Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-04-12
rnE couRr HousE aUEsrION.

49, 1920
the statement following my address, which
shows the action Of the court merely, being
no part Of that address, he ought TO have
known that Il was not, as the address pre-
j eeded the appropriation by the court. his
J gorship viii smembeT that the matters urged
upon the court were in regard to the location
of the court house and jail, and the taking Of
active steps for building the former, URder-
standing as 1 did that the legislature, by the
most imperative words, the sane nsed In ref
; ersnce to both the Jail and couFt house, COM
manded them to be provided, which verbs are
these: "That the county shall furnish and
provide ell necessary rooms and buildings, fur
nlturs and fixtures, for the accommodation and
holding Of said courts IL Memphis, and for
clerks Offices and other necessary Offices con-
nected Herewith. and a. The expense OF the
county shall furufsh and provide a Jail or
county prison at Memphis" etc. This Is In
consideration of the fact reeited By me, OF
which the county court I thought. was, or
ought to be aware, that such an immensely
disproporrionate part Of the county revenue
was derived from Memphis and the Memphis
districts, a comparatively very small amoant
Of wbirh was expended here.
As to location, my argument before the
court, when eourteouslY invited to sd-
dress them, at the January and April
terms, was that the court house and Jail
ought to be central and convenient, both
for economy in the dispatch Of business, and
for the facility Of the public attendingto court
The setion Of the court in regard to the lot
thew bought for the Jail and court house, out
on Adams street, and contemplating lie aban-
/ donment for such purpose, showed their wis
dom. and their agreement with the entire pub
Tic here that it was utterly unsuitable, il not
also that they bad been i'll advised. did not
upbraid them for this mistake, bat deemed
Il natural, as the committee, however intelli-
gent. were not, fer the most part, familiar with
the subject they had in charge, not being resi-
dents here, CT any Of them not connected with
the administration OF the courts, so as to
know what their interests required; and 7
therefore insisted that court, in The exercise Of
its discretion, should enlarge the committee,
BY adding some persons living and being on the
ground, and BY reason OF their position or re-
lation to the business acquainted with It. THIS
seemed to mt TO be reasonable, as Il didto 9TH
srs. and proper, also, from the fact that 40
much Of the revenue was paid here; and from
the farther fact that the people most con-
eerned ought to have some voice in the tSm-
mittse on The subject; and I doubted not, il
his were done, the result would be ~satisfac-
tory and right: and suggested, as suitable per-
Sous. the sheriff and clerks Of the courts and
the I%silor, or some experienced lawyers, or The
magistrates here, or any other good persons
living here, and worthy OF the confidence Of
the court, and acquainted with the interests
. AAHNANENa ~ NAAAaNAAaaAkE0 aEaE I@1 NEAAA1- ]
for any reasons Of their own, no good reasons
appeared why other suitable persons here
might not be appointed; they would be equally
competent. But the court considered ane
acted Otherwise.
The jail as located, ! argued, was too far
0G Cells in the court would answer only Tor
I prisoners on trial. Twenty may be required
in court the same day. The jail fees for them
would be $40; their transportation, and that
OF the guard at 25c. each, going and coming,
would be from SO to S13, besides dinners at
the court house, Cextra charge for feeding,) so
making an enormous pubic expense. IL the
number should be less, the expense would cor
respond. Keeping or owning the conveyance
and equlRsge, and furnishing the driver, world
not materially change the expense. Consider
ing that the criminal court is now nearly the
whole year in s~esiln, and that the business
grows with the city, the subject assumes large
proportions. It is impossible TO know in ad-
vance whose case will be tried or continued,
not tin the prisoner be brought into court, so
az 10 avoid this expense. Besides this, pan
ue,s Of jurors must be in attendance, at heavy
expense, waiting upon the delays consequent
upon such a separation Of the Jail from the
court house, and The trial of cases retarded,
and the administration # public justice stay
ed. The burthen and evils Of all this rest up
on the public and on this city, in whose behalf
I spoke to the court. They have made me
'lENN ST HaANH anu WIN a an ~ n 1AA aAN 1A1Ea
For the reasons given, I do not know Of any
city OF dense population, where the court house
snd Jail are not very nearly together or as
near as possible. They are generally on the
same lot, or within a few squares Of each
other. Iallude to the isil for prisoners for
trial. Il is 80 at Nashville, Louisville, Gin
einnati. St. Louis, Charleston, Washington
City, New York, and IL not built 80 in Men,
phis, The jail will surely be abandoned after
DO very long experience. And, in all these
places, both court house and Jail, are in the
vsTv heart Of the business part Of them. The
public necessity and pecuniaTy economy re-
quire il to be so. I disfavoIed The sppropria-
ton Of Court square for this purpose, though
me Of the committee and court stated that the
opinion OF a prominent JUICE mot naming
him) favored this appropriation in law. !
thought the bluff or promena. e, now an IN
occupied waste, excepting az it performs the
legitimate purposes Of the warehouses, a more
suitable place and more acceptable to the pso-
pie Of Memphis, whose wishes on the subject
should be consulted. IL those interested,
however, did not wish this, / would not
desire 10 see the building there. If
there, however, (snd / was authorised to
say that members Of the council would favor
ito, Il would be convenient for business and to
the people IN business now, and central for
ever, and undls'urbed BY the traders in ada
cent houses and I had consulted architects
nNl house UAAAaGA. ~ InE as 4 - Univ ~ W. I
Who are prominent in their calling, and whose
calling gives them knowledge on the subject
more than any others, and had their written
statements, saying, first, that It was practical
BE to build the Jail, court house and Offices,
sRd corporation OF city looms all in one and,
second, that this could be done so as not TO at
feet the outward appearance Of the house, or
the health or comfort Of any Of the parts Of
the same, especially il built on the bluff CT in
eliaea ground. Situated there, with the i'm
puovements in structure and machinery, It
could be wei ventilated and wstered, and
have TIE most perfect sewerage to the river,
| and could be constructed outwardly so as to
show no sign or mark Of a jail abou. if, to the
/ river or elsewhere, and 50 as to be 70. the river, /
bluff and city, z grand and beautiful ornament;
no CRATES or bars seen, CT jail smell discsTned.
These men, | thought, and yet think, ought to
knou what they say. Or, said these arcbi-
techs and builders, any two Of said houses
might be built in one, with .he same advantage
and effect, and thus built together, they would
save in the building thousands Of dollars,
without considering the saving OF the cost OF
several lots for them IL built severslly.
Now, my good friend, commenting your gen.
tlemanly spirit, and With no feeling Of uukind-
ness for any Of you, although believing as |
had q right to do, and believing, to say, that
you have erred in not giving US a voice in your
committee, and in acting without consulting
D the nHFLiHs ndfuEU EH CONNECTED Will Lut NA- i
/ ministration Of the courts, and so better Tn
Outstanding and scquainting yourselves with
the Interests involved. Personally, | have no
quarrel with you. You have promptly, II late,
voted the necessary appropriations, and,
doubt not, will az promptly build the
houses. ! think I have properly done
nv duty, and only nv duty, to the State,
and especially TO this community, that is moro
Immediately concerned. The responsibility is
4 great, though the evils viii be no less. And
vet, as it is both shameful and ineOnveDieRt to
be without a jail or court house here, give
them to us almost anywhereg but give them to
~. Experience, though sore and late, viii
bring them together after a time. Mark it'll
i will be granted that, although hold, and,
Oh all proper occasions, express NY opinions
on an public ma tcrs, have no. entangled
myself in the prevailing controversies Of indi-
/ vidnals OF the public; and it has only been ous
OF q sense Of day, in the position / occupy,
that I have taken any part in this matter so
peculiarly csnnected with that position, and
The convenient and respectable administration
Of public justice and | am persuaded that no
right thinking man, especially in Memphis,
will complain Of me for doing so, though the
orists and impraeticabie minds may object 20
the conclusions Of the architects and builders,
as I have stated thsm-snd this it is theiT right
to do. ]. 7. sWAfNE.
April IL, 1851.
MuRDEREG AREEsrED.-on Wednesday
policeman J. Gallagher was dsputsd to serve a
warrant Of arrested upon Charles Bursen, the
man who shot the unfortunate girl Susan
Striker on a aatboat a short time aGn. He
applied to AayCr Bsugh who furnished him
with assistance, and be with officers Cusae,