Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-07-18
THE GRAND JURY.
The Report to the Judge Of the
Municipal Court.
An Able and Comprehensive DOcu-
ment.


state. While the laws has wisely pro-
vided that no one shall be lightly de-
prived of his liberty or life, it has with
equal wisdom provided that he who
would contemplate the commission Of
crime shall be deferred therefrOm by
the knowledge of sure and speedy
punishment. We think that with the
experience our county has gone
through in the last month, that
rogues and rascals will steer clear of
our city. Never has there been a time
in several years, that so great a num-
p%enitentiary. We only hope our
courts may continue to be prompt and
efficient in the prosecution Of those
who violate our laws there.
A WORK HOUSE NEEDED.
There is nothing needed so much as
a Work House. All youthful offenders
black and white, are now sent to Jail
indiscriminately no chancefor reform
and at a heavy expense to our already
overburdened taxpayers.
INMATES OF THE COUNTY JAIL.
It'll with pleasure that we can state
to taxpayers and balance Of our
county, that the number Of criminals
now in jail compared with the reports
a year ago, are less than hall, and at
the present rate of trying them, are
being reduced daily.
TOO MANY JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
One of the greatest curses with
which we are afflicted is the great
number of Justices of the Peace and
their swarm of satellites in the shape
of deputy cOnstabIes. With near thirty
magistrates and one hundred deputy
| cOnstables it is a wonder that our city
is not worse of. There are some few
exceptions to this statement, hoWeYer.
THE COUNTY JAZZ.
We made thorough examination of
the new county Jail, and find it, in
every respect, in a good eondi-
ton. 1t is clean and well discip-
lined, and properly conducted.
In regard TO the building itself,
having stood nearly two years,
we are enabled to speak more crit
ically than we could on its first COM
| pletiOn. This lapse of time would be
sufficient to show defective work,
faulty and insufficient foundations,
bad masonry and irregular work; but,
after a close examination, we find it
in a good state Of preservation, prov
ing, in u minds, that where, as q
general thing in such buildings, the
proper stability Of the work is neg
lected, in this case great care and SUI
pervisiOn has been taken, which re-
fleets great credit on the architect in
charge.
We notice that the Board of County
Commissioners are having tagging
laid down in the area Of the cell
building, (instead of brick, first laid
dOwnGa cOmmendable improve
ment-and on inquiring why it was
not originally laid down, we find that
in the original specification of the ar
chitect, Mr.. James b. Cook, it was
specified to be done, and in these
words: I" Flagging to be laid not less
than four inches thick, sawed on both
sides and dressed on the edges, laid in
courses and well grOuted with hot ce-
ment-the whole to be laid on
a firm bed-tO be laid in basement,
big hall and whole vacant space
of cell building" We find that the
/ original Commissioners for the work
ordered a certain amendment. that
oNNtAOA Orf pavement VI b1lGh llSltsll
Of stone tagging, which never ought
to have been, as the result proves,
birck in such a position being useless.
We find it the custom in all build
ings of this character, that it is the
business Of the engineer of the jail,
with his assistants, to do all the need
ed repairs in and about the building,
such as gas fitting and plumbing,
and iron work generally, and we can
not see why In this case the en0ineer
of the jail does not attend to It, in
stead of employing outside assistance,
thereby increasing Jail expenses. The
-Yentilator Of the Jail we find most ex-
c~ellent, proving the plan adopted by
the architect perfect.
In regard to security, there can be
no question on that point, and be-
lieve the guards unnecessary. The
Jail Except its cost has well proven
itself, up to this time, to be a credit
to the county OF Shelby, and an honor
to the architect, James b. Cook. >
The prisoners look well. Some COM
plant vas made which might be ex- !
pected. We found one hundred pris-
onerS confined, for various offences.
During the month of June, we find
that there were admitted, upon vari-
ous charges, twenty-three whites and
tifty-two colored persons.
From the amounts appropriated by
the County Commissioners for guards !
for the Jail and other expenses, ii is
certainly aSIery costly establishment
to our county.
FEEpINC PRISONERS.
The county still pays the same price,
fifty cents a day, cash, for feeding
prisoners. eve think forty cents q
day, the old price, is sufficiently, as the
only way we ever expect to get out Of
debt is TO reduce our expenses. We
certainly know Of no better place than
to suggest a commencement az the
Jail.
UNAUTHORIZED EXPENDITURES.
We find the County Commissioners
are paying, or at least are making APP
preparations, for various offices, in
guards of the jail; also for
fuel that is used about the Jail, and
other appropriations too numerous to
mention, that we are of the opinion
that the law would not sustain them.
are glad to see that proceedings
nave been commenced, and hope they
will be continued, until all matters
pertaining to our COUNTY affairs shall
be overhauled, and those who have
committed thewrOngs be brought to
NO RETURNS FROM MAGISTRATES.
We find upon an examination of
the Trustees report that but few Mag
have made reports of State
cases or fines collected, the law re-
curing them to report the collection
of all fines monthly.
CONCLUSION.
After a protracted session of more
than a month, and after investi-
a great many minor Of
we now draw our labors
to a close by returning our thanks
to your Honor, the Attorney General
and officers of the Court; also to the
Jailor and deputies for attentions
shown us at the Jail. All Of which is /
respectfully submitted. ,
TSigned] VIM. Mcdonald, Foreman.
Oscar j. Prescott, /
J. w. Watering; !
S. A. Norton, /
j. Banks, :
w. z. Paul, I