Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-07-16
THE GRAND JURY.
Report to Hon. c. W. waldran.

The Grand Jury returned into the Mu-
nicipal Court the following report, which
was ordered to be spread upon the rec
ords:
To the Hon. Geo. "; waldrsn, Judge OF the
Municipal Court OF Memphis:
We, the grand jurors empaneled and
sworn for the June term of your homo
rable court, respectfully state that we
have carefully, patiently, and we be-
lieve, thoroughly investigated the condi-
ton of. the police and other matters
given US in charge, and find that, al
though supported at an enormous ex-
pense to the city of Memphis and county
of Shelby, the Metropolitan Police force
is practically impOtent in operation for
the suppression of crime; that gaming
houses are publicly open every night in
our city under the very eye of the police,
and virtually under their protection
system Of imaginary arrest but real IL
eense having been adopted by the Chief
OF Police, by which faro banks and keno
rooms, on payment OF certain sum per
week or m9nth, are exempted from
further molestStion in violation OF the
law of the land. 1t appearing
from evidence before US that this
inattention of the Chief Of Police, is su-
ny LIS uEElNiukf d5 ne uOcs
under the system mentioned above, from
houses of prostitution and gaming bells,
a large and daily increasing revenue. In
view of obtaining thorough knowledge
of the workings Of the police, this jury
requested your honor to furnish them
with two expert clerks to overhaul the
accounts OF said force, and also that OF
the City Tax Collector upon Privileges,
TO whose report, marked Exhibit A."
we call your especial attention, being
entirely too vOluminous to be shown in
this report, further than to call your at
tention to the fact that during the ex-
istence Of said police force they have paid
for lawyers fees" about $4,000 Of the
police money. The receipts as shown by
the Clerk books, from July, 1867, to
May, 1868, 1854, 766 50; disbursements,
Sl53, O94 As; balance on hand, Sl662 80 =
being all the balance shown towards
psying the debt due the State of Tonnes
see. Also your attention to that portion
Of Clerks report showing weekly and
monthly collections of fines from houses
of ill-fame and gambling houses, and
other sources of revenue. We find that
it has become the rule, rather than the |
exception, for citizens Of all classes, re-
gardless of color, to carry concealed
weapons; yet, strange to relate, evil |
dence as to the individuals lie hard to
obtain, from the simple fact that il has
become too common to attract attention. |
That dram shops are kept open on Sun !
day, and liquors not only sold in the |
suburbs, but in the very heart of the city |
of Memphis, with but rare Interruptions |
on the part of the police, who of neces- |
sity must have had cOgnizsnce Of the |
fact. That no attempt has been made on |
the part Of the police to suppress houses |
Of prostitution, except by the infliction |
of q trifiing fine, collected at certain in
tervals from the inmates of the bsgnios. |
We have visited the county Jail, and |
while fully approaching its architectu-
raj beauty, we consider the ventilation |
imperfect, in consequence of the trap |
doors OF the cells being closed and the |
scarcity of water, q positive evil. We |
find a general complaint on the part OF |
the prisoners, black and white, male !
and female, as to the quality and |
quantity Of their food, and believe |
there are causes of complaint; that the |
prisoners do not get sufficient exercise, !
and respectfully suggest that Maj. Eos |
ter has not sufficient help to enable him |
to give them the daily exercise Of an |
hour, which this jury considers posi- |
lively necessary during the summer |
months; that there are many persons |
confined in the jail that have been there |
msuy months upon frivolous charges,
and we respectfully cali the immediate |
attention OF the Attorney General to the |
feet, and that those not indicted be dis |
charged.
That we respectfully tender our thanks |
to your honor and the various officers OF |
your honorable court for the kindness |
and courtesy extended to US in our some |
what prolonged session. All of which is |
respectfully submitted. J. l.. Sharpe, |
foreman Henry E. Green, J. D. VIM |
berly, J. n. Grant, John Curk, ]. Grant, |
w. II. Seaman, B. B. RSgland, J. G. |
QlinlaD, ]. II. Merrett, w. G. Thomp- |
son, Lewis Amis, jr., ]. H. Choste,