Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-02-13
WHIPPING POST BILL KILLED
Laid on Table After Being Mark for
RidicuIe

BY Associated Press.
WASHINGTON, Feb 12.-The houss
today had sport with the whipping Il1st
bill for wife beaters and then laid it
upon the table effectively dsposiug
OF it by vote OF 1853 to 60. The most
irlpassioned speech for the measure
was delivered by Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa.
who depicted the brutality of the man
who would beat his wife, and declared
that to be whipped was hardly ade-
quate punishment.
Mr.. Adams of Pennsylvania opened
this discussion with serious speech
In favor of the bill. All of the oppos-
ing speeches partook of levity, and
Mir. 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 a violation of the law
and double the amount is to be re-
turned by the recipient and one-half
of this amount is to go to the inform
ant.
A new gavel was dedicated to the
memory of Lincoln by Speaker Cannon
today in opening the session of the
house and the birthday of the martyred
president was remembered in the
prayer of the chaplain.
Legislation for the district of Column
bia was taken up. the most interesting
bill on the calendar being the Adams
whipping post measure for wife
beaters.
During the consideration of a bill 10
regulate the sale of poisons in the Dis
trict of Coumbit the statement was
made that the drug habit, especially
the use of cocaine, had grown at an
alarming rate during the past five
years. Chairman Babcock said he had
been called at all times of day and night
by mothers and persons interested to
plead for a law which would make 1t
impossible to obtain this drug. The
evil had grown, he said, to be decidedly
greater than the liquor habit The bill
was passed.
A ripple of interest was manifested
when Mr.. Babcock, at o'clock, called
up the bill to punish with thirty lashes
wife beaters in the District of Column
bia Mr.. Adams of Pennsylvania, in
favor of the bill, was heard thirty
minutes. At once he was importuned
to yield to questions but positively de-
clined to be interrupted and began with
a rebuke of the levity with which the
subject had been treated He said
President Roosevelt and the district
officials were in sympathy with the bill
and it was only those possessed with
the character of "maudlin sentiment
which sent flowers to the criminals cell
who oppose it, The chief of police of
Washington, he said, has reported sos
wife beatings in the past two years:
Adequate punishment he said, should
be provided. Mr.. Adams said he did
not advocate the whipping post as it
existed in Delaware.
Mr.. Stephens of Texas interjected
the query if the bill was not class
legislation" Members laughed as Mr.
Adams declined to be Interrupted
Mr.. Wachter of Maryland said that If
the bill passed the city of Baltimore
had very good whipping post IN the
Baltimore city Jail which the District
could buy at a bargain. In fifty years,
he said, it had been used but twice.
THE women of Maryland don't want
IL used any more than the men,"
"Where does the gentleman get his
information2 asked Mr. Adams.
"At home" replied Mr.. Wachter, and
then, "Oh, L mean in Baltimore. y
Gaughter.)
Mr.. Sims of Tennessee, opposing the
bill, predicted that it would get one
vote only in the house. The president
he said, had advocated increased pun
ishment for wife beaters, adding:
But he is a year older now and his
last message said nothing about it"
He made the further point that the
report of the local chief of police indi-
Gated that common law wives and
other females" received most of the
beatings.
Some one has suggested we amend
the bill to apply to wife chasers,"
he declared further. 81 don't know
whom that would hit" Naughter.)
The whipping post bill was defeated
by being laid upon the table-by a
vote Of 10 to 81.