NEWSPAPERS: Topeka Daily Capital - May 3, 1891 http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/shawnee/newspapers/tdc03may1891.txt Dontated by: Susie Hastings September 29, 2002 See copyright notice at end of file. =========================================== ~~~~%*** ~ ***%~~~~ Topeka Daily Capital, Sunday, May 3, 1891 p.4 NO MONKEYING. - STRINGENT RULES PROPOSED BY THE COURT OF IMPEACHMENT. - Senators Who Run Away From the Trial Will Be Arrested for Contempt - Nothing Done Yesterday for Lack of a Quorum. - Five minutes before nine o'clock yesterday there were only sixteen senators present in the senate chamber. The court was soon called to order, but it was evident that a quorum could not be raised during the day, and after a somewhat warm discussion on those who ran away, a new rule was drawn up by Senator Gillett that is supposed will keep a quorum here during the remainder of the trial. Several senators expressed quite freely their feelings toward the members who were often absent from court for several days without leave of absence, yet who always wanted to go on record against a Saturday adjournment. It was become apparent to many of the members that it is useless to try to hold Saturday sessions. The men who represent Kansas in the upper house are of the mould whose community and business affairs suffer from their absence. The general opinion among the senators present yesterday was that hereafter the court would hold night sessions several times during the week and then adjourn on Friday till Monday. In this way, most of the members would be able to go home once a week, see how the bank, the case or the crops were getting along, renew their acquaintance with wife and babies, and yet do as much work as heretofore. From the present outlook, some such definite arrangement will be necessary for at the rate that witnesses are being heard, there are enough now here to occupy the court for three weeks at least. Altogether, it has been very evident that some way must be found to keep senators at least in Topeka while the court was sitting. One by one they would quietly slip away just for a day, thinking that one less would make no material difference. Probably it would not had not so many been of the same opinion. Senator Gillett's rule is a stem winder. Its consideration was postponed until Monday, but from the mutterings of the senators who stuck to the ship yesterday, it is safe to say it will be adopted if their efforts can accomplish the desired end. The rule is as follows: "It shall require the presence of twenty-seven senators at any sitting of the court to constitute a quorum for transaction of business, and no senator shall be permitted to be absent from the sessions of the court without leave, which must be granted by the court. Absence of a senator during a session of the court, without leave, shall be deemed a contempt of court and may be punished by such fine as the court may impose. [the rest is missing] ~~~~%*** ~ ***%~~~~ =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the KSGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.