Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-26
GaIIows TO Go
In Maryland
By June, 1856
McKeIdin Approves
Execution Change;
Sions 158 Bills
BY GENE GOODWIN
Star Stan Correspondent

SiuS s~O OuiS
BY GENE GOODWIN
Star stafi Correspondent
BALTIMORE, April 90
Maryland, one Of IL States
which still executes by hanging.
will abandon its gallows next
year.
That was one of 158 acts of
the 1855 Legislature signed into
law last night by Gov. McKeldin.
He still has 70 bills to act on
before the May Z deadline. He
has signed 712 so far.
Another important measure
signed was one requiring the use
of voting machines throughout
the State by the 1856 election.
About a third of Maryland's %
counties will have to obtain the
machines by next year under the
act, which the Governor called:
"A truly important advance in
the march of popular sovereignty
in Maryland"
Effective in 1856.
The bill substituting the gas
chamber for hanging as the
legal means for executing con-
demned criminals in Maryland
will not become effective until
June /, 1856, to give penal Off
Gals time to acquire and install
a chamber at an estimated cost
of $4,000. However. all Grim
inals sentenced to death for
capital crimes committed after
June 1, this year, will be ex-
ecuted by the new method. said
to be more humane.
The Legislature rejected bills
abolishing capital punishment.
Among a series of Montgom-
cry and Prince Georges measures
signed last night was one ex-
tending the jurisdiction Of the
Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission to part Of the Cabin
John Valley area of Montgom-
cry. Still pending on the Gov
ernor's desk is the measure ex-
panding the sanitary district to
Clinton, Morningside and north
ern Prince Georges.
Other Bills Signed
Two other sanitary commission
bills were signed. One authorizes
a So million bond issue for storm
drainage projects. The second
requires the commission to ap-
prove plans for private water
and sewer systems in rural
Prince Georges County outside
the sanitary district.
The Governor affixed his sig
nature to four bills affecting the
Maryland-National Capital Park
and Planning Commission. but
has delayed decision on the
measure transferring his power
to appoint the commission men,
bers to the local governing bod
les Of Prince Georges and
Montgomery.
New law are measures reQuir-
ing the park and planning COM
misisoners to serve as county
planning boards at the request
Of the Montgomery county coun-
Gil or the Prince Georges county
commissioners; permitting the
council and county, commission
ers to adopt subdivision regula-
lions for their counties, although
the planning agency will con-
tinue to draft and administer
them: requiring the council and
the county commissioners to OBJ
tain the recommendations Of
municipalities involved before
ruling on coming cases. and au-
thorizing the planning commits
sion to acquire land outside the
metropolitan district in Mont
gomery.
Local Bills Approved.
Other local bills signed last
night included acts:
Empowering charter counties
montgomery being the only one
in Maryland to create storm
drainage districts.
Requiring volunteer fire de-
partments, the school board and
other agencies or organizations
receiving Prince Georges County
tax funds to make semiannual
financial statements to the
county commissioners.
Authorizing the Prince Geor-
ges county commissioners to
borrow up to $1,150,000 for an
addition to the Upper Marlboro
courthouse and other public
buildings.
Increasing the total number
Of liquor licenses allowed in
Prince Georges from 1853 to 361,
but freezing the number of re-
tail outlets and taverns at the
present level and increasing Ii
censes for country clubs, hotels,
veterans and fraternal organiza-
ton.
Requesting the Prince Geor-
ges county commissioners to ap-
point a citizens committee to
study and promote industrial de-
velopment of the county.
Gov. McKeldin also signed a
bill he vetoed last year. It
would authorize special auto Ii
cense tags for ham radio OPP
orators with mobile sets in their
cars.
Among others signed by Mr..
McKeldin last night were bills:
Providing State income tax de-
auctions of $500 for fees working
mothers pay to have someone
care for their children.
Permitting State income de-