The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-10-18
Miscellaneous.
GRAND JURY REP oRT.
SEPTEMBER TERM, 1873.

GRAND jury ROOM,
TowsoNTowN, October 9th, 1878.
To the Honorable Judges of the Circuit Court Of
Baltimore county Gentlemen:
NTHIL it may have been said that the SEES
w sion of the present Grand Jury has been
an unusually long one, if your Honors will take
the trouble to inform yourselves, you will find
there has been an unprecedented amount of
business before us, having Investigated and
docketed 17S case, I'VE have examined 322 wit
nesses-and YOU know the great difficulty
Grand Jury has in getting witnesses before
them, many residing in the city-we are salts
rcd you viii not think we have been neghgD
We have found 76 True Bills, dismissed 1O3
cases, released 10 prisoners from jail, and re-
ferred to the next Grand Jury cases.
We would most respectfully suggest a change
in our license system. The great increase Of
crime is attributable to the use of intoxicating
drink, and it is high time that all good citizens
should awake to the Importance OF suppressing
this great and growing evil which is rapidly
running the youth of the land.
We visited the Jail, and we are full y satisfied
with the regulations OF this Institution under
the management of our very efficient Sheriff,
Samuel ]. Robinson, Esq. We found the insti-
tuition, in all parts, scrupulously clean and neat
and learned from the prisoners themselves, that
they were we'll cared for and kindly treated
We would suggest to the County Commission
ers the necessity of bracing or strengthening
the railing of some of the corridors where the
prisoners daily walk for exercise and air, as in
its present condition it is dangerous to life.
We also had the honor, upon invitation of the
County Commissioners, to visit the Aims House,
now known by the name of "Upland Home"
where is just completed new house for the
poor and infirm of our county. AS this was
the first time this completed structure has been
visited by any official body, we deem it prop
er to express our opinion in full regarding it.
We found the location beautiful and healthy,
situated on a high hill overlooking q charming
country, surrounded by forest trees of natural
growth, supplied with an abundance of pure
water, and altogether place where even the
most fastidious of us might be willing to locate
his own mansion. On this delightful spot is
erected a building worthy the location. In
company of the Commissioners and builders,
we examined infinitely every portion of this
building. We found it complete in every par
ticuiar; large enough for present and future
purposes capable of accommodating all who
NAV call upon us for shelter and support for
years to come. The rooms are light airy and
comfortable, arranged in a manner t" make
the whole easy of management and conducive
to the cheerfulness and health of the inmates
1t has every convenience and appointment any
institution of the kind should have, such as
heating, cooking apparatus, bath rooms, clos
cts, gas, water and ventilations, all arranged in
institution, plain but neat, put up i'll the most
substantial manner. The contractors and
builders deserve great credit for the faithful
fulfilment of their contracts.
We desire here to express our high apprecia-
ton of the good taste, judgment and integrity
of the County Commissioners as has been ex-
hibited in the construction and completion of
this work. Theirs has been no easy task that
of expanding public money under the eye of
public mstrustful and suspicious. Subject to
the criticisms and proHered advice OF many
who are incompetent to judge of such matters
yet they have been answering in their duty,
and it is a pleasure in these times of extrava-
gance and populations to fad chat this institu-
ton has been completed in every particular
and now ready for occupation and all done at
cost within the first appropriation made for the
purpose, viz: sixty thousand dollars.
During our session we were somewhat sur
prised that charges of very grave char
acter were made against our worthy Clerk
and efficient assistant, of this Circuit Court
Without shrinking from the responsibility i'm
posed upon US, we desire to state that we have
made thorough, full and complete examine
ton of persons and records as far as time and
opportunity would admit of and we feel some
pride in being able to say that we found the
whole charge groundless and take great pleas
ure in exculpating them from every faint of
suspicion against their characters as honestand
trustworthy gentlemen.
Having now completed our labors we would
most respectfully ask 10 be discharged.
Respectfully Submitted,
LEWIS j. ROBERTS,
Foreman.
Oct. 11.-3t.