Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1860-05-24
REPORT OF THE GRAND JURY,
on THE
OF THE COUNTY JAIL

To THE HONORABLE PETER w. GRAIN,
Judge Of the Circuit Court for Charles County,
YENHE GRAND JURY, in conformity with the in
4 -structionse q your Honor, directing them to
visit and inspect the County JAIL recently erected
in this village, and report upon the condition of the
same, the number of prisoners therein confined,
etc. beg leave respectfully to submit the following
as their Report
them, proceeded on Wednesday, 18th instant, to
the Jail in this village, which they found in the
charge of Mr. Edward Hatcher the polite Jailor of
Mr.. 81 erif Wheeler. The Jail is two stories high.
The walls constructed of hard brick, and in the
judgment of the Jury strong and substantially
built. The roof is covered with slate and surroun
ded with balnstra4iA-~ sr11uft
building, quite an imposing appearance. The in
terror is divided into two rooms or cells and pas
sage or hall on each floor. These rooms, though
rather small and contracted, in the Judgment of
the Jury, present an appearance of security and
comfort, and while the Jury take pleasure in civ
ing expression of their unqualified approval of the
plan as well as the workman-Gk manner in which
the greater part of the work has been exeeutcd yet
there are nevertheless some parts of the inside work
they are constrained to say falls much below that
degree of perfection which characerizes the. rest
They would partcularze the window frames and
window sash, which are made of inferior materials
and the workmanship executed in an imperfect
and unwor kmanHke manner. The Jury also no.
tlced that both the inside gable end walls gave evil
dence that there leaks in the roof probably
owing to the insufficency of the timing around
the chlmneys. But, it is proper to state, that the
Jury informed by Mcssrs. Hawkins and Jen-
kins of The Building Committee, that Mr.. O'Bren
has agreed, at his own expense, to remedy any de-
feet arising from the use of defective materials
imperfect workmanship, and that they We're there
fore assured that the defects above indicated would
receive the early attention of Mr.. Oorien.
The Jury would beg leave to call the attention of
your Honor, and Though you to the proper autho-
rites, to the arrangement of the water-closets in
said building being not perhaps the best calcu-
lated to promote the health of those confined there
They so constructed to discharge their contents
into sink or we'll near the outer wall of the build
ing, and this sink has dr. ain leading to
the main rum through which its contents might be
discharged and carried off by the tide. Neither
has it any other facility by the of which its
noxious Accommodations might be removed. The
Jury therefore apprehensive that in the event
of any number of prisoners being confined there
during the summer months, this receptacle of the
impurities of the water closets might be filled up
to render it not only exceedingly unpleasant but
absolutely the fruitful Of disease, and that
too of the most malignant type. The Jury would,
therefore, recommend the propriety of taking steps
to prevent the occurrence of the evils above ndica
ted.
The Jury report, that there are at the present
time but two individuals in confinement-Nally,
under sentence, who will ofcourse soon be remov
ed to the Pententary, and negro fellow who has
been placed there by his owner for safe keeping
They must not omit however to mention that there
is white man in the custody of the Sheriff. though
notln confinement. He was committed some three
or four years since to Jail a vagrant. He is
foreigner by birth and is thought to be somewhat
insane, though Mr.. Hatcher describes him to the
jury being entirely docile and easily controlled.
In view of this fact the Jury would respectfully
recommend his removal to the Almshousc, which,
under the law is the proper receptacle for such
fortunates, where the expense of maintaining and
taking care of them would be greatly lessened ;
unless on proper Investigation, it be found that
the unsoundness Of his mind has not passed that
point of decay at which, by proper medical and
scientific oclt be restored. which
event philanthropy would seem to require that he
should be sent to. the Maryland Lunatic Asylum
All of which is respectfully submitted.
f. b. f. BURGESS, FOREMAN.