SOCIAL PURITY BILL IN NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE

Cortland Evening Standard, Thursday, January 23, 1896.

SOCIAL PURITY BILL.

Assemblyman Wilson Calls For Sweeping Reforms In This Line.

   ALBANY, Jan. 23.—The curious feature of the legislative session was the introduction by Mr. Wilson in the house of a bill which if passed will kill comic opera and vaudeville, do away with 19th century posters and newspaper cuts. The bill reads:

   "Any female person who shall in any public place, when any persons of the male sex are present, expose herself in a nude or semi-nude state, or expose her form, or limbs in tights, or in indecent attire, or so conduct herself or in any way expose herself or portions of her body and limbs upon any stage, platform or other public place, or in any part of such place in such manner as to excite passion, or suggest lewdness or offend decency, or tend to corrupt the morals of the young, or of any other person who may see the same, shall be regarded as guilty of open and gross lewdness and lascivious conduct, and is guilty of a misdemeanor, punished by imprisonment for not less than 30 days or more than one year."

   This applies also to persons hiring or in any way causing any one to violate this section and to any one posting, or causing to be posted, nude forms in pictures.

   The publisher, proprietor or distributor of any newspaper or other periodical which shall contain indecent pictures of any persons of either sex in such postures as shall be likely to excite lascivious thoughts or ideas, or corrupt, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

"Bat" Shea.

BAT SHEA APPLICATION.

New Complications In the Now Famous Case.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION POSTPONED.

Interesting Hearings on the Bill to Allow Appeals In Criminal Cases From the Order Granting or Denying a New Trial.

   ALBANY, Jan. 23.—New complications have arisen in the now famous Bat Shea murder case. Judge Mayham of Schoharie, before whom the order to show cause why there should not be a new trial on McGough's confession, is returnable Saturday, had declined to hear the argument because of the death of his son. Such an announcement may have been the cause of the codes committee of both branches of the legislature putting over consideration of the bill touching the case until next Tuesday.

   In the event of the case being heard Saturday and decided, the bill, which allows appeals in criminal cases from the order granting or denying a new trial, will not affect the Shea case as it cannot be retroactive.

   The committees of both branches had interesting hearings. In the senate committee the speedy disposition of this bill was urged by persons interested in the Shea case as a means of fortifying the people should a decision be handed down by Judge Mayham granting a new trial.

   George B. Wellington of Troy appeared before the committee and explained the nature of the bill, which he claimed was giving the people the same privilege that defendants now enjoyed. He made no allusion to the relation to the bill to the Shea case, but nevertheless urged a speedy passage of the measure.

   At the conclusion of his remarks Senator Grady said that there was no use of talking under cover. "This bill," said he, "was introduced for the sole purpose of allowing the people to appeal if Bat Shea should be granted a new trial. It is avowedly the object of legislation that statutes should not be changed or made for the benefit of any one case.

   Senators Mullin and Nussbaum interrupted with explanations to the effect that the bill did not favor anybody; that it merely gave the people as much right as the defendant.

   Continuing, Senator Grady said: "I don't want the committee to think that I am offering any opposition to the bill. I have sent copies of it to the judges of the supreme court in the first judicial department and to the district attorney of my county to get their opinions on it, and the only thing I ask is that this committee delay action in the matter until I can get the opinions of men who are better able to judge than myself whether such radical departure should be made from a criminal law which has stood for years."

   The committee then went into executive session and decided to give a hearing on the bill on Tuesday next at 10 o'clock.

   The committee decided to defer further action until Tuesday next when another hearing will be given on the matter. It is generally conceded that the majority of the members of the codes committee are opposed to the bill.

   In the assembly committee when the bill was called up Senator Tibbitts stated that the bill had been carefully considered and without prejudice by those who had framed it. It was a fair one and supplied a legal necessity which the laws had failed to provide for.

   Assistant Attorney General Kisselberg briefly explained the merits of the case. As the law now stood there was no appeal from an order granting an appeal in criminal cases. The right to appeal was given only to civil cases. It should apply to criminals. Such a condition was working an injustice. A criminal now had no right to appeal from the decision of a judge upon a motion for a retrial, even if there was new evidence discovered. Neither did the people have a similar right to appeal. The law should be amended.

BEFORE A REFEREE

To Determine the Validity of Claims Against Receivers.

   In the law office of Dougherty & Miller yesterday arguments were made to

 determine the validity of the claims of certain creditors against the receivers of the Hitchcock Manufacturing company. The arguments were made before Attorney Coman of Morrisville as referee.

   Dougherty & Miller represented the Second National bank of Cortland, the German American bank of Buffalo, Dusenberry & Bond of New York, and Martin & Call of Cortland. Kellogg & Van Hoesen represented the First National bank of Cortland. Gridley & Pratt of Syracuse appeared for the Salt Springs bank. The receivers of the company were represented by J. W. Wilson of Syracuse. The argument was last night adjourned to Thursday, Jan. 30.

Dr. Gazlay in the Field.

   Our highly esteemed townsman and politician, Dr. H. C. Gazlay, is in the field as candidate for the Republican nomination for justice of the peace. The Dr. can justly urge that he has waited long enough to have his desserts as one of the fathers of the Republican party in Cortland county, suitably recognized in connection with this office. Both the doctor and his claims are too well known to our citizens to need any endorsement from any one. To endeavor to make his candidacy stronger by the use of newspaper praise would be to injure his prospects by suggesting that he is not able to run on his merits, and needs artificial support. It is a cause of regret to the Dr.'s friends that those who desire his defeat should have made arrangements with representatives of Syracuse papers to write him up, thereby carrying the idea that he is a new and unknown man, concerning whom the public needs to be informed. This is a very underhanded way of injuring a candidate, but when caucuses and convention are held the Dr. will appreciate its deadly effect.

Important Decision.

   The appellate division, sitting at Albany, has handed down a decision in the case of the village of McGrawville against Francelia Sweet affirming the judgment recovered by the village. John H. Kelley, Esq., argued the case for the village, and W. C. Crombie, Esq., for the defendant and appellant Mrs. Francelia Sweet. The action was brought to recover a tax levied against the defendant for the cost of a sidewalk which the village authorities built in front of her premises. This decision is exceedingly gratifying to the village government and creditable to Lawyer Kelley, sustaining as it does the judgment of Justice Parker and the able opinion of Judge Eggleston, which was printed in full in The STANDARD at the time it was rendered.

Auction Sale of Household Goods.

   On Saturday, Jan. 25, at 1 o'clock P. M., Mr. Geo. I. Crane will sell at auction the household goods of the late Mrs. O. A. Pierce and the late Mr. J. M. Coats of Homer. Sale will take place at the office and store of the late J. M. Coats.

Preble.

   PREBLE, Jan. 23. —Mrs. Hattie Fulton is slowly improving.

   Mrs. Clark Ercanbrack spent part of last week with relatives in Auburn.

   E. M. Van Hoesen of Cortland was in town Tuesday.

   A party of twenty couples from Homer were at the hotel Friday evening of last week.

   Steve Daley has taken Dr. Johnson's farm for another year, also the Kelley place.

   Miss Anna Steele, who is teaching school at Tully Centre, was home over Sunday.

   Dr. Jones of Homer was in town Wednesday.

   C. DuBois has purchased the building owned by Mrs. G. Warne and moved it to his place, recently purchased from the Haviland estate. He will repair and fit it up for a cooper shop.

   Henry Bosche of New York City was in town part of the week.

   A series of protracted meetings were commenced in the M. E. church this week.

McLean.

   MCLEAN. Jan. 23.—Mrs. Silas Case of Sayre and Mrs. May Hecklander of Freeland, Pa., are visiting at S. R. Raniff's.

   Miss Addie Vough has returned from a four weeks' visit at Wilkesbarre, Pa.

   Mr. James Foot has returned from St. Paul, Minn.

   Mr. A. L. Hugg, who has been ill all winter, is now confined to his bed.

   Mr. A. H. Vough has bought what is known as the Dalton place. Price $1,000.

   Several McLean people expect to attend a Masonic ball at Dryden, Friday evening.

Lt. Col. Redington

COL. REDINGTON.

Entertained a Large Audience at G. A. R. Hall Last Night.

   G A. H. hall was well filled last night when at 3 o'clock H. M. Kellogg introduced Colonel J. C. O. Redington of Syracuse, who gave a fine evening's entertainment under the auspices of James H. Kellogg camp, S. O. V. Colonel Redington gave an address full of patriotism, referring to the part Cortland county took in putting down the rebellion. The latter part consisted of songs and stories in which he is a fine entertainer,

   After the colonel's address an adjournment was taken to the dining hall above, where a supper, the main part of which was real bean soup, was served by members of the camp. As a result of the entertainment a goodly turn is added to the treasury of the camp.

BUST OF SHAKESPEARE

Presented by the Normal Literature Class to Their Teacher.

   The period of the English literature class at the Normal was this morning slightly interrupted in its regular work. The fifty-five young people enrolled on the class book had the pleasure of showing their appreciation of the value of the work and the inspiration roused by their teacher, Miss Hendrick, by presenting to her a life-size bust of Shakespeare. The height of the bust is twenty-five inches, of the pedestal thirty-seven inches, making the piece of sculpture more than five feet in height. Miss Hendrick was entirely taken by surprise and responded with much feeling. The credit for the thought and carrying out of the plan is due in large measure to the efforts of William M. Clark, a member of the class.

   The gift is surely an added bit of beauty for the already fine collection of portraits and statuary in the literature classroom, No. 106.

BREVITIES.

   —The interior of C. F. Thompson's store is receiving a fresh coat of paint.

   —The latest dispatches to-day hereafter will be found the first column of the fourth page.

   —New advertisements to-day are—F. E. Brogden, the Magoris cactus, page 5; Glann & Clark, special sale, page 7.

   —A bill was yesterday introduced in the legislature by Senator Mullin allowing the secretary of state to receive bids for publishing and supplying all text books to be used in schools in this state for the next five years.

   —The firm of Post & Bliss, tailors, has been dissolved. Mr. H. W. Post goes to Geneva next Monday, where he will locate and Mr. J. E. Bliss will continue the business alone at the old stand over the Second National bank.