The Alaska daily empire., 1915-03-23
HE'D PRESENTS ''lAZY HySBAND''
 BILL IN HOUSE

-f-
 Representative J. G. Held intro. duced In the House Of Representative today 9 bin to punish wiie.desertlon land to provide support bonds. Heavy penalties arc prescribed by thc bill which reads as follows:
 Section l Any person who shall without lawful excuse, desert or will fully neglect or refuse to provide for the support or maintenance of his wife who is in destitute or necessi, tous circumstances. or any person who shall. without lawful excuse, de- sert or wnlfuny neglect or refuse to provide for the support and mainte- nance of his or her minor children un- der the age Of sixteen years who are
 in destitute or necessitous circum- stances, shall, on conviction thereof be punished by fine of not more than five hundred dollars, or by im- prisonment in the penitenbary at hard labor for not moro than three yearsi or in the iail, in the division wherein said sentence is imposed, for not more than twelve months. or by both such fine and Imprisonment; and should ! fine be imposed it may be directed by ! the court to be paid whole or in part to the wife or to the guardian Of the minor children, provided, that before the trail. with the consent of the de- fendant, or after conviction, instead of
 imposing the punishment hereinbe- fore provided, or in addition thereto, the court in its discretion, having re- gard to the circumstances and to the financial ability or earning capacity of the defendant, shall have the power to make an order. which shall be subject to change by it from time to time as circumstances may require directing the defendant to pay a certain sum weekly during such time as the court may direct. to the wife or to the guar dian or custodian of the minor child or children or to an individual ap- proved by the court as trustee. and to release the defendant from custody or probation during such time as the court may direct upon his or her en- tering into recognizance, with or with out smetes. Tn such sum as the court may direct. The condition of the rec ognizance shall be such that if the defendant shall make his or her per sonal appearance in court whenever ordered to do so and shall further com ply with the terms of the order and of any subsequent modification there of. then the recognizance shall be void.
 Sec. 2. Ig the court be satisfied by information or complaint and due proof under oath, that at any time the defendant violated the terms of such order. 1t may forthwith pro- ceed with the trial of the defendant under the original indictment or inc formation. or sentence him under the original conviction. or enforce the or iginal sentence as the case may be. In case of a forfeiture of recogniz- | aucc and enforcement thereof by exc ! cution. the sum recovered may. inl the discretion Of the court be paid in whole or in part to the wife or to the guardian or custodian of the minor child or children.
 Sec 9. No other evidence shall be required to prove marriage of such husband and wife. or that such per son is the lawful father or mother of such child or children than is or shall be required to prove such facts in al civil case. In all prosecutions under this act any existing provisions of law prohibiting the disclosure Of con fdential communications between husband and wife shall not apply, and both husband and wife shall be com petent witnesses to testify for or against each other to any and an rel evant matter. including the fact of such marriage and the parentage of such child or children Proof of the desertion Of such wife, child or chil-l dren in destitute or necessitous cir cumstances Of neglect 10 furnish such wife child or children necessary and proper food clothing or shelter is prima facie evidence that such de- sertion or neglect is willful.