Daily national Democrat., 1859-12-08
REPORT OF THE GRAND JURV=
10 the Hon. the Court of Sessions of the


uAte gwen due attention to all buiness of a erin
IiAi uSture, and have found sixty-fDur true hill
VIZ; For murder, 8 for assault with intent
commit murder, 4 for as sault with deadly wea
pIn, pJIn, 'or forgery, lS; for grand larceny 5 f
felony, crime against nature | and f,r y5ioI
uon OF The Gambling Law, "a. Twelve cosc
"GrS % ulslnlssed for want of sufficient evidence
Inc committee on County BUILDINGS rennr
that the hoor OF the Jail requires repairs, and r,
commend that medical aid be offered the prisoI
erS. NV r. 'SN
The action of the Grand jury is often delave
and not untrequently defeated in consequence ,
neRiect on the part of the committing magistrat
IN placing the District Attorney in possession {
the necessary documents, and the non-appearanc
of witnesses.
Their attention has been called to accusation
against several persons in Jail against whom NJ
indictments have been found. Three of tboe
cases are persons who at different times. With,
the last few months, have been committed bv
magistrate in remote portion of the county I,
await the action of the Grand Jury. The Distric
Attorney has endeavored to procure the attend
ance OF the witnesses some of whom have an
peared, while others have not been fund bv IT,
Sheriff, or it found, have refused to obev the snb
p9nas From what we can learn of those coso,
we are satisfied that, with all the witnesses in Mt
tendance, no indictment would stand
Ihe parties were arrested upon charges made
gwen time 10 prepare for an examination, remand
{
a hotel and boarded and guarded at an expensr
OF SIX dollars or more per day finally, examined
ana sent down to JAIL to be released unon oivno
bail IN an amount utterly beyond their mower tr
obtain, and all this is done to result in notbno
put an enormous expenditure of money. The
Sustlce faed TO send transcript of his docket, as
ne IS required by law to do, for the benefit of The
District Attorney and the Grand jury. and even
forgot to inform the former of the nature of the
otfenses, for which his prisoners were held 10 an.
swer, and to furnish him with the names of the
witnesses. No Jnstice of the Peace should send
case before the Grand Jury unless the proof is
apparently sufficient to maintain it. He sbouId
not issue his warrant off arrest and by am examin.
atlon entail upon the county great expense un-
VI ne IS reasonably well satisfied that n nublic
ofense has been committed.
The practice of carrying deadly weapons and
the frequent recourse to the same is regarded MS a
prolific source of crime and a breach of the law
that merits severe punishment Ten of the in
dctments found at the present session NAV be
attributed to this detestabe habit, and the nen-
alties often imposed by magistrates would seem
to be but little more than license to violate the
law with impunity. In view Of the immense ex
pense incurred in the administration Of criminal
law, to which reference is made hereafter. the
Grand Jury would respectfully suggest the in.
Fiction of punishment more in accordance with
the nature of the offense.
In compliance with the charge of the court. the
Grand Jury have obtained evidence concerning
the violation Of the law against gaming, and il Is
with pain that they refer to their action in this
respect but fully concurring in the remarks of
the court and in consequence of recent dsclo-
sures, they have been impelled to find the bills as
previously stated and they trust the action of fu
ture Grand Juries in reference to offences of this
character, may be unnecessary.
The large and increasing expenditures for Hos
pitul purposes and the consequent dissatisfaction
manifest, induced the Grand Jury to request a
committee of Physicians to act in conjunction
with their ewn, and thoroughly examine and re-
port as to the medical and domestic management
of the institution. The report of the Joint com
mttee is as follows:
To the Grand Jury of Yu6a County:
The undersigned, joint committee of Grand
Jurymen and Physicians, appointed to make ex-
aminations into and report to the Grand jury
upon Hospital matters, the following resolution
was passed by the Jury as a guide and warrant
for the action of joint committee
"ResoLced, That the joint committee of this
Jury and OF Physicians appointed to examine and
report upon Hospital matters, be requested and
are hereby authorized IN make investigation into
the domestic and medical management Of the
County Hospital, and to report upon the same to
this Jury; and further, to make such suggestions
in regard to the more economical financial man
agement Of the Hospital as to them may seem
proper. The committee to be furnished with
opy of this resolution as a warrant for their ac-
ton"
Your joint committee have found the duties
designated them to be onerons, and by no means
pleasant, but they have endea vored to discharge
those duties faithfully, and beg leave to report as
follows:
The Hospital is commodious one, and is well
adapted to the purposes for which it is designed.
Some repairs needed on the roof to prevent its
leaking, and the kitchen would be rendered more
.E Nl,,Q L..
einity of the stove was covered with sheet zinc.
The grounds adjacent and belonging to the Hos
pital ought to be improved by the planting of
trees and shrubery. There are as patients in the
Hospitals Of them men, and one a woman
There are two plupers, besides, who have quarters
in the Hospital. The length of time the patients
have been charge to the county ranges from
three days to eleven months. Their diseases are
as follows: Venereal, in its various forms, u
intermittent fever, z !; rheumatism, 6 ulcers, 3
anasarca, 2; phthisis pulmonalis 2; injury by ex-
plosion, injuries by cave, fracture of jaw,
/; fracture of leg, ; scrofula, abscess, / /;
otitis, ; ascitis, bronchitis, / diarrhua, l /;
sore eyes, paralysis, l ; disease of heart, l /;
laZiness, /.
Some of the patients were not residents of Yuba
county when they were admitted, and consequent
ly are not proper subjects for the Hospital. OF
this class of patients, portion were just from the
States by steamer, others from other counties IN
CALIFORNIA, ana one from Ollu. lnlS ldJtef pa
tient disease, syphilis was refused admission to
the Hospital in Butte county, but was admitted
TO ours the first day he came to the county. 9th
ers of the patients, who were residents OF
Yuba county when admitted, in the opinion of
the Committee, are not subjects of charity, and
should not have been admitted to the Hospital
TIE lazy patient has been in the Hospital one
month.
The walls Of the wards and Office are dirty and
need white-washing. The bedsteads are full Of
bedbugs, and have not been cleaned for eleven
months. The bodies of a number of the patients
are covered with the bites of these vermin. The
blankets and bedding used by some of the patients
are lousy. There has been no general washing
Of the blankets within the memory of the oldest
occupant of the Hospital-eleven months-except
occasionally patient has washed those on his
own bed, or the steward has ceansed one that
has been dehled by a patient. There is a def
cheney of blankets, some of the patients having
two pair, and many Of them but one pair, and
some only one blanket. If they ask for more to
protect them from the cold at night; they are told
to provide them themselves. Some of the patients
having means or generous friends have been
compelled to provide their own blankets. Others
who have not money and no friends, haveito sub
nit to be scantly covered, and they Isufer and
contract disease from cold Many of the mat
trasses are worn out and net fit for use. Some
of the beds are supplied with one sheet and one
pillow slip, others have neither sheet nor slip.
All the sheets and pillow slips used by the pa
tients are washed by Chnaman, who is himSel
county patient, for whom the contractor receives
81 so per day. The bandages, poultlces, rags,
etc. used by the patients, have been washed by
one of the paupers. This pauper has also assist
ed in making pills, has run on errands, and done
other service which would entite him TO month
ly salary rather than the position of county pau
per. There is no system in changing of sheet
and pillow slips New patients are not alway
given clean sheets, and the sheets of one paten
hnra nnL haen chanoed for two mnnths Tn