The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1871-01-06
Report Of the Grand Jury---No-
yember Term, 1870.

was nevertheless characterized by
harmony, feeling that they have
faithfully and eonseientiously dis
charged the duties devolving upon
them as inquisitors for the body
Of the county aforesaid, would re-
specially report, that, while We
have found quite a number of bills
and prescntInents, We are gratified
to state that the majority of them
have been for misdemeanors and
minor offenscs, such as carrying
pistols, etc. There have been, al
together, sixty-six bills and pre-
sentiments. OF this number there
! arc only ten indictments, mostly for
] assault and battery. forty-ninc pre-
sentiments for carrying pistols, four
for disturbing public worship, and
three for keeping lewd houses.
The Jury find upon diligent in
quiry into the public reads that
they have been generally worked,
and, located as they are amid the
hills and rough places of our coun-
ty, are in comparatively good con
dition.
The Jury visited in a body the
County Jail under the direction of
the affablc and efficient Sheriff and
Jailor, Col. d. II. Parsons, and feel
constrained to say that they have
never inspected public institution
! Of this kind that was more neatly
and decently kept. The Jail is thor
oughly whitcwashcd from ceiling
to cellar, and disinfectamts are mp
piled to the cells daily, so that there
is not the least perccptible smell
about them. The Jury found the
prisoners cheerful and evidently
comfortable, and all of them unit
cd in acknowledging that Col. Par
sons had discharged his duty to.
them.
In regard to the Poor House, the
Jury would report that they found
twenty-one inmates in charge of Mr.
Strickland, whom We believe has
faithfully and efficiently discharged
his duties, and whom, assisted by
the present Board of Commission
crs and a recent appropriation Of
the County Court, has made i'm
provements in the buildings, and
We believe, placed the institution
nearly upon a selfsustaining basis.
We would, however, still recon-
mend some Improvements upon the
buildings used by the paupers, par
ticularly in the way of repairing
the floors. We would further re-
commend that soISe necessary cook.
ing utensils be purchased for the
stove used; which is itself in good
oTder, but almost entirely destitute
Of vessels. The keeper reported to
US that he had sailed 1920 pounds
of pork, had on hand forty head of !
hogs, seventy-fye barrels Of corn,
I24 bushels of wheat, several hun
dred bundles of fodder, two dou-
bic stacks of hay, and had sown
123 bushels wheat for next years
crop.
The Jury visited in body the
offices of the County Trustee, Reg
ister, County Court Clerk, Clerk
and Master of the Chancery Court. !
They we're able to give the books
of these Offices only a superficial |
examination, not having time suf- |
ficient at their command to make a
thorough one, but so far as they |
coul3 go the result was satisfacto- |
~.
a careful examination of the
bonds of the county officers, mag |
istrates and constabIes was made, !
and the security in all cases was
found TO be ample.
The Jury take pleasure in com
mcnding the efficiency and courtesy |
of our whole corps of county Off
GERS, and the happy manner in which
they despatch public business.
Complaints have been made in re-
gard to the distribution of the
school fund, and while We believe |.
there has been some mismanage-
ment in the application of that fund |
(somc districts having received
monies while others have not, and !
in one. instance a teacher in Law
renee county received part of the
Giles county fund J. and while this
may perhaps be attributable to the
vagueness OF the law on the subject, |
still We recommend that this matter
be investigated. The Jury make no +
accusations here against any official
having charge of this fund disbursc-
ment, but only make general sug-
gestions.
The jury cannot close this report
without acknowledging the efiieien-
cy and courtesy Of our lately elect
ell Attorney General, Capt. Jos. Ii.
Russell, with whom we have been
brought into official contact. Cap
tain Russell, we believe is eminent
~ qualified for his position, and as
the Attorney of the Public, knows
how to temper the severity of his
official duties with the truest social