Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-04
bII in Legislature 10 Prevent Num-
cipaI Officers from Being paPl-
les 10 Contracts.
UNUSUALLY. HEAVY PENALTY AlNEU
Amendment offered to the Sunday
Observance Law Presented to the
Lower House-Electric Chair a,
Penitentiary Favored by Committee
Plan to Have Inspector Of Prisona
Especial To The Daily Press.

Especial To The Daily Press.)
! RICHMOND, VA. Feb. 3.-Delcgntc
| Cooke. OF Norfolk. today offered in the
House Il bill amending section S23 OF
the code. which forbidS city officers,
councilmen and others from having
an interest in contracts with the cities
they represent
| The measure proposes 10 make sec
Ton S2' of the code read as follows:
1t shall not be lawful for any men,
her OF the council or board OF alder
men or any Other officer or agent or
any commissioner appointed for the
opening of streets or any other mem
Der Of a committee constituted or an
pointed for the management. regna-
ton or control or corporate property
Of any city during their torn for
they are elected or appointed. to Is, a
contractor or suhcontractDr. nor shall
thsy be interested, directly or indirec-
tly. In any contract or Job OF work or
materials, or the profits thereof, or
services 10 be performed for the city.
| md no sncii councilman. officer or
employe shall be Interested. directly
or indirectly. In any contract. or job
Of work or materials, or the profits.
thereof, or services to bc furnished or
performed
| Every such contract shall be void.
and the officer. councilman. agent or
member of such committee making
such contract shall forfeit to the com
mcnwealth the full amount stipulated
Tor thereby. No officer OF city, who
alone or with others is charged with
the duty of auditing. getting or pro-
viding By levy or otherwise for tile
| payment OF claims against such CITY.
| shall by contrnct. directly or indirect =
! ~, become the owner of or interested
In any claim against Such city. Every
such contract shall be void. and If
such claim be paid. the amount paid
with interest may be recovered back
| by the city within two years after
payment, ly action or motion In the
! Circuit or Corporation or Hastings
court having jurisdiction over said
city"
Sunday Observance Law
Delegate Cooke. of Norfolk, has in
PRODUCED an amendatory bill touching
section 3799 Of the code In relation
to the violations of the Sabbath OBJ
servance laws.
The measure provides that persons,
or their agents. who labor at their
usual avocations on the Sabbath
thousehold, charity or necessity work
excepted) shall be deemed guilty OF
Il mlsdemeanor and liable to prosecll-
| ton thereupon.
Conviction means fine of not less
than So nor more than 800 for each
offensc. Every day such person. or
his servant. is so employed, shall con-
sistitnte a distinct offense, and the
court in which conviction is had may
| require of the offender Il recoenizance
In penalty tof not less than 500 or
more than $4,000, with good security
conditioned that such person shall
he of good behavior, etc.
The act is designed TO meet the
doctrine recently enacted by the vir-
ginia Supreme Court. which decided
that Sunday violations We're civil Of
lenses. and that the fines imposed
were collectable by warrant
Favor Electric Chair at penitentiary
BY a vote OF 60 to 10. the House
today adopted an amendment to the
bill which provides that ali executions
of state criminals take place a, the
lpenitentiary
The amendment provides that in
future the electric chair shall replace
the gallows as the method of execu-
; ton. and provides for the installation
of the chair. The bill will lie put
on its passage tomorrow. Il. w
lThrockmorton. OF Henrico, is patron
of the amendment.
Cut in Salaries.
The Senate committee on public In
stitutions and education has reported
with amendments the Folks bill. ere
ating the office of inspector of prisons
The amendments cut down the salary
of the chief inspector from $4,000 to
$4,000 per annum. and provide for
only one assistant at $1,000 They
also impose upon the inspector or his
ass slant the duty of checking up the
accounts OF the jaiIers of the state and
for services Actually rendered The
amended bill carries an annual anpro-
priatlon of $4,000 to pay salariea and
Expenses, and has been sent to the
lcOmmittee on finance to nscertaib n