422 



KENTUCKY. 



dent in the county, before distraining. Lands 

 held by the State on tax titles, on which the 

 equity of redemption had expired, were di- 

 rected to be sold at public auction and con- 

 veyed in fee-simple to purchasers, until enough 

 of each parcel is sold to pay all arrears. The 

 right of redemption runs five years after the 

 first tax sale. Lands conveyed by the Au- 

 ditor's deed are subject to a lien for valuable 

 improvements made by the former owner. 



The Commissioners of the Sinking Fund were 

 authorized by act of the Legislature to transfer 

 the balance of the fund to general revenue. 

 The total outstanding bonded indebtedness 

 amounted to $180,394, of which $6,394 were 

 overdue, and had not been presented, being 

 probably lost or destroyed, leaving $174,000 to 

 be provided for by the sinking fund. The 

 sinking fund amounted to $235, 671, or $61,671 

 more than the debt to be met, which surplus 

 was ordered to be applied to current expenses, 

 as well as any like surplus which should be 

 found on hand in the future. A temporary 

 loan of $500,000 was authorized to relieve the 

 embarrassment of the Treasury, and the State 

 officers were empowered to issue bonds at 6 per 

 cent, up to that amount. 



Many fees and salaries were cut down. Jail- 

 ers are allowed 50 instead of 60 cents a day for 

 the keeping of a prisoner. Only one guard is 

 allowed in the transportation of a prisoner. For 

 keeping a pauper or idiot, $75 a year is allowed ; 

 for a lunatic, $165. 



The Commonwealth was divided into eigh- 

 teen circuit court judicial districts. These 

 circuit courts are to sit two terms in each 

 county, except certain specified counties, in 

 which a greater number of terms are to be held. 

 They are courts of record. The criminal, chan- 

 cery, and common pleas courts were abolished, 

 except in certain counties. The circuit judges 

 and Commonwealth's attorneys for the several 

 circuits were elected in August. 



An act allows plaintiffs to prosecute non- 

 resident owners of real estate for amounts under 

 $50 in the circuit and equity and criminal 

 courts of the county where the land is situated. 

 Concurrent jurisdiction with circuit courts was 

 extended to quarterly courts in cases involving 

 sums not exceeding $200. A penalty was pre- 

 scribed for soliciting service as juror. The 

 practice in appealed cases was changed so as to 

 restrict the appellant to the errors specified in 

 his assignment of errors, and to allow judgment 

 to be passed only on such of these as prejudice 

 substantial rights, amendments to the bill of 

 errors being allowable on ten days' notice. Ap- 

 peals can be taken to the appellate court for 

 amounts of $100 and upward ; to the Circuit 

 Court for $25 and upward; from a magistrate 

 to the quarterly court for from $10 to $25 ; 

 and over $25 to either the quarterly or the cir- 

 cuit courts. 



An act fixed jurors' pay at $1.50 for each 

 day of attendance to petit and $1.25 to grand 

 jurors. The fees of justices for holding levy 



courts, etc., were fixed at $2 per diem. Com- 

 missioners and receivers appointed by the cir- 

 cuit judges are required to report the moneys 

 they collect under oath. The number of jurors 

 in justices', police, and quarterly courts was 

 reduced to six, and their pay was reduced to 

 50 cents for each case, or $1 a day when several 

 cases are disposed of. The county courts were 

 empowered to fix the time for holding the 

 quarterly courts in each county. Retail drug- 

 gists were exempted from jury service. Public 

 executions were abolished in an act providing 

 that the death penalty shall be inflicted in an 

 inclosure, in the presence of not over fifty per- 

 sons. Witness fees in felony cases were fixed 

 at$l per diem, with four cents mileage for wit- 

 nesses from outside the county limits. Officers 

 speculating in witnesses' claims are finable $50. 



The volumes of reports of decisions of the 

 Court of Appeals are hereafter to be named 

 " Kentucky Reports," instead of bearing the 

 name of the reporter. 



The act establishing a board of railroad 

 commissioners provides that the Governor 

 shall, with the consent of the Senate, choose 

 the board, consisting of three commissioners, 

 to serve for a term of two years. They are to 

 be selected, one from the agricultural, one 

 from mercantile, manufacturing, or mining 

 class, and one representing the railroad inter- 

 est. An oath is required that they will dis- 

 charge their duties without fear or favor. They 

 are to prosecute all violations of the railroad 

 laws, and have power to examine accounts and 

 papers, take testimony, and subprena witnesses. 

 They are to make annual reports to the Gov- 

 ernor, and make suggestions as to classifying 

 and rating fare and freight charges. The du- 

 ties of the railroad board of equalization and 

 taxation were devolved upon the railroad 

 commissioners, and the old board abolished. 



An act was passed forbidding persons other 

 than passengers or employees to get on or off 

 trains in motion. 



It was made a misdemeanor to throw mis- 

 siles or to shoot at railroad trains, and murder 

 if death ensue. 



The act to incorporate the Agricultural and 

 Mechanical College of Kentucky vests the man- 

 agement in a board of trustees, presided over 

 by the Governor, and composed of twelve 

 members, nominated by him and elected by the 

 Senate for the term of six years. The profes- 

 sors are only removable for cause, and by a 

 majority vote of the whole board. The stu- 

 dents are admitted on competitive examination, 

 one in each year between the ages of twelve and 

 twenty-five, from each representative district, 

 being entitled to free scholarships. The teachers 

 and trustees of each common school are to select 

 one pupil as a candidate for the scholarship, 

 giving the preference to energetic young men 

 of limited means. The faculty have the power 

 to issue teachers' certificates. 



The amendments to the act removed the lim- 

 itation of the power of the trustees to remove 





