his approval on the thirteenth day of March, A. D. 1899, but was not signed by him nor returned to the house in which it originated with his objections thereto within the time prescribed by the Constitution, and thereupon became a law without his signature.-D. H. HARDY, Secretary of State.]

Takes effect 90 days after adjournment.

DISTRICT COURTS—THIRTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT.

H. B. No. 529.]

CHAPTER XXX.

An Act to change and fix the times of holding the terms of the district courts of the Thirteenth Judicial District.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That the several terms of the district court in the counties composing the Thirteenth Judicial District shall be held at the time and for periods as follows:

In the county of Limestone on the first Monday in January and on the third Monday in June, and each term may continue in session six weeks.

In the county of Freestone on the sixth Monday after the first Monday in January, and on the first Monday in September, and each term may continue in session four weeks.

In the county of Navarro on the tenth Monday after the first Monday in January and on the fourth Monday after the first Monday in September, and each term may continue in session twelve weeks.

That all process and writs heretofore issued or which may be issued up to the time this act takes effect by or from the district courts of said counties, and made returnable to the terms of said courts as now fixed by law, shall be returnable to the next ensuing terms of said courts as prescribed by this act and all such writs and process are hereby legalized and validated as if the same had been made returnable to the terms of said court as fixed by this act; and whereas the district court in Navarro county is now in session and the effect of this act is to prolong the term three weeks, making a twelve weeks' term instead of a nine weeks' term as now provided by law; and whereas by this act the June term of said court is abolished, be it further enacted that the judge of said court may appoint a jury commission during the present term of said court to select petit jurors to serve for such weeks of said term as jurors have not already been selected for.

SEC. 2. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this act shall be and the same are hereby repealed from and after the taking effect hereof.

SEC. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after the passage hereof, and all process hereafter issued shall conform to the terms as here fixed, and all process issued or that may be issued to the terms as fixed by pre-existing law is hereby made returnable to the terms as herein fixed.

SEC. 4. The orderly conduct of the business of the several terms of the courts as herein fixed creates an emergency that this act take effect and be in force from and after the date fixed by it, and it is so enacted, and the same facts create an imperative necessity that the rules requiring the

reading of bills for three several days be suspended, and they are so suspended.

[NOTE. The enrolled bill shows that the foregoing act passed the House of Representatives by a two-thirds vote, yeas 91, nays 0; and passed the Senate by a two-thirds vote, yeas 24, nays 1.]

Approved March 14, 1899.

Became effective March 14, 1899.

COMMISSIONERS' COURTS-NOTICES.

S. B. No. 31.]

CHAPTER XXXI.

An Act to be entitled an act to provide a final method of publishing notices and reports required by law to be published by commissioners' courts of the various counties of the State, to be effective in all cases where said courts are unable to secure publication thereof in the manner and for the price now provided by law therefor.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas:

SECTION 1. That the commissioners' court of the county, whenever unable to secure the publication of any notice or report required by law to be given or made by such court in the manner, and for the fee or fees provided by law therefor, such notice or report may be made and published in the following manner: The court shall cause to be made four true copies of such notice or report containing the same subject matter as is required to be set out in such notice or report under the law providing for the issuance and publication. One of said copies shall be posted at the court house door of the county, and one of said copies shall be posted at some public place in each of the commissioners' precincts of said county for thirty days prior to the next succeeding term of the commissioners' court of said county, and no two of such copies shall be posted in the same town or city.

SEC. 2. All laws and parts of laws in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.

SEC. 3. The great importance of the safety and protection of the public funds of the counties of this State, and the absence of any law adequate to safely guard the same through public notice, 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 and be in force from and after its passage, and it is so enacted.

[NOTE.-The enrolled bill shows that the foregoing act passed the Senate by a two-thirds vote, yeas 24, nays 0; and passed the House of Representatives by a two-thirds vote, yeas 96, nays 0.]

Approved March 15, 1899.

Became effective March 15, 1899.

TRINITY COUNTY-DISTRICT COURT.

H. B. No. 133.]

CHAPTER XXXII.

An Act to amend Section 12, of Article 22, Title 4, of the Revised Civil Statutes of the State of Texas, changing the time of holding district court in Trinity county.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That Section 12, Article 22, Title IV, of the Revised Civil Statutes of the State of Texas be amended so as to hereafter read as follows:

The Twelfth Judicial District shall be composed of the counties of Trinity, Walker, Madison, Leon and Grimes, and the district court shall be held in said counties as follows:

In the county of Trinity on the first Monday in February and August, and may continue in session three weeks.

In the county of Walker on the third Monday after the first Monday in March and September, and may continue in session three weeks.

In the county of Madison on the sixth Monday after the first Monday in March and September, and may continue in session three weeks.

In the county of Leon on the ninth Monday after the first Monday in March and September, and may continue in session three weeks.

In the county of Grimes on the twelfth Monday after the first Monday in March and September, and may continue in session until the business is disposed of.

This act shall take effect and be in force from and after August 1, 1899. SEC. 2. That all processes and writs heretofore issued or which may be issued up to the time this act takes effect by or from the district court of said county and made returnable to the terms of said court as now fixed by law, shall be returnable to the next ensuing term of said courts as prescribed by this act, and all such writs and processes are hereby legalized and validated as if the same had been made returnable to the term of said court as fixed by this act. And that all laws and parts of laws in conflict with this act be and the same are hereby repealed.

Approved March 15, 1899.

Takes effect 90 days after adjournment.

S. S. B. No. 55.]

CORPORATION COURTS.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

An Act to establish and create in each of the cities, towns and villages of this State a State court to be known as the corporation court in such city, town or village, and to prescribe the jurisdiction and organization thereof, and to abolish municipal courts.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas:

SECTION 1. That there is hereby created and established in each of the cities, towns and villages of this State, now or hereafter incorporated, whether by general or special act, a court to be known as the corporation court in such city, town or village, which court shall have jurisdiction and organization hereinafter prescribed.

SEC. 2. That said court shall have jurisdiction within the territorial limits of said city, town or village within which it is established in alk criminal cases arising under the ordinances of the said city, town or village now in force, or hereafter to be passed, and shall also have jurisdic-tion concurrently with any justice of the peace in any precinct in which said city. town or village is situated in all criminal cases arising under the criminal laws of this State in which the punishment is by fine only, and where the maximum of such fine may not exceed two hundred dollars. and arising within the territorial limits of such city, town or village.

SEC. 3. Such court shall be presided over by a judge to be known as the recorder of such court in such city, town or village, who, in cities, townsor villages incorporated under special charter or charters, shall be elected or appointed in the manner and under the respective provisions of the charter now in force concerning the election or appointment of the magistrate to preside over the municipal court in such city, town or village, and all such provisions are hereby made applicable to the recorder herein provided for, and in cities, towns and villages not incorporated under special charter, such recorder shall be elected by the qualified voters of such city,. town or village in the same manner as the mayor of such city, town or village, and whose term of office shall be the same as such mayor; provided, that in such cities, towns and villages not incorporated and acting under special charter, the mayor of such city, town or village shall be ex-officio recorder of such court, and shall act as such unless the city council or board of aldermen of such city, town or village shall by ordinance authorize the election of a recorder.

SEC. 4. As soon as practicable after this act shall take effect, and every two years after such date, there shall be elected or appointed in each city,. town or village within this State, now or hereafter incorporated, a recorder, who shall preside over the corporation court hereby created and established, and who shall be elected or appointed as provided in Section 3 above; provided, however, that whenever by the provisions of the charter under which such city, town or village is now incorporated it is provided that the magistrate now presiding over the municipal court therein is to be elected by the people, then in such case the city council of any such city, town or village may order an election for the recorder, or in its discretion may appoint the recorder, who shall hold his office until the next general election for city officers; and provided further, that wherever in any such city, town or village the office of the presiding magistrate of the municipal court therein shall not have expired when the recorder is elected or appointed therein, the said recorder first elected or appointed shall hold his term of office corresponding to the unexpired term of the said magistrate, and every two years thereafter such recorder shall be elected or appointed for a term of two years, and until his successor is elected and qualified. In case of vacancy in the office of recorder or clerk of the court. in any city, town or village, such vacancy shall be filled by the council or board of aldermen for the unexpired term only; provided further, that the board of aldermen may provide by ordinance for the mayor to act as exofficio recorder in all cities and towns not operating under special charter. SEC. 5. There shall be a clerk of said corporation court elected by the council or board of aldermen of each such city, town or village at the same time at which the recorder is elected; but in such city, town or village it may be provided by ordinance that the city secretary shall be ex-officio

clerk of the said court, and may be authorized to appoint a deputy, who shall have the same powers as the said secretary. The clerk of said court shall hold his office for two years, and until his successor is elected and qualified. In case of an ex-officio clerk as aforesaid, who shall hold his office during his term as city secretary. It shall be the duty of said clerk to keep a minute of the proceedings of the said court; to issue all process, and generally to do and perform all of the duties of a clerk of a court as prescribed by law for the clerk of the county court in so far as the said provisions may be applicable.

SEC. 6. All rules of pleading, practice and procedure now established for the county court shall apply in said corporation court in each such city, town or village in so far as the same are applicable, except that the proceedings in said court shall be commenced by complaint in the manner and under the regulations as now provided by law in cases prosecuted before justices of the peace, and except that the recorder need not charge the jury except upon charges requested in writing by the defendant or his attorney, which such charges he shall have power to give or refuse under the same rules and regulations now applicable to the granting or refusing of such charges by the county judge in criminal cases. That complaints before such court hereby created and established may be sworn to before the recorder, clerk of said court, the city secretary, the city attorney or his deputy, each and all of which officers, for that purpose shall have power to administer oaths; or it may be sworn to before any other officer authorized by law to administer oaths; provided, that in all cities, towns and villages in this State not operating under special charters, the rules of pleading, practice and procedure now established for justices courts shall apply to said corporation courts in such cities, towns and villages in so far as the same are applicable.

SEC. 7. The said corporation court shall have a seal, having engraved thereon a star of five points in the center, and words, "Corporation Court inTexas," the impress of which shall be attached to all proceedings, except subpoenas, issued out of said court, and shall be used to authenticate the official acts of the clerk and of the recorder, where he is authorized or required to use the seal of office.

SEC. 8. That all prosecutions in said court, whether under an ordinance or under the provisions of the Penal Code, shall be commenced in the name of the State of Texas, and shall conclude, "against the peace and dignity of the State," and where the offense is covered by an ordinance the complaint may also conclúde, "as contrary to the said ordinance,” and all prosecutions in such court shall be conducted by the city attorney of such city, town or village, or by his deputy; but the county attorney of the county in which said city, town or village is situated may, if he so desires, also represent the State of Texas in such prosecutions, but in all such cases the said county attorney shall not be entitled to receive any fees or other compensation whatever, for said services, and in no case shall the said county attorney have the power to dismiss any prosecution pending in said court, unless for reasons filed and approved by the recorder of said

court.

SEC. 9. That the council or board of aldermen of each such city, town or village shall, from time to time, by ordinance, prescribe such rules, not inconsistent with the provisions of this act, nor other laws of this State, as in the discretion of the council or board of aldermen may be