The Shasta courier., 1860-03-31
Report OF the Grand Jury.

The Grand Jury empannelled for the March
Term, would respectfully report, that owing to
the large amount of business that has been pre-
sented for their consideration, majority of the
cases being from the country, the witnesses in
which, in many cases were not in attendance
they have in consequence been delayed and
compelled to adjourn from day to day, protract-
ing the session to an unusual length.
Upon investigating the affairs of the late
County Clerk, we found that at intervals, cover
tng a space of nearly two years, the Probate Re-
cord has not been written up, and nothing to
Show the business of said Court but minutes of
the proceedings on slips of paper; and, it is a
matter of doubt in our minds, if many of them
have not been lost or destroyed. Fearing that
loss might result to individuals interested in
Probate, from such derelction of duty, we
thought it essential to the public benefit that
this record, if possible, should be written up
and signed by the Judge, and intimated the same
to Mr.. Van Horn, who promised to comply with
our request, but regret to find after waiting a
sufficient length of time to admit of his doing so
that such request has not been complied with.
This has occasioned delay to the Grand Jury
of several days. The Jury therefore recommend
that some proper and efficient means be used
Immediately by the Board of Supervisors to have
this business legally written up.
tTwelve cases have been examined, from which
mber we have found five true bills-to wit:
z for an assault with deadly weapon one
resisting an officer of the law, and by vio-
lehce rescuing property in his possession under
ate@rhssert; three for misdemeanor in office
Six sY.-os =. Tbeefs dismissed
The Grand Jury, through their committees
have made thorough investigation of the af-
fairs of the County, the state of the various
County Offices and Buildings, and they report as
follows:
The condition OF the Hospital is very satisfac-
tory the rooms and bedding clean and neat
the food good and the patients express them
selves satisfied with the general treatment; in
fact no change could be desired in the manage
ment of this institution.
We found the Jail kept clean, and the prison
ers supplied with good food and bedding.
Upon a minute examination of the books and
records of the present county officers, we find
them all written up in a neat and proper man.
ner documents and vouchers on file, and the
requirements of the law fully complied with
We find by examining the law, that it is the
duty of the County Clerk on the first day of each
month, to pay to the District Judge the sum Of
three dollars for each suit instituted in the Dis
trict Court, taking duplicate receipts for the
same, filing one in his office and forwarding the
other to the Controller of State, who dcducts the
amount from the Judges salary.
Upon reference to the calendar of said Court
we find there should have been paid to the Judge
the sum Of five hundred and forty nine dollars,
but we have no evidence that the District Judge
has received but the sum of thirty-fve dollars
and in fact, on examination of the file of the
County Clerk, we could find no receipts even
for that amount, and are therefore forced to the
conclusion that there is now remaining in the
hands of the late Clerk, belonging to the State,
the sum of five hundred and thirteen dollars
The law also required the late Clerk to pay
over to the County Treasurer certain fees pre-
scribed by law, arising out Of the Court OF Pro-
bate, to be deducted by him from the salary OF
the Judge of said Court We find there should
have been paid over the sum one hundred and
tweuty-1hree dollars, but only twenty dollars
appears on the books of the Treasurer from this
fund This is a direct loss TO the county of one
hundred and three dollars.
Under the present law it is made the duty OF
the District Attorney to see that such fees are
regularly paid over by the Clerk and Recorder.
We are glad the law has been complied with by
the present officials, and trust the District At
torney will continue to attend to this most i'm
portant business of the county.
As the time is now drawing near for the as
sessing of the taxable property of the county,
we would earnestly recommend the Collector to
accompany the Assessor and collect the tax on
all movable properly, as heretofore large
amount of the revenue of the county has been
lost from failure to perform this duty
The Grand Jury would earnestly recommend
TO the Hon. Board of Supervisors to reject the
claim of j. C. Hnckley & Co., for publishing the
delinquent tax list of 1857 and 1858, which
claim we find, upon strict investigation, to
have been adjusted by our District Court, and
the judgment there awarded paid said Hinckley
Il Co. in cash. We make this suggestion from
the TACT that our Representatives in the Legisla-
ture have passed special bill empowering your
Honorable Board to repay this account. This is
in direct opposition to the Wishes and unjust to
the interests of the mass of the tax payers of the
county.
In conclusion, we would respectfully call the
attention of the public to the urgent necessity of
taking immediate steps for the erection of a
Court House and Jail, the one now in use being
totally inadequate to the wants of the county
We find at the present time the District Court,
County Court and Grand Jury in session, and
but two small rooms in the present Court House
in which to transact their business, causing n
very great inconvenience and delay to witnesses
and jurors in attendance from the country, and
no inconsiderable expense to the county. On
the whole, by comparing the amount now paid
for rent of different offices with the interest
the sum necessary for the erection of Court
House, the great security it would afford the
county records from fire and mutilation, and the
increased facilities for transacting business, we
are led to believe, leaving out every other con-
sideration, that it would be matter of consid-
cradle economy.
All of which is respectfully submitted,
D. CALLAGHAN, Foreman.