Lansing Letter

The bill of Mr. Ovintt. estábil hing the pena'ty of deith for tl:e crime oí inurcler has p:ssed the hou-e. lt provide; that eve-yper-on who Bhall hereafter b convicted of tlio crime of murcïpr in tbo Hrst deg ee sliall sulter deatii if tl. e jury before wbom sucli pefson shall be tried só recoinii end In Ibeir veidli t; tut il1 the jury do not so recommend, su-li conviot shul' bo panisbed by iuipriw DBient in the state prison for life: Provlded, Tbatohould sny persou plead gnilty of the crime of mur.ler in the rii t degi ee, sostened of d iith or of. imprisnnment lor life inay be made in the di-it-retion of the court. Sec. 2. Wbennny convict h ili be sentonced to the. punishment oí ili-i th, thp prasiding ude of the court at whieh said conviotion shall have taken place, chalí appoint the day on which sncb sonton e sh .11 bo exe -uted, which shail not be loss than six moni In niiii tint n o. e tb.1 n a year from the date of tentenee. Other material provislons of tbe bill are that thepunishmentol deathehalliu every case he fnUlcted hy buiig. ng the conviut by the ne.:k until he or she is dend, the sentenee to be executed wituin the wal s of the .iail of theConnty In whieh the conviction waí hnd, or within the inclosed yard of such jail. '1 hesheriil' sha 1 le present at the execution, previ ntedby sicknes-i or ither casualty, and siso twooí bis dentities, to be desígnate! by liini. and he shull re mest the presen' o of th ■ prosecut.ng attoiney. clerk of the court. and twelvo resicctabl9 litien-s. inc uding a puvsieian or snrgeon; and be shall peimit t o counsel of the convict and such ministers of the gospel a the convict shali desire, to be pi e-ent and also u hoüicers of the inil, depu'ie and constables military guord or other assistant i as he shall see Ut. The house commlttee on labor intcrests ha o reponed a substituto for the couvict labor bill. originally introduced by Mr. ()(rg. The subsiitute pr.ivides that pris oners sha I be employed upon the account oi the state upou hard labor, only suc i mi' hineiy to be u ed as eau ba operated by hand or loot and only such prisoners jet at worK as-hall be ' nown to the prison officials to te l hyskally able. Ten hours is fixe I lora dayswo'ik. There is to be no renewal of existing oontra.ts for the biborof convicts, and all new contracta nre prohilite 1. Tl e tiill appropriate-i $-J0,00 i to enable the Jack o:i piison to begin this kind of workanext year. The Rovernor approved the followinghi.ls: i : ■ n iringitv of probate to give noticu to ton if;n eonauli of an application tor adminiatratlon In ttie estáte of deceased persons, amend :ng session laws ot 119, relativo to raisin money by township boards, relativo to i ower-. and duties f township-, to amend. ruvise and consolídate tho laws organizáis; asylums for the in-ane. and reáulating t: e care and management thereof and the inmates thi rin, to enuhle the stite Kgricultural soc ety to jerinanently lócate the piafe of ho diiii its annual fair, to facilítate the commoncement. of suits in justice courts liga n-t oint defendants, ouo or more ot whom shall not re i Ie in or be found in the county wnere the suitthallbebrought. The bill to amend sections 6281-82 Howell's stütiitcs, in re erence to divorce, and to add three new sections thereto. cai:sed coii-ideratle diaonsnion in the house the other afiornoon. Mr. EarriaKtón, who introduced the bill, expiained the evis arising from the facii y with vvhicbsdivorres Qre procured in Michigan. The iest that comluctors on reacliing Chicago cry out "twenty minutes for divorces' npp'ied more Btrikinglv to Jliehigan than to Illinois. Many people come [rom adjoinin states toMkhigantj avail themtelves of the easy div. ree laws of this state. This was decnoralizing to the people of Michigan, Mr. Herrington said that in Wayno county there was annually one divorce to every ix marriaesor one divorce to everv 1 6 inbabitant. In Kont county annuníly one divoroe to every four and two tenths marriases; in Oakland county an average of nearly forty three applicati;n for divorces ench yenr, the avernse number oí marriases 1 einf; : J i each year, or 'ne nppücation for divorre to every seventy live niarringe;. Ho showed thit in I.iinois oue year's resi dence was required; Kew Jersey three years, Maryland two yeara, Mussai husotts two years, Tennossee two years; New "i'ork accepted no urisdlction where the cause aróse outside ot' the state. Peveral amendments were proposed, all of which were rejected, and the lili was uu niinously passüd. As pased the bill reads as folibws: Ki:c. 9. Ko divorce shnll te granted unJess the party exhibiting the petition or bil of complaint thereforsliail hive resided in thia state one yeur itnmeiiately preceding the timo ol e hibiting such (.etition or bill, or uniese themarriage was sol mni.eJ in this -t te. and the cump ainant sh-ill have reside 1 in this state from the time of such marri ige to the time of exhibiting the petition or bül, "and wln-n th eau e for divorce cccurrel out of this state, bo iivorce liall Ie granted un!ess the com plinant or defendant haU have resided n tbis st.ite two yeara nvxt preceding thé Sin; o th p tition or lili, and no proofs or testimony shall be taken in a cause until six nionths after the tiling of such i etitiou or Uil for divorce, except wl.ere thscause for divoree is deseition or wl en t e te t niony is taken c ndit:onally or tiT the puipoie of perpetuating such testim; ny." Be :. Il . .No divorce shall be decreed in any case when itsball appear that the petition r b 11 therefore was fouiided in or ixhibiled livco lusion b tween theparties; and tlie oa'th or alBrmation ndiuinitered 1 1 the conip'.ninant in swearins to such petit.on er Lili shall, in adclitiou to all uther Ie al requiremeots, reciie the followIng: "And jou (osolemnly iwear (or affirm) thnttliereis uocollu ion.nnderstandinr or apraenient wbaiever between yourtelt and the defendant herein. in vour applioat.on for divorce." And uo divorco ghnll Ie dec eed in any cave where the party c mp 'aluin; shall begnilty of the samo crime ormisconductcharged against the resi ondent. ï-ec 44. In all suits for (üvor.'e, if any of the to ti iiony In the case i taken bet'ore a circuit court nininis ïoner, or by stipulation I e'ore any other officer, it shall be the duty of such con missii'iier. or other otücer, to asV. of ench and every witoefg gworn by and beiorébim in such canse th tollo wlng i il tion. uhi.-li shall bo reduoed to writ ing in the te-timony: "Do you know of any tact matter or eircunist nicc. which wiil in any way tend to wea bdci mplainant's case of divoive! If o st te the same particular y and fuLy :' and the anwer of the witnos to such qnestlon shall be redu-ed to writing by the said commi-sioner, or other otli. er. verbatim as far en pos ible, and tbe question and answer shall ba returned to the court with the other testimony in the case. fcec. 4 Every bill of complaint filed fhall set forih the nimes ! nd ages of all children of the muniago u-ider II ye r-. end when thero are such children, a copy oi the subpena i-sued in the (aus) shall be .-erved upou the prosecuting attorney of the county whcro suit is conunencea, and it shall be the duty of said pro-ecuting attorney to enter his appearance in paid caue and when in bis judgement the interest of said children or the public good so requir?, he shall Introduce evldeoce, and apiear at the hearing nul nnpose the grantine of a decree of divorce. i'or erery case wbich the iirosecuting ;. ttoruey contets he shall receive the sum "1 í . to be paid by the county trensurer ujion the certifícate of the circuit judfe that such Bervicts have be;m perforine 1. Sec. 4t. Tho party defeidnut against whom any divorce is grauted shail not marry again wiihin two years from the time of entry of final decree of divorce, an in case any person shall marry contrnry to lh provislons of this si ction, such per on shall be deerne 1 to h .ve committed the crime of bigamy. and be subject to the pains and pensïties therofor. The house has e 1 the bill appropriating$7ti,:5 for running: expensei of tho et ite normal, inoluding tS,OOOfor the librarv. Al-o the bill enacting a general law for the incorporation of printing, publi hing and boo ;-making compauies. Thec.tmiuittee who have been investigating the grave yard iu--ui"ance compftnies hav" male some very rema!,al e dicoveries. Senator Gorman found that three had been taken out by one man upon the lifo ot his m ther; Stenographer Havnes found two policie; upon the life ol ïii. nioth r-iii-law. In botli cases speculativa lic ehbord h d made the investment without lnviii : in uralile inteiests. Ihe co.nmittei' have visitedlackson. Hiüsdale, 1 eailii g l'enton Arbor, Iiattle Creek, Sturgis, n-isiini's, (Jwoiso, Grand Rápida, Detroit, and one or two ot ier plac s. 'I I y found in sonie cises u ne'arious sys tem of workin? up po icie (in the live- of ai'l people, the motive unlawful and the methcd (lownright Iran I. 'l'hey also found some honostly conducted companles bat finfi that a reform in tho law is neede l to prevent trafficking in humnn livcs aud baso deception towurd tho living. Tho joint resolutionre'iuiring all citizens tobe capap e of reading the Knglish languae after the year l'JOU, was defeated in the house. Gov. Luce sent his flrst vetoes to the legis ature the other day. Ons was the vito f the bill to incorpórate Marine C ity, and the other to re iuire the publicatioii oL the proceedingsoi board of supervisors. The gnvernor says the law at pre ent cdls for thu pub icatioq of receipts and expendituret and tre i u.er's statements nnd does not prohil.it a fiill {lubiiuation if tbe supervisor wiah. Ue lio'irvo? it, botter to leirp the mitter ns it is, and that tho present bill is unwise aud uot called for by the public intorosts. Tho bill for the purchaso of land at the Traverse City asjlum, wh!ch pussed the house jast before the election vacación witbout anyexplanation, has been or lered 1. Theland in iiio-tion belongs to Perry Hannah and partners. Win n tlm a.ylura ns estiblished il was thought that it would be a proper tbing (orTravi c pt-ople, wno competed withother toc&lities for the location of the as Èuni in thelr ii! i:'. ?,t. to donnte it to the state, to m;il,c the otFered grounds synnnetrtcal in íhape. It was wt domted, bui Bannah & Co. offored to sell it to the state. As Mr. Hannali wm B trastee of tbo asylum it was uulawfiil for hiin to muke a conveyance oi the land He. thcrefore applifld to tlie legislature for an ennbünir net, bo tfvit he might cónvey hi ri'ilit; in the land to the asyium. The legilaturo rcfused to pass snob nu art the oomment liein ; that Mr. Hannnh mizht resign from the board o( trusteesand let a new member i e appoint d. In tint cae it n:i ht DOt be fontjd d icesaary lor tne a-ylnm to bare tbe tract in qnnRtM n. and if it w.s Dece Honnnh, as a private oitizen, CO il Lconvev land to the trustees in a perta t x 'e al manner. Two subse luent h'pislatures took tho sanie view of fie aft in t tn to bny the HnDDah tract. lts recall will revive tho whole history of the all ar. The house bas flnally pased the bi'l iippropriatinfi ï 1,000 t con ete the l ist. rical work b gun by the Reini-cen'enui 1 (onimi-sioii. It ni'l ioclnde the ■ il nul territorial and (ftato bistory i Micbignn and of the o nntit s. an 1 I i ■. rnjMÍ ■ lal the lesi lntors. imijj-s and officials since the organization of the state. The hnuse has adopted i redution for the repnnting of l,i.u) copies of the pub.ia acts of lt8. The question of tl p nvcstisation of nf fairs at the tate pnblio school has been ref' rred to the comnuttees ou state altuirs and the school. The fenato hns piscd the bill for tho commitment to the L'etr it house of ■)■■ rection of prisoners sentenred for a ñrt,t olïense. The bill of Hnrry VTatson of Montt-a'm. providiiiKtbnti'i all school, town, city and other inunicip.il eloction-, wonien slia 1 be alowed lo t for all school, town, c.ty and o her municipal offUers, nnl on a,l iiuestion-i pe taning to school, town, citv aml municipal regnlationa precise!; as do male itiens, oansed quite a ripi Ie in tre house the othcr nftern on. At'tor an animated debate, in whieh I otli si 'es tontosted strongly for tneir r speotive views a vote was taken nnl a'l after the enr.ctin clause was tricken out b3' n voce of 4 to 3.1. A large and earnest audieni'e listpned to the di-cusaion of the n easure. nnd tiie ladies pr, senf seemed greatiy disappoiuted at the ki.ling of tbe i.ill. The house has passed the bill of Mr. Chapman, providing that all railroal cuinpanie ro -eiving or transperting grain in lm k should deliver to the con-iignee the same weighed and billed at thAShippiug point. All bilis of ladine ïeceipts. or contra I re'e sing railro.id companies from responsibl ity er liabil.ty to deliver the snme amount l.y weight as tbey reoeive from the cousignoror s-hipper, aredeclared to be void. The qtipstion of uniform school books thronghout the state provokes a rood deal of riisousskm pr) and con. There see:is lo be mie antagonim to the bi 1 mnking th;s provisión luis stssion than ut any time liefoi'e when the natter has been bete ra the legi-lature and it is not at all probable that the blil will pass. The house committee of the whole Ins agreed to tho bill appropriating 1151,000 for the ruiling expense of the soldiers' home Lor the nest two yeais. The sonate has passed the following bilis in addition to tliose othcrwi.se uoted: to provide ior care and maint(n:itice of indigent ins;,ne peisons in privatu asylum;; to amend act relative to organizing a-ylums fur insana: to piotect electora who cannot real lOnglisl, from fraudanddecepton at the polls; lo próvido tor the i ppointwent of nn nssistant deputy auditor general; to amend act relat:ve tosupreme court and practico therein; to maUe posession oT game or fi h out of seasou irima firie evidence of vio'ation ol' the law protecting same; re iniring ''ep' si t by secretary of 'tate of all corporate organi- ations relativo to railroads in otlic3 of commisionerof railrc ads: appropriating t ,-il!' for repairs to asylum for in ane : for mcorporation of lodges of A. O. U . W. ; to prevent unbiwful wearing of G. A. 1!. bal'_0i or lodges of loyal legión of the United Statos.