WITNESSES.
Mr. HOOPER'S bill [S. 175] defining who shall be competent witnesses in any court in this State, was read the third time.
Mr. HOOPER explained: The bill provides that the wife may be a competent witness as to her own property; permits both parties in administrators' suits to testify; and strikes out the last proviso in the law of 1867.
Mr. HANNA declared that this bill would uproot the rules of evidence that have obtained in precedents for five hundred years; and hoped it would not pass.
Mr. CARSON also opposed this innovation.
Mr. HOOPER said the bill-proposed to repeal a provision now on the statute book that is an innovation upon the practice for page: 100[View Page 100] centuries; and he urged the passage of the bill.
Mr. TURNER demanded the previous question, which was sustained by the Senate.
Under its operation the bill was passed by yeas 28, nays 12.
