH the whipping post
bill for wife heaters and then laid 1t on
the table, effectively disposing of it
by Il vote of 15S to 60. The most i'm
Fashioned speech for the measure was
delivered by Mr.. Hepburn, Ia, who
depicted the brutality of the man who
would beat his wife. and declared that
to be whipped was hardly adequate
punishment.
Mr.. Adams opened the discussion
with serious speech in favor of the
bill. All OF the opposing speeches par
took of levlty and Mr.. Adams received
more than one fling because he is a
bachelor.
The bill requiring the return Of
freight rebates was passed, also a
measure relating to court procedure.
The rebate bill provides that when a
rebate has been received with guilty
knowledge it is violation Of law and
double the amount is to be returned
by the recipient and half of this
amount is to go to the informant
new gavel was dedicated to the
memory of Lincoln by Speaker Cannon
in opening the House and the birthday
of the martyred President was remem-
bered In the prayer of the chaplain.
Legislation for the District of Column
bla was taken up, the most interesting
on the calendar being the Adams
whipping post bill for wife beaters.
Representative Lcngworth, who was
| confined TO his residence because of ILL
ness last week. was present in the
House today and was warmly congrat-
ulatcd.
During the consideration Of bill to
| regulate the sale of poisOns in the Dis
trict Of Columbia. the statement was
made that the drug habit. particularly
the use of cocaine had grown at an
alarming rate during the past five
years. Chairman Babcock said the evil
had grown TO be decidedly greater
than the liquor evil. The bill was
passed.
a ripple of interest was manifested
when Babcock called up the bill to
punish with 80 lashes wife beaterS in
the District of Columbia. Adams, Pr.
in favor of the bill, was yielded 80
minutes. He said President Roosevelt
and the district officials were in SYM
pathy with the bill and it was only
those possessed with that character Of
"lnaudlin sentiment which set flowers
to the criminals cell, who opposed it.
The chief of police of Washington, he
said, had reported sos wife heaters in
the past two years. Adequate punish
nlent for SOC "brutes" he said. should
be provided.
Wachter. Md. said that if the bill
passed, the city of Baltimore had 4 very
good whipping post in the Baltimore
city Jail which the district could buy
at d bargain. In 30 years. he said, it
had been used but twice.
"'The women of Maryland don't want
II used any more than the men,"
Where does the gentleman get his
information asked Adams.
AT home" replied Wachter. and
then. "Oh. I mean in Baltimore"
Uaughter.)
Sims, Tenn. opposing the bill. pre-
diCted that it would get one vote only
in the House. The President, he said.
had verdict increasing punishment
for wifebeaters year ago. "but he is
year older now and his last message
said about it,
Sims made the further point that the
report of the local chief Of police indi-
females received most of the beatings.
Someone has suggested we amend the
bill to apply to wife chasers," he declared
further. Il don't know who that would
hit 0aughter).
James. Ky. advocated that the whip
ping of the "beater" should be done in
public. and wanted the post" established
at Peace Monument" on Pennsylvania
Sims accepted this. If the whipping. he
said. was to serve as an example, n plat
form should be erected on top of the
Washington monument where the effect
Of the beating could reach afar Off
For five minutes Stanley. Ky. made
fun of the bill and incidentally took
Adams to task for never marrying. It
was. he said. "a brutal measure of bru-
taliZing a BRUTE
All the arguments in defence Of the
instruments of torture buried one hun
dred years ago with barbarism. he said.
would apply to this bill.
Il am more surprised" continued Stan.
Continued on Page Two.)