The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-02-28
La w NTELLIGENCE.

La w INTELLIGENCE.
CRIMINAL CoURr.-Hon. Henry Stump. Judee-
Frederick Pinkney ESQ.,, Deputy States ATTORNEY.
prosecuting.
The Court occupied in the following bu,i
ness on Saturday:
State Us. Alvira Potion and Ellen Deems charged
with assaulting Louisa Stalling Guilty. Fined
81 and costs each. Total Sl2.32 in each case
state rs John Cummin, charged with assaulting
Mrs. Ann Agan. Mrs. Agan rents stall from the
city at the corner of Eutaw and Lexington streets
and Cummin having placed box of fruit on the
curb IN front of her stall led to a quarrel Cummin
said he had authority from the market master to
expose articles for sale on the cui b. The Court
! thought the market master had no authority to
allow Cummin to offer any thing for sale in front of
sad stall, but would acquit the traverser of the
charge of assault.
State rs. Robert Welch, charged with assaulting
Mrs Bridget Redden Guilty. Ordered to be
imprisoned one week and pay fine of 81 and costs
Total, SS.61.
State u.s. John H. Brice, (negro,) CHARGED with
rioting and fighting III the market house Guilty.
Ordered to be imprisoned one week.
The Court adjourned until Monday at IL O'Clock
Mr.. Cowan on Saturday, filed the following ne
tition in the case of Wm G. Ford:
STATE In the Criminal Court of Baltimore
u.s. January Term, 1859
WIN. G.FORD,) Indictment for murder
10 the Hon. Henry Stump, Judge of said Conrt:
The petition of the said William G. Ford most
respectfully sheweth to your Honor that on a mo-
tion to arrest Judgment on a verdict which had
been rendered against him in this honorable Court
your Honor decided adversely to the said motion
and overruled the same, and your Honor did pro-
ceed to pronounce judgment on the said verdict
The said verdict was "guilty of murder" and your
Honor ielt justified in pronouncng sentence of
death on your petitioner, not because the said find
ing of the jury sufficient to Justify the said
sentence, but because an addition was made to the
said verdict, on the day after the said above set ont
verdict had been entered on the docket. of the
t,F,o ,nl, IL e
degree" and the Court of Appeals of this State
reversed your Honors Judgment which overruled
the said motion in arrest, and said that the said
verdict insufficient to Justify your Honor in
rendering any Judgment thereon according TO the
provisions of our laws.
In view OF the premises, your petitioner pravs
your Honor to make such disposition of the said
case, as may be right and proper in the premises
and as may best cOmport with the provisions of
law and the rights of the citizen in this State; and
as in duty bound, he will ever pray. &C.
WIN. Ii. CowAN, Atty for petitioner.
r, The following reports were handed in by the
Grand Jury on Saturday:
To the Hon. Henry Stump, Judge Of the Criminal
Court:
The undersigned, a Committee appointed bv and
OF the Grand Jury to visit and inspect the Mary
land Penitentiary, respectfully report that they
perfoI med that duty the llth inst and herewith
annex the official report of the number and occupa-
tion of the inmates.
Under the guidance of the Warden Mr. A T.
Evans, and his assistant Mr.. Isaac G. Roberts they
inspected carefully every part of the institution
and with pleasure bear testimony to the efficient
manner in which the Warden and his officers have
discharged their duty; and it was a matter of re-
mark and surprise that so much order and cleanli-
ness could be attained in building so i'll ADAPTED
for the purpose for which it is used
The efforts of the warden to improve the moral
condition of the inmates by the formation of q Sun-
day school, and by religious teachings in the hos
pitals for the benefit of those unable to attend the
chapel, worthy of much commendation.
The present buildings are totally inadequate
either In SIZE or arrangement to accommodate the
increased number of cOnvcts which a rapidly in
creasing population produces. The law requires A
separate cell for each prisoner. There are but $50
separate cells, (mOre than so of those are in the
basement, and consequently are always more or less
damp and the remainder of the 453 prisoners are
crowded in small rooms, five to ten in each without
regard to age or crime, where proper regard to
their security prevents the necessary ventilation
Of it. ''
The entire institution, while highly credtable to
those who manage it under so many disadvantages,
Is discredltable to the State of Maryland, and the
Grand jury indulge the hope that the day is not
far distant when the Legislature will order the
erection of such building will be adapted to its
requirements.
L: SANGsToN, Foreman,
VIM L. BEALR,
j. B. AsKEw,
G. d. SLINGLUFF,
l.. ID. TAYLOR
Number and occupation of inmates of the Mary
land Pententary, February IL, lS59-Weayers.
le4; spoilers, y; bobbing wnders, 30; rag shop,
49, dye house, IA; shoemakers .; tailors 8; smith
shop, 9; carpenters 4; timers 2; painters, O. bar
bers ); cloth room, 2; bakers, g. refectory IL dor
mitory, 7; patients in hospital, 8; assistants in
hospital, 4; old building 3; blind l; insane A. run
ners, = wagon yard, 3; prison vard s.: broom ware
and cooper shop, LOG; exempt from work. 4. Total
453, OF which number 423 are males and 30 females
REPORT OF THE JAIL.
10 the Hon. Henry Stump, Judge Of the Criminal
Court:
The Grand Jury would respectfulIv renort 70
your Honor, that in compliance with their duty
they visited the Jail on the 18th inst, and con-
Quoted by the Warden, Mr.. James, thoroughly ex-
amined every part of it.
1t exhibits much more cleanliness and order than
could be expected in view of its dilapidated condi-
tion and over-crowded state, and reflects credit up
the Warden and his assistants for their efficient
management of it..
They also visited the new JAIL and were graft
fled at the prospect of its early completion as well
as its adaptation for the purpose, and the secure
and substantial manner in which it is being built
and believe that the system of separate confinement
to be adopted ON its completion will be productive
of much good
At present the prisoners are confined in rooms
averaging 20 to the room, without any regard to
age or crime and the association of hardened Grim
lnals with the younger inmates, often bows under
10 years OF age, and detained witnesses unable to
give security for their appearance at Court, must
necessarily produce disastrous results
The grand jury believe that the present crowded
state OF the Jail requires some explanation of the
cause 1t does not arise from any increase of
crime.
In 1928 the colonial assembly imposed q fine of
667a cents on1any one appearing in the presence of
an officer in state of intoxication About six
months ago this law was revived; a drunken man
found in the street is taken before a mapis-
trate and fined 6625 cents and costs ranging from
$3.50 to $3.50, according to the variou. views of
the magistrate on the subject of fees, although
there is much doubt of the legality of charging
any tees as IT Is an offence against the State. If
he cannot pay this, and has friends to pay it for
him, he is sent to Jail, and it virtually becomes I'M
prisOnment for debt.
There are now in confinement 30 prisoners near
ly two-thirds of whom are for inability to pay the
line for intoxcation and portion of the balance
for the non-payment of other fines, giving the i'm
preston to the community, who only Judge from
the large number of prisoners, that crime in our
city is on the increase.
The condition of this class of prisoners in the ia
is much worse than that of the criminals The very
cause why they are incarcerated prevents them
from receiving any assistance outside while the
criminal prisoner generally has friends who are
able and willing to furnish him with such comforts
and uxuries as are not provided BY the regulations
of the institutions.
1t is perhaps not within the province of the Grand
Jury to discuss this subject but whether the State
OF Mary yland has right to license the manufacture
and sale Of any article, and then incarcerate in
prison those who sell and buy that article is oues-
ton worthy of consideration on its own merits apart
from the heavy expenses which it entails on the city
in the support of those unfortunates who are alike
the victims of the law and the penalty.
The Grand Jury again take the liberty of calling
the attention of your Honor to the large number Of
minors who crowd the court room. While they are
fully aware that courts of justice in this country
are very properly open to spectators, they do not
beve that minors have any legal right to be pres
ent, if the Court, the exercise of its discretion
thinks proper to exclude them.
The law asserts its right to guard and protect
their morals by forbidding tavern keepers to sell
them Intoxicating liquors, and in various other
ways, less injurious in their results than the evil
now complained of. l.. SANasroN, Foreman
CIRCUIT CoURr FOR BALTIMORE CIrY.-Hon Wm
George krebs, Judge. The following occupied the
Court on Saturday:
The Chesapeake Bank, &C., Henry D. Law
renee. Proceedings under the act of 1885, oh.