Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-04-19
KLENzENDORFF BILL
IS FINALLY KILLED
During Debate on Measure
Unique Situation Developed.
MOTION MADE TO RECONSIDER
Weber Tells Assembly His Own EN-
perience and Shows Need Of Law
Directed Against Intimida-
tion and Threats"


Madison.-One of the most unique
situations ever presented in a legisla-
tive session developed during the de-
bate on the Klenzendorff "anti-third
degree" bill, prohibiting police officers
and jaileIs from obtaining confessions
by intimidation, threats or violence"
which was finally killed and then a
motion entered for reconsideration.
Assemblyman Frank ]. Weber, well
known Social Democrat labor leader OF
Milwaukee told the assembly, in order
to illustrate the need for statute d.
rected against intimidation and
threats" how fifteen years ago he had
been imprisoned in the La Crosse
county Jail and threatened with dark
cell and bread and water diet, unless
he told the truth" The occasion was
a walkout of brewery workers, in
which Mr.. Weber was interested, and
a subsequent boycott for which he
was alleged to have been responsible.
THE district attorney at that time.
said Mr.. Weber, was the gentleman
Connell of that city, who is chairman
of the judiciary committee which rec
commended the killing of the bill un-
der discussion. But" he added,
smiling pleasantly, Il have never
blamed the gentleman from La Crosse
for doing his duty in endeavoring to
have me sent up for year. On the
,ftau
nished against me and whole charge
fell fat | simply cite this case be-
cause was one of the principals and
because 1t illustrated my point that
had this implied threat of the jailer
scared me into a confession of some
thing of which I was not guilty,
would have been convicted"
Mr.. Weber explained that he was
arrested on the complaint of the jailer
because no one else was willing to
take the responsibility or defend
suit for false arrest.
Mr.. Mcconnell thereupon arose and
said he recalled the incident; that he
had done no more than his duty in
carrying the case to its conclusion,
and he ventured the opinion that if
these facts about the jailer's action
had been known at that time it would
have gone hard with the jailer.
Speaking on ne bill, however. Mr..
Mcconnell reiterated his previous ar
gument that the present statutes cover
the situation with respect to the use
of the third degree" by police officers,
and he saw no reason for the passage
of the bill
A long but friendly debate was in
dulged in over the Roessler bill to
abolish the farmers Institutes, on the
theory that the application of the $780,
600 appropriation for that purpose
could be added to the university ex-
tension fund in order that that sys-
tenn might extend it's scope in the
direction of providing practical and
expert teaching in farm schools and
farm courses. Roessler defended the
bill on this ground, but Hull and
Ellingham from the northern counties
and Long of Crawford expressed the
belief that the farmers institutes had
not yet outlived their usefulness.
Our farmers today are where yours
were Is years ago." said Mr.. Filing
son, addressing the author of the bill,
who comes from the highly-cultivated
county of jefferson. 1--WE need these
experience meetings"
Messrs. Gettle and Spoor also spoke
on the bill, the former against and
the latter vociferously in it's favor
The bill was finally killed, 32 to 20,
but in view of the close vote mo-
ton 10 reconsider may be made by
one of those who opposed the meas
ure.
Hearing on the application for writ
of mandamus, TO compel Secretary Of
State Frear to audit the accounts of
the civil service commission, was put
off until April 81.
Deputy Attorney General Jackson
appeared in the supreme court and
offered a motion to quash, which mo-
ton will be argued first. This Is the
litigation which is to determine the
constitutionality of the civil service
law, which is being attacked by At
torney General Bancroft because the
commission has refused to allow him
to name his own choice as second as
sistant.
The workingmen's compensation
bill. passed by the senate, was re-
ceived in the assembly and laid over
The assembly probably will begin its
debate on the measure. The bill as
amended by the senate, now is in com
plete printed form and extra copies
have been printed to meet the large
demand for copies. The woman's suf-
1..-L - c1,- Trark