The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-02-01
Report of the Grand Jury.

To His Honor, the Judge of the 9Th Ju-
dfcial District, of the State of LOuisi-
ana, holding Court in and for the par
ish of st. Landry:
The Grand Jurors, for the present
term of your Honorable Court, present
that in accordance with the charge of
your Honor, and the existing law on the
subject, they have this day visited and
carefully inspected the condition of the
Parish Prison, and have in consequence
come to the conclusion that the time has
arrived, when the present Jail should
cease to be used, and it's place supplied
by a larger, stronger and more commo-
dious building.
In making this recommendation your
Grand Jurors submit that they are aetu-
ated equally by reasons of economy to
the parish, and by feelings of humanity
towards the u~nfortunates who NAV he
confined within it's walls. When erected.
the present jail, owing to the sparse-
ness of population and to the limited
prevalence ofcrime, wasdoubtless suited
to the wants of ~theparish. But suchisnO
longer the case; population has doubled
and crime has even quadrupled. These
facts, We're the building even strong and
substantial, would necessitate at least
extensive additions. Butsuchis NOT tile
SuS0f=SA EAAS- HI ftS TOT VAAIR
past, been in q state of di~Iapidafion.
rendering it utterly unfit for n mr.
pose. Built originally of brick, like all
other buildings of the kind erected in
this VlcinItyy It's walls, in a few years,
became badly cracked.
AS far back as 1866, its condition was
such as not only to necessitate constant
repairing, and the ironing of prisoners,
but to require in addition the employ
ment Of extra guards, day and night, to
prevent the escape of prisoners, at a
heavy expense to the parish. The walls,
the doors, the locks, the hinges on the
doors and windows are MI so old and
defective as to require constant repair,
whilst the blacksmith has to be called
in, time an again, every month, to iron
or uniron prisoners. A~ggregating to-
gether. all the sums thus expended, and
wesfeel satisfied, that il the last eve
wears, the sum total will be found nearly
III mot quite sufficient to have erected a
new Jail, adapted to MI the wants of the
parish.
Like all other brick houses in this
climate, its walls and cages are neees-
sarily damp, whilst the roof is so defect
i've that every hard rain ~sufices to food
its floors and drench it's inmates. In
winter it is an ice-house, in summer a
bake oven-flled with a nOisesome
stencil, despite every effort of the keeper
to keep it clean. Parties of weak con-
stitution confined in such q place, for
any considerable length of time ma
well bid adieu to hope, because if tried
and acquitted, they must necessarily
have their general health shattered and
wrecked, and return amongst their fell
low men to- be afterwards objects of
pity and charity.
The presumption Of law lis that every
man is innocent of the offence charged
against him until the contrary is proven.
The natural cOFOllary of this proposition
is that during his Incarceration. pending
his frial, he ought to hAatreated with all
the humanity compatible with his safe
keeping.
But how can the keeper of this den,
(for 1t can be called nothing else treat
prisoners with that humanity and kind
ness, which we all know the prOmptings
of his heart would dictateg He must
either Immediately on receiving pris-
0ner manacle or iron him, and forcehim
at night TO sleep IN q damp, cold. un-
healthy, noisesame cell, 0rturn him loose
to STAY at discretion, and pending his
own pleasure, confined within walls
through which he can pick his way in a
few hours with even a pocket knife.
Tie compel q party accused OF crime to
languisli, us il often thecase, formonths
in such a den as this. alternately frozen
in winter, on roasted in summer, is, in
oar opinion, b refinement of baTharity.
not at all in keeping with the humane.
and christian civilization Of the age.
I'M conclusion, we consider the present
jail an eyeseTe and q nuisance, which
should be no longer tolerated, and on
the score of economy and humanity re-
commend that the Police jury dc once
take into consideration the expedieney
and pr0priety of caHsinga new and suit
able jail to be erected.
There are at present-prisoner con-
fined in jail. They complain, as might
be expected Of men confined in such q
place, during the mclement season
through which we are now passing.
They all unite in saying that the Sher-
ice and his deputies treat them with all
the humanity and kindness possible an
der the circumstances, and as star as their
treatment IS concerned make 40 com
plaint.
Respectfully submitted,
B. CUSHMAN,