Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-02-06
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE,
-CRfhiNAL CouRr.-The Court met this morn
Ing, and the clerk read the following report from

the grand jury:
The grand jury being about to close theirla-
oors, after a session Of nearly two months dura.
ZION, with very slis ht intermisson, deem II their
Guty 70 make the following representation and
report to the honorable Court believing that as
their suggestions are respectfully submitted
from regard to the public welfare the Court
will consider and dispose Of them In such a
manner az to subserve the ends Of public Justice
and public morals, which ~ is not less the desire
than the duty Of the grand jury to promote by
their ofncial recommendation
The grand jury having very lately visited the
county JAIL Witnessed Its crowded condition and
became thoroughly convinced of It's Insecurity
ana nan,Iest dsnclences In all the requisites Of
safe, eommodious, and wholesome prison, have
no hesitation In presenting u to the honorable
court as a building IN almost ereyy respect snft
70, TAG eommon jail Of a populous city, when at
this ume, as the criminal docket Atheists crime
has f-zrfully increased, and when il seems a6so-
tsfe1y ssceSsary thai a much stronger, larger and
better constructed Jail should be forthwith
erected which would be a ''terror to evil doels''
OF every description, and constructed as to
admit Of judicious classification Of prisoners
a total separation Of the Juvenile peniteBt from
the hardened criminal, who, for the want Of cor
rectional employment, will spend his idle hours
in scofing at the younger inmates Of the prison.
and In making them adopts in viliainy Of every
kind.
The grand jury, under these impressions, ear
nestiy suggest that a new Jail is absolutely neces-
sary; aud they respectfully invoke the aid Of
Congress to supply this obvious desideratum
Ii IL, howeve due to the warden of the iaiI and
his assistants TO state, that the grand jury, in
their late Official visit, saw nothing to impress
them with even the suspicion that the prisoners
were not humanely treated and properly attend d .
The recent escapes OF prisoners were perhaps un-
avoidable, from the weakness and insecurity of
the building The grand jury found the prison
In a clean and comic table a condition as under
the circumstances above referred to, could be
reasonably expected.
IL is also matter of serious regret to the grand
jury that a suitable hall or additional building
has not been provided for the use Of the Criminal
Court, without subjecting the Judge the grand
jury, and the otdcers of that court to the incon.
venience and humiliation Of accepting accommo-
dAtion when the two courts are In session, as at
present, by the temporary occupation Of the cham
bers Of the City Councils The grand jury would
also express their regret, that owing to the want
or safe and suitable apartment, a considerable
portion OF the court records are kept at this time
In the open passage leading to the clerks and
maishai's onices, In the east wing Of the City
IL must be obvious and experience shows that
the records as now exposed are liable to be mutt
lated, defaced, destroyed or stolen, by mischiev-
Gus ana Interested persons The grand Jury al. O
respectfully represent that they have noticed with
regret In the course Of their official exami
that In several instances certain constables have
se,unk from the proper and energetic discharge
OF their duty, by not making arrests of offenders
charge with heinous crimes, either from the
expectation of obtaining rewards or because
under late law OF Congress, they, we'll a. the
county inagist ates, are not allowed any compen-
sation for arrests made, any other service rem
dertd, in Of riot assault with intent 10 kill
forgery, connterfeiting, nc Now, although the
grand jury have not failed to make d. esept-
ments in some cases for constabulary and ma is
ferial deinquencies, believing IT is the ofncer,s
duty under the existing law to act without fee or
reward In the cases above referred to, IL appears
10 the grand jury neither unjust, impolitic nor
I'm reasonable that the law of Congress- should be
SO modified as to allow compensation, in some
way or form, to the magistrate well as the con-
able who spends his time, his money! his healh
and his strength for the good Of society, in the
arrest OF persons charged with rioting, forgery,
ana assault with intent to kill-ofences w bjcb
are certainly not of a trivial character which
subject the convicted parties to punishment in
the penitentiary.
The Grand Jury cannot conclude this report
and recommendation without rendering to the
to the honorable Court and the Acting District
Attorney acknowledgements for their valuable
advice, afforded, when requested, through the
Respectfully submitted, by order of the Grand
Jury. WIN GuSroN, Foreman
February S, 1853
The Court ordered that two copies of the above
report be made, and that one copy be laid before
the appropriate committee Of each house of Con-
gress by the District Attorney.
The Court then took up the case of BENJAMIN
Robinson. free negro, charged with killing one
Thee case was pending when this report closed
INCIDENTS OF HE FIRE AT LLoYD's HorRL-
Circumstances have been ascertained to prove
chat the nre which destroyed this hotel on the
ssoSning of Monday, lat February, was the work
OF incendiary. Ii would be inprudept, at
pTesen. TO make public our reasons for the asser-
ilon Nj Lloyd, the proprietor, indefatigable,
though unfortunate, has the facts; we need not
farther refer to them. An overriding Providence
ordered the salvation Of the inmates of this hotel
gentleman and lady from Georgetown arrived
al the Depot one hour In ad vance of the opening
for the early Baltimore train The gentleman
seeing great light in the transom or the bar
room door, aud spreading into the ladies' paIl0r
above ID, gave the alarm
A lew minutes afterwards huge volumes of
smoke niled the whole build ng-every moment
becoming more and more sunocating Each in
iiate OF the house was forced to pick hastily up
such articles OF dress as they had laid aside on
retiring and run for their lives in their night
dress. %
Their escape was made by back stairway
Hardly two minutes elapsed ere the front half
was IN haInes, and the floor fell through In If
Teen minutes the house was heap Of ruins The
Inmates OF the house ia the mranwh lille attiriny
themselves, as well Is they conld, in the op..D
arr, with such apparel as they caught up in their
night. MIR. Lloyd, the proprietor. at the peril of
his life, succeeded in throwing one or twotrunks
o . OF the second story window Every thing
else was consumed
Mrs Chancey, an eStmable lady Of fine ac-
compartments, gOverness, lost her ciotbiup
ana eighty dollars In money, her own hard earn
ings
The Rev. Father flanagan lost his clothing.
other than what he had hastily gathered no. his
small amount of money.
John Delateid, Esq of Missouri. who had
Just delivered two verys original, eloquent and
Instructive lectures, viBdcatin9 the truth of Ho-
ly Writ as explained by science and revelation
and showing their unity-lost his trunk, con-
tainlng his stock Of clothing, valuable books
ana important legal and other papers, among
which was long and labored article IN relation
TO an important legal business which had called
MIN mere, together with all his money, which he
lad In his trunk This gentleman was to have
started home on the very day Of the fire He es-
capped, however, Ike the rest, with only part of
his dress. To the National Hotel being compelled
now to remain In this city to rewrite his arm
ment for Immediate use. We hope under ihe
circumstance, that be may be urged to redelif
his lectures, that the citizens Of Washington No
many guests, and the Free Masons of which we
learn he Is a member-may have the opportunity
on attending them, and thus repair, la part his
severe loss.
We cannot but commend to the kind consider
alton OF the pLiIantnropic ladies now in this CITY
the position of Mrs. Chancey, an elderly lady
now seeking home governess in private
family.