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Quietus Put On Hurtenbach's Resolution and Bid for Fame.
# HE SAYS TRIAL IN PENSACOLA A FARCE
Refers To Prosecution In State Court in Pensacola Bank Case.
By Claude L'Engle.
Tallahassee, Apv3 16.-The house was in killing mood today, voting down all resolutions including Representative Hurtenbach's resolution for the investigation of state bank failures during the past year, which was lost by tie vote, 32 to 32, the speaker deciding. Hurtenbach accepted Goldstein's amendment substituting the two committees house and senate on banking and loans, for special committee provided for in resolution. Hurtenbach asked that the resolution lay over informally so as to enable him to get additional information in support of the need of it, Goldstein opposed this on the ground, that the mere publishing of the fact that such a resolution was introduced had a tendency to create uneasiness in the minds of the people about the state banks and that the investigating should be made at once at that its findings might increase the confidence that the public has now in the solvency of state banks, and favored the immediate adoption of the resolution as amended. Wood of Pinellas, opposed the resolution on the ground that it might cast reflection on the comptroller's office, who ought to be first asked for Information.
Hurtenbach replied to this, that the comptroller would be the first one that would be selected to appear and be called on to give information, but that the committee should go further than the comptroller and get all the facts in connection with the failure of the Pensacola State Bank, the bank in Jefferson County, the Commercial Bank of Jacksonville and the banks at Caryville and Warsaw; that the depositors had lost their money in these -banks and were not satisfied with the meagre report contained in the comptroller's regular report that there had been but four bank failures in Florida during the past yeng
Turnbull, of Jefferson, opposed the resolution on the ground that he had Introduced five bilis remedying defects discovered by the comptroller in the state banking laws and this was all that was necessary because the report of the committee contemplated under the resolution would accomplish nothing at all. Hurtenbach replied, that he thought it was due the comptroller's office to make such an in-vestigation and it was also due to the public who had lost their money in these bank failures to be advised that -this legislature was safeguarding the interests and ready to protect them in future.
# TRIAL A FARCE, HE SAYS.
In reply to Turnbull's question, if there had not been a prosecution in Pensacola of those responsible for the State Bank failure, Hurtenbach answered, that there had been but it was, and had been a farce, occupying less than a day in the taking of testimony. In calling for a division, on the passage of the resolution. Anderson voted "no," and Hurtenbach voted "aye." But Hurtenbach was not quick enough to get a roll call before the speaker had cast the deciding vote and announced the result.
Mr. Hurtenbach will tomorrow introduce another house concurrent resolution asking for authority from the legislature to investigate the various state bank failures by calling before the joint committee the comptroller and other bank officials with necessary papers.
This time he will proceed so as to get a roll call on the resolution and by this method he believes that the resolution will be adopted.
# NO SIGNS OF CAUCUS.
There was no sign of a caucus among the West Florida house contingent when the house met today, for four of the West Florida members divided two and two, on a proposal by Davis of Jackson, to suspend the rules and pass the senate bill changing the dividing lines in Jackson, Washington and Holmes counties. Davis said that there was great need for this bill being rushed through because it would protect the schools in these counties. Brock of Washington, said there was no need for rushing it through but that it should take the