which criminal cases said court shall have original or appellate jurisdiction.

SEC. 5. Said county court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction of all misdemeanors of which exclusive original jurisdiction is not given to the justices courts as the same is now or may hereafter be prescribed by law, except misdemeanors involving official misconduct, and except cases in which the highest penalty of fine that may be imposed under the law may not exceed two hundred dollars, and appellate jurisdiction in crim inal cases of which justices of the peace and other inferior tribunals of said county have original jurisdiction.

SEC. 6. The district court of said county of Camp shall no longer have jurisdiction of misdemeanors, except misdemeanors involving official misconduct, and shall no longer have jurisdiction of cases of which the county court of said county, by the provisions of this act, have original or appellate jurisdiction; and it shall be the duty of the district clerk of said county, within thirty days after this act shall take effect, to make full and complete transcripts of all the orders on the criminal and civil dockets in cases then pending before the district court of said county of which cases, by the provisions of this act, original or appellate jurisdiction is given to the said county court, and to deliver said transcripts, together with the original papers and a certified copy of the bill of costs in each case, to the county clerk of said county, and said county clerk shall take charge of said transcripts and papers, file the same, and enter said cases on their respective dockets for trial by said court.

SEC. 7. The said county court shall also have the power to hear and determine all motions against sheriffs and other officers of the court for failure to pay over moneys collected under the process of said court, or other defalcations of duty in connection with such process, and shall have power to punish by fine not exceeding one hundred dollars and by imprisonment not exceeding three days any person guilty of contempt of said court, and all other powers and jurisdictions conferred on county courts by the Constitution and general laws of this State.

SEC. 8. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with the provisions of this act be and the same are hereby repealed.

SEC. 9. The near approach of the close of the session, and the importance of transferring without delay the jurisdiction to the county court, creates an emergency and imperative necessity that the law requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended, and that this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage, and it is so enacted. Approved April 26, 1895.

JUDICIAL DISTRICT-SIXTH.

CHAP. 66.-[S. B. No. 298.] An act to amend the act creating the Sixth Judicial District, and fixing the times for holding the terms of court therein, and to repeal all laws in conflict with this act.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That the Sixth Judicial District shall be composed of the counties of Fannin, Lamar and Red River, and the district court shall be begun and held in said counties as follows:

In the county of Fannin on the second Mondays of February and August, and may continue in session seven weeks.

In the county of Lamar on the seventh Monday after the second Monday in February and August, and may continue in session eight weeks. In the county of Red River on the fifteenth Monday after the second Monday in February and August, and may continue in session five weeks.

SEC. 2. That all writs and processes returnable to the said courts shall be returnable to the terms of the said courts as herein fixed, and all such writs and process as have been issued, executed and returned shall be valid as if no change had been made in the time of holding said courts by the passage of this act.

SEC. 3. That all laws and parts of laws in conflict with this act be and the same are hereby repealed, and this act shall take effect on and after the first day of July, 1895.

SEC. 4. The great number of bills now upon the calendar causes an emergency to exist and an imperative public necessity that the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be and the same is hereby suspended.

Approved April 27, 1895.

JUDICIAL DISTRICT-THIRTY-NINTH.

CHAP. 67.-[H. B. No. 696.] An act to be entitled an act to change and fix the times for holding courts in the Thirty-ninth Judicial District of the State of Texas, and to repeal all laws or parts of laws in conflict herewith.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That the Thirty-ninth Judicial District of the State of Texas shall be composed of the following counties, to-wit: Jones, Fisher, Scurry, Kent, Stonewall, Haskell and Throckmorton, and the terms of the district court therein shall be held each year as follows:

In the county of Jones on the first Mondays in February and August, and may continue in session for five weeks.

In the county of Fisher on the fifth Mondays after the first Mondays in February and August, and may continue in session two weeks.

In the county of Scurry on the seventh Mondays after the first Mondays in February and August, and may continue in session two weeks. In the county of Kent on the ninth Mondays after the first Mondays in February and August, and may continue in session two weeks.

In the county of Stonewall on the eleventh Mondays after the first Mondays in February and August, and may continue in session three weeks.

In the county of Throckmorton on the fourteenth Mondays after the first Mondays in February and August, and may continue in session two weeks.

In the county of Haskell on the sixteenth Mondays after the first Mondays in February and August, and may continue in session four weeks. SEC. 2. That all process issued or served before this act goes into effect returnable to the district courts in said judicial district shall be considered

returnable to said courts in accordance with the terms as prescribed by this act, and all such process is hereby legalized; and all grand and petit juries drawn and selected under existing laws in any of the counties of said judicial district shall be considered lawfully drawn and selected for the next term of the district court of their respective counties held after · this act takes effect, and all such process is hereby legalized and validated. SEC. 3. That all laws and parts of laws in conflict with the provisions of this act be and the same are hereby repealed.

SEC. 4. Whereas, the organization of Kent county since the former meeting of this Legislature, and the irregular time at which its term of court is being held, and the near approach of the close of the present session of this Legislature makes it impossible to read this bill on three several days in each house, creates an imperative public necessity and an emergency exists requiring the suspension of the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days in each house, therefore said constitutional rule is suspended; and this act shall take effect and be in force from and after the 20th day of May, A. D. 1895, and it is so enacted.

Approved April 27, 1895.

HOUSE OF CORRECTION AND REFORMATORY.

CHAP. 68.-[S. B. No. 24.] An act to amend section 12 of an act entitled "An act to provide for the more efficient government and maintenance of the House of Correction and Reformatory at Gatesville," approved April 2, 1889.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That section 12 of an act entitled "An act to provide for the more efficient government and maintenance of the House of Correction and Reformatory at Gatesville," approved April 2, 1889, be amended so as to hereafter read as follows:

Section 12. When upon the trial and conviction of any person in this State of a felony it is found by the verdict of the jury the defendant is not more than sixteen years of age, and the verdict of conviction is for confinement for five years or less, the judgment and sentence of the court shall be that the defendant be confined in the House of Correction and Reformatory instead of the Penitentiary for the term of his sentence, and that such defendant be conveyed to the House of Correction and Reforınatory by the proper authority and there confined for the period of his sentence, and for such service such officer shall be paid the same fees that he would be allowed for conveying such convicts to the penitentiary: Provided, that the age of the defendant shall not be admitted by the attorney representing the State, and it shall be proved by full and sufficient evidence that the defendant is not more than sixteen years of age before the judgment herein provided for shall be entered: Provided, the jury convicting shall say in their verdict whether the convict shall be sent to the penitentiary or the reformatory.

Approved April 27, 1895.

CITATIONS-WITNESSES DISOBEYING SUBPOENAS.

CHAP. 69.-[S. B. No. 89]. An act to amend articles 483, 484 and 485 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the State of Texas, prescribing the manner in which citations shall be served upon witnesses disobeying subpoenas in criminal cases, the character of judgment that may be rendered in such cases, and providing for the collection of same.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That articles 483, 484 and 485 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the State of Texas be so amended as to hereafter read as follows:

Article 483. When a fine is entered against a witness for failure to appear and testify, the judgment shall be conditional, and a citation shall issue to him to show cause at the term of the court at which said fine is entered, or at the first term thereafter, at the discretion of the judge of said court, why the same should not be final: Provided, citation shall

be served upon said witness in the manner and for the length of time prescribed for citations in civil cases.

Article 484. A witness cited to show cause as provided in the preceding article may do so under oath in writing or verbally at any time before judgment final is entered against him, but if he fails to show cause within the time limited for answering in civil actions, a judgment final by default shall be entered against him.

Article 485. It shall be within the discretion of the court to judge of the sufficiency of an excuse rendered by a witness, and upon the hearing of the case the court shall render judgment against the witness for the whole or any part of the fine, or shall remit the fine altogether, as to the court may appear proper and right, and said fine shall be collected as fines in misdemeanor cases.

SEC. 2. The fact that the operation of the courts of this State is being delayed by the failure of witnesses to obey subpoenas, and the further fact that there is now no adequate means of enforcing the attendance of witnesses, creates an emergency and an imperative public necessity that the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended, and that this act take effect from and after its passage, and it is so enacted.

Approved April 27, 1895.

TAXATION-ANNUAL AD VALOREM SCHOOL TAX.

CHAP. 70.-[H. B. No. 271.] An act to provide for the levy and collection of an annual ad valorem State school tax of twenty cents for the year 1895, and of eighteen cents for the years thereafter, on the one hundred dollars valuation, for the maintenance of the public free schools.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That there shall be levied and collected an annual ad valorem State school tax of twenty cents for the year 1895, and of eighteen cents for the years thereafter, on the one hundred dollars of the cash value thereof, estimated in lawful currency of the United States, on all real property situated and on

all personal property owned in the State on the first day of January of each year, and all personal property sent out of the State for the purpose of avoiding the payment of taxes thereon and afterwards returned to the State, except so much thereof as may be exempted by the Constitution and laws of this State or the United States, which cash value shall be estimated in the manner prescribed by law.

SEC. 2. The near approach of the time for assessors to compile their assessment rolls creates an imperative public necessity and an emergency exists, wherefore the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days should be suspended, and that this bill be put on its third reading and final passage, and this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage, and it is so enacted.

Approved April 27, 1895.

LIENS.

CHAP. 71.-[S. B. No. 45.] An act to amend article 3183, chapter 4, title 61, of the Revised Civil Statutes, relating to liens.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That article 3183, chapter 4, title 61, of the Revised Civil Statutes be amended So as hereafter to read as follows:

Article 3183. Proprietors of livery or public stables shall have a special lien on all animals placed with them for feed, care and attention, as also upon such carriages, buggies or other vehicles as may have been placed in their care, for the amount of the charges against the same, and this article shall apply to and include owners or lessees of pastures, who shall have a similar lien on all animals placed with them for pasturage. Approved April 29, 1895.

TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMPANY-SALE OF, ETC.

CHAP. 72.-H. B. No. 682.] An act to authorize the sale of the railroad and other property and all the corporate franchises and privileges of the Texas Transportation Company to any railroad company owning or that may own a line or lines of railroad extending into the city of Houston, and owning tracks which connect or which may be hereafter connected with the tracks of said Texas Transportation Company, and conferring necessary power upon such companies.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That the sale of the railroad and other property and all the corporate rights, franchises and privileges of the Texas Transportation Company, a corporation created and existing under the laws of the State of Texas, to any railroad company owning or that may own a line or lines of railroad extending into the city of Houston, and which own tracks that connect or that may hereafter connect with the tracks of said Texas Transportation Company, be and the same is hereby authorized and sanctioned, and