Free press., 1907-03-16

Investigate three of the Topeka
newspaper men was adopted today.
The report eXonerated J. S. Leach,
D. o. McCray and T. G. Hopkins,
who had been charged with improp-
erly drawing money from the treas
ury, and recommended that the pro-
ceedings under the resolution be ex-
plunged from the public records. The
effect of the report and recommen-
dation is that the records of the leg
islature are TO be wiped clean of the
charges
The house tonight. in committee
of the whole, by vote of A to A,
recommended for passage the Stan
nard bill fixing maximum rates for
the transportation of crude and re-
fined OIL The bill makes rates
whereby it is possible for producers
OF crude oil to compete with coal
dealers.
The conference committee ap-
pointed on maximum freight rate
legislation has failed to agree and
the conferees from both houses have
asked to be discharged and a new
committee appointed.
The bill providing for the munich
pal ownership of waterworks plants
was passed by the senate today and
will become a law with the govern
or's signature. The bill, which orig
mated from Kansas City, Kan, was
so amended to include all first and
second class cities in the state. I'm
der its provisions board of ap-
praisers consisting of three mem
bers, one to be appointed by the
mayor, one by the district judge and
the third by the company owning
the plant, shall determine the value
of the property The question of
whether or not the city shall prr-
chase the plant is to be left to q
vote of the people.
The senate tonight passed the
Getty bill making it an offense for
any person to tamper with or at
tempt, unduly, to influence any mem
Der of jury. The bill gives the dis
trict judge the right to cause the ar
rest of the offending person. The
senate also passed the bill reim-
bursting George A. Clark, ex-state
printer, for expenses incurred and
not paid while printer. The total
amount was $6,70e.
rickett-Coleman anti-gambIing bill
today by vote of 21 to 8. The bill
was prepared by the governor and
attorney general, with assistance
from c. w. Trickett, of Kansas City,
Kan. Nearly all of the features in
Jected in it by the governor and his
assistants were eliminated.
Warden W. H. Haskell of the
state penitentiary, who is also
state senator, is not guilty of admin
istering the water cure to prisoners
or hanging them up by the thumbs,
according to the findings of the
special legislative committee which
investigated the charges of cruelty
and inhuman treatment which were
preferred against the warden by DR..
]. H. Grisby., =
Gov. Hoch will not be provided
with an executive coach and stables.
The bill reported by the ways and
means committee providing for an
appropriation of $1,000 for the pur-
chase of horses and carriages for
the governor and the care and main
tenance of the same was taken up
inthe senate today and killed by a
decisive vote.
The original bill would have prob
ably passed, but when it was taken
up Senator Dolley offered as an
amendment that the appropriation
be raised to $4,000 and that an auto
mobile be purchased instead of
horses and carriages, and that 81 900
be appropriated for maintenance.
The senate refused to stand for the
executive ''honk honk''