interest of two-thirds in 320 acre survey No. 50, in the name of John James, assignee of Hendrick Arnold, and to pay over the proceeds thereof to the Financial Agent of the State Penitentiaries, for the use of the peni- H. B. No. 572.]—An Act to amend Article 148, Chapter 2, Revised Statutes of the State of Texas, relative to payment for construction or improvement H. B. No. 291.]—An Act to amend Chapter 6, Title 17, of the Penal Code of the State of Texas, by adding thereto Articles 839a, 845a, 845b and 845c, defining and punishing the crime of burglary of a private residence at night. 318 UNLAWFUL USE OF ANOTHER'S ANIMAL-AMENDMENT. H. B. No. 135.]-An Act to amend Article 788, Chapter 3, of the Penal Code of the State of Texas, relating to the use of animals without the consent S. S. B. No. 19.]-An Act to repeal Subdivision 14, of Article 5049, Chapter 18, Title 104, of the acts of the First Called Session of the Twenty-fifth Legislature, relating to occupation taxes on physicians and surgeons. S. S. B. No. 46.]-An Act to amend Article 127, Chapter 1, Title 5, of the Penal Code of the State of Texas, adopted at the Regular Session of the S. B. No. 360.]-An Act to amend Article 386c, Title 18, Chapter 1, Revised Civil Statutes of the State of Texas, 1895, relating to validating certain H. B. No. 483.]-An Act to amend Article 3938, Chapter 10. Title 85, of the Revised Civil Statutes of the State of Texas of 1895, relating to school S. B. No. 349.]-An Act to be entitled An Act to authorize, enable and permit School District No. Fourteen (No. 14), of the county of Jefferson, and State of Texas, to incorporate as an independent school district for free school purposes only, to be known as the "Port Arthur Independent School Dis- trict," with all the powers, rights and duties of independent school districts formed by incorporation of towns and villages for free school purposes only. 323 S. H. B. No. 379.]-An Act to amend Articles 3886 and 3887, of Chapter 5, of Title 86, of the Revised Statutes of the State of Texas, relating to the S. B. No. 183.]-An Act to amend Articles 3972, 3973, 3973c, 3974 (1) and (2), 3974c, 3976c and 3980, Chapter 13, Title 86, Revised Statutes, 1895, S. B. No. 175.]-An Act to amend Section 1 of an act to regulate and limit the expenditures of State, county and local public school funds, and regu- late treasurers' reports thereof, approved June 23rd, 1897.... S. S. B. No. 298.]-An Act providing for the correction and division of un- patented alternate surveys between the individual owner and State school land in conflict with older valid surveys, and to protect the purchasers of school land in conflict therewith, and for patenting the same. JUDGE SAM R. SCOTT GRANTED LEAVE OF ABSENCE. H. C. R. No. 56.]-Granting Hon. Sam R. Scott, judge of the Fifty-fourth Judicial District of Texas, thirty days' leave of absence from the State.... 335 CONVENTION FOR PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITU- CONCURRENT RESOLUTION. S. C. R. No. 4.] IRRIGATING—AMENDING ARTICLE 8 BY ADDING SECTION 20. JOINT RESOLUTION. H. J. R. No. 35.]-Amending Article 8, of the Constitution of the State of 337 337 GENERAL LAWS OF TEXAS. TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 1899. MILEAGE AND PER DIEM OF MEMBERS-TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE. An Act to appropriate one hundred and ten thousand dollars to pay members' mileage and per diem, and officers' and employes' per diem of the Twenty-sixth Legislature. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That the sum of one hundred and ten thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of the money in the treasury, not otherwise appropriated, for the payment of mileage and per diem pay for members, and per diem pay of officers and employes of the Twenty-sixth Legislature. SEC. 2. The certificate of the Secretary of the Senate, approved by the President thereof, or of the Chief Clerk of the House, approved by the Speaker thereof, shall be sufficient evidence to the Comptroller, upon which he shall audit the claims and issue his warrants upon the Treasurer for the respective amounts. SEC. 3. And whereas, the Twenty-sixth Legislature is now in session, and public policy requires their payment; therefore, an imperative public necessity exists that the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended, and it is so suspended, and that this act shall take effect from and after its passage. [NOTE. The enrolled bill shows that the foregoing act passed the Senate by a two-thirds vote, yeas 26, nays 0; and passed the House of Representatives by yeas 120, nays 0.] Approved January 14, 1899. Became a law January 14, 1899. CONTINGENT EXPENSES-TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE. S. B. No. 7.] CHAPTER II. An Act to make an appropriation to defray the contingent expenses of the Twentysixth Legislature. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That the sum of twenty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the treasury, not otherwise appropriated, to pay the contingent expenses of the Twentysixth Legislature; that, except in cases of accounts for printing done and stationery furnished, the certificate of the chairman of the Committee on Contingent Expenses, that an account has been examined and approved by said committee, and countersigned by the President of the Senate, or Speaker of the House, as the case may be, shall be sufficient authority to authorize and require the Comptroller of Public Accounts to draw his warrant on the State treasury for the payment of any claims against said fund. The accounts for printing and stationery shall take the course prescribed by the Revised Statutes. SEC. 2. That the fact that it is important that the expenses of the Legislature be promptly paid creates an emergency and an imperative public necessity that the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended, and the same is hereby suspended, and this act shall take effect 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 25; nays 0; and passed the House of Representatives by yeas 120, nays 0.] Approved January 14, 1899. Became a law January 14, 1899. DUVAL COUNTY-CHANGING JURISDICTION OF COUNTY AND DISTRICT COURTS. An Act to diminish the civil and criminal jurisdiction of the county court of Duval county; to conform the jurisdiction of the district court of said county thereto, and to repeal all laws in conflict herewith. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas : That the county court of Duval county shall have and exercise the general jurisdiction of a probate court; shall probate wills, appoint guardians of minors, idiots, lunatics, persons non compos mentis, and of common drunkards; grant letters testamentary and of administration, settle accounts of executors, administrators and guardians, and transact all business appertaining to the estates of deceased persons, minors, idiots, persons non compos mentis, lunatics and of common drunkards; including the partition, settlement and distribution of estates of deceased persons, and to apprentice minors, as provided by law, and to issue all writs necessary to the enforcement of its own jurisdiction; to punish contempts under such provisions as are or may be provided by law; but the said county court of Duval county shall have no other jurisdiction, civil or criminal, whatsoever. SEC. 2. That the district court of Duval county shall have and exercise jurisdiction in all civil and criminal matters and causes over which, by the laws of this State, the county court of said county would have jurisdiction, except as provided in Section 1 of this act; all causes other than probate matters, and such as are provided by Section 1 of this act |