The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1872-12-20
REPORT
OF tina
RAND JURY.
On the c"ndit;ot ui the
AlmShOuse and Jail.
NOVEMBER TERN.
GRAND jury Room,
December IAN, 1872.
Io the Uonorabie tie Judqes
NONENBER TERN.
GRAND jury Room, !
December IAN, 1872. (

bereWoT IAN, 1877.
To tie Uonorable tie Judqes
9fth" Circuit Court for Hartoyd Ceuhtg:
In compliance with the law the Grand
Jury OF Hartford county for the November
Term, 1872, beg leave to submit the follow
ing Report
We in the discharge of our duties have
/ examined 1876 witnesses; have found Al
indictments, including those for the high
est crimes clown to those known and rec.
ogniZed as misdcmcanors Numerous in
fractions Of the laws have been brought ,o
our hotice, which for want Of adequate
testimony have been left unpr sentcd, but
! which we believe if they bad been followed
up in the spirit which seemed to actuutc
the perpetrators would have resulted in
indictments against the parties charged.
We have had numerous reports and seri
! "ns and seemingly well grounded com
plants ct the carrying to an unlawful and
di ger"us extent the hitherto Joyous and
. lnnacent enioymcnts of "Halow Eve"
! Whilst we do not condemn and would not
attempt to circumscribe or limit the ration
al enjoyment Of the tcasts which have come
down to us as our common heritage, we
cannot too strongly reprobate what seems
to have grown into II license of endunpcr-
ing human life and destroying property,
under the unrestrained eXubcrunce ofyouth,
or the prcteXt which such occasions afford
for the qualification of private malice or
personal revenge. Such acts should call
for, at tho hands of future CIR md Jurjes the
consideration which their Importance de-
mands, and which we were only deprived
Of by the adroltncss ofthe perpetrators and
the indisposition ON the part Of their nciyh.
bors to prosecute.
We hope this reblkc may save them from
future prosecution, and those whose lives
have been endangered and whose proprrtv
has been wantonly and maliciuusly destroy
ed from the consequences ofther unrestrain-
Ell enjoy ment and their unbridled license.
We have IN accortlaEc with the require.
mrnts OF the law visited the A mshousc a, d
the JAN. 1t IS unnecessary, and pcrhaI
but Plagiarism, to call the attention oflhr
authorities to the unsutublencss of these
two institutions, which have been reported
AS nulSancrs by the Grand jury for IL num-
Der OF years. But we cannot fOrbrar to
commend the excellent management, the
strict discipline, the kind and humane
treatment OF the worthy ovelsecr Of the
poor unfortunate who are forced To seek
! an nsy lnm cve! IN q Hartford County Aims
| house.
Their number, as reported to us by the
manager, is %, comprising . white men,
. white women, | white child, : negro
women, 4 negro children and negro man.
We are compelled to call the attention
of the properly constituted authorities t.
the dilapidatcd condition of the novels
properly denominated Poor House, and
would respectfully urge upon them, by everv
consideration, that "The poor We ALWAYS
have amongst you, to erect at once-with
out regard to the legislative enactment Of
those who wear purple and fine liucn-suit
able buildings for the poor unfortunates,
whose necessities have forced them to be-
come wards OF the county. Economy, if
not humanity, would dictate to every tax
payer the improvdcnce of keeping, with
the consequent necessity for increased food
and fuel for their maintenance, "men who
wear, the same image" in apartments in
which they would mt winter their STALL
fed cattle.
The Jail, if anything is worse than the
Poor House, "badly constructed. imperfect
ly ventilated, with no ray of light, it is
indeed prison." and as such is Il blot upon
the age and country in which we live.
The innocence which the law presumes
here finds a loathsome dungeon, a Bastilc,
which would, in most cases, be gladly ey-
changed for even the felon's doom confine.
ment in the Penitentiary
We hereby present it as disgrace to the
age and II nuisance to the county. Its
counterpart exists only in the legends of
the Black Hole of Calcutta.
We would respectfully suggest and rec
ommend to your Honors the propricty of
appointing Jantor for the Court House,
whose duty it shall be to attend to the
building, keeping it clean and in order,
make the fires during Court and at other
times when required experimenting the
grounds and keeping them in proper con-
dition.
We also recommend the erection 0ra
water closet for the convenience of Jurors
and OF hers having business with the Court
and the public offices.
We also beg leave TO call the attention
your Honors to the propriety of making
some suitable accommodation for the COM
tort OF the witnesses awaiting the call of
the Grand Jury, 10y placing a stove in the
Hall, or partitioning off the Hall in suit
able and proper manner, at your Honors'
discretion.
We cannot close this report without
thanking the Court for the uniform kind
ness and torbearance exercised toward us
in the discharge ofour duties the prompt
ness with which our feeblcness and imper-
fections have been aided by the Court.
whenever solicited and all the officers of
the Court for their efficiency in the dis.
charge of their respective duties.
Yours, most respectfully,
B. H. HANSON, JR.,