The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-11
A TREMENDOUS
SENSATION ON
THE LAST NIGHT
Senator Thomas Openly
Accuses Persons OF
ThWarting Assembly
TAMPERED WITH
IMPORTANT BILLS
Cites Portsmouth Case, Wherein
Purpose of Proposed Law Had
Nearly Been Defeated.
WOULD LAND GUILTY MEN
BEHIND PRISONS BARS
.aw Passed ar Rreak. Neck Sneed
Making Mutilation Of Bills a
Felony, and Investigation
Committee is Au-
thorizcd to Go
to Work.
Cites Portsmouth Case, Wherein
Purpose Of Proposed Law Had
Nearly Been Defeated.
WOULD LAND GUILTY MEN
BEHIND PRISONS BARS.

Within bare three hours OF the mid
night adjournment, bringing the session
of 1906 to an end. a tremendous sensa-
ton was sprung in legislative halls and
Hobbies by the charge, publicly uttered
and met with prompt official action. that
a systematic attempt has been made TO
thwart the Will OF the General Assembly
Of Virginia by fraud and illegal interfer-
ence with bills on the part of some per-
son or persons as yet unknown.
1t was II sensational denoucment to
legislative session filed to tho brim
with sensations. Standing upon the floor
of the Senate, Mr.. Thomas, OF Lynchbulg,
supported in his initial movement by
some of the most distinguished members
OF the body. and by all after he had
made his statement, declared in brief
but pointed words that the State Capitol
was infested with a breed that would
appear to better advantage behind the
bars of the State pcnitentiary. Bills had
been tampered with. amendments fllched
and others smusglcd in. a surreptitiops
and unlawful re-enactment OF laws after
t9e General Assembly had passed upon
them, designed to serve the ends Of
those engaged In the practice. Amid q
dead silence In the Senate and u res
markable scene in the House of Delegates,
the two branches suspended all rules to
deal vigorously and promptly with the
situation suddenly revealed.
A bill was drawn, introduced. and rush.
ed through, making theeoffensc a felony
punishable by confinement in the. peniten-
tlary from one to five years, and reso<
luton providing for an immediate investL
cation and report to the Attorney-Genera
was unanimously passed.
In the course of the discussion refer
ences were made to other instances, but
the particular casa which precipitated the
scene of last night was a n,ystcrioua
amendment to Portsmouth bill that. 1t
is held, would have prevented the city
from carrying out it's purpose OF estab-
fishing municipal wnter-works, which,
according to the statement made, thu
entire population desiredAyth tho excep.
ton of the managers of the water com.
pany doing business there already. Sus-
picion points In a certain direction and the
investigation may result in important de-
yelopments.
None of the officers or other employees
of the General Assembly are suspected.
Care was taken that this should be made
plain. The offender is supposed to be an
outsider. He cannot be touched by tho
bill enacted last night, after the offense
was committed. but IL discovered will be-
prosecuted under such laws as are on
the statute books now. The investi-
gatin committee Is composed of Senator'S
Il. A. Wickham, of Henrico. and Niemey-
err, of Portsmouth. and Delegates Gregory.
Churchman and Coleman. The INJURY will
be started without delay.
Storm Breaks.
1t was shortly before Q o'clock. ut the
opening of the night session. that the
storm, which had been brewing through
tho day, broke. Gaining the recognition
OF the chair, Mr.. Thomas OF Lynchb'lrg.
offered the following joint resolution.
which was at once taken up. A hush
fell over the chamber. Members were
aware of what was coming, but to sny
that the gallery contingent was astounded
is to express 1t mildly. The resolution
read:
Whereas, there Is reason to believe
that certain persons have undertaken
to change certain bills by destroying
| or altering certain amendments and
| otherwise changing In q fraudulent
way certain proposed legislation;
therefore, be 1t
Resolved by the Senate (the House
concurrlng), That the Joint resolution
under which the Senate and House I.
are HOW acting be, and the same Is
hereby, amended SO as to allow the
passage OF a bill making such action