The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1873-12-06
OF THE GRAND JURY


ma, Il. 4.
Your Grand Jury impannelled
and sworn for this term Of Court,
neg to submit the following as
their final report:
We have found one o. true
bill for the crime OF murder, one
IN true bill for assault with in
lent to do great bodily harm.
We have examined into. and ig-
nored one O. case of highway
robbery, one o. case of assault
with deadly weapon with intent
to do great bodily harm, one O|
case of resisting an officer, one (DI
case of burglary and robbery.
Committees appointed ont of
our body visited and examined
the different County offices and
found them all properly kept and
the records plain and easy Of ac-
cess. We would reccOmend that
the Clerk of District Court Occu-
py the office provided for him by
the County in the courthouse
building, and that the Board Of
Supervisors have a vault con-
structed in the court house build
ing for the safe-keeping Of all
important County records, that
until such vault be built, night
Waterman be employed at county
expense.
We Investigated the cause Of
escape Of certain prisoners from
the Cou ty Jail, and our opinion
is, had a night guard been on
duty at the time, the escape
could not have been made.
The Sheriff Informs us that ap-
plication was made by him, prior
to the occurrence, to the Board Of
Supervisors, for him to be allowed
to employ such guard, but they
refused TO provide for one. APP
plication was also made to the
Board Of Territorial Prison Direc-
tors to be allowed to employ a
guard at Territorial expense for
the guard of Territorial! prisoners,
who are confined ut this Jail, but
that they refused to Sanction-sach
act. --
While believing as above stated
that the breaking of Jail might
have been prevented by the pres
ence Of night-gUard, We cannot
entirely ayone~ate the officers in
charge ofjail, from the charge q
negligence in the performance ~
their duties, they do not seem to
have examined the jail and per,
sons of the prisoners frequently
enough, and the fact that they
allowed the prisoners to have and
retain a razor always within the
j til is certainly reprehensible in
the highest degree to say the
least. The razor served as one Of
the instruments used in efecting
the escape, and might, in case af
need, have proved formidable
weapon.
Since the escape, more care and
vigilance have been observed, and
the Jail appears at the present
time to be properly managed,
with the exception that it would
certainly be better to employ
Tailor and not have the Under
Sheriff fill two positions in order
that he may be paid by the C0un-
| ty and not the Sheriff.
We would recommend the
chain gang be discontinued and
the money used to pay their
guard be applied toward pay ing
a night, guard for the jail. The
Territory ought certainly to pay
their proportion of expense in
cured for night guard. When
Territorial prisoners are confined
in the County Jail, without a
night-guard there is no certainty
of holding persons convicted or
charged with crime as the Jail, is
not nor never can be secure.
We find that salaries of the
JailOr and guard has been for
sometime SIS 90 each per month,
but that they have each received
county scrip amounting to $3.50 90
each per month to cover such
salaries it being claimed that
scrip is only worth fifty (50) cents
on the doliar,-and there appears
to be an inclination o regulate
these payments in scrip accord.
ing to the fuctuatins value of
these securities; this we consider
wrong; let these officials be paid
a reasonable fixed salary payable
in county scrip without reference
to fluctuations.
We examined the County.
Buildings in connection with
plans and specifications tor their
construction, and find that they,
as far as possible, have been erect
ed in accordance with the con
tract.
We desire to express our thanks
to his honor, the Judge and the
District Attorney for assistance
rendered us, and to our foreman
and clerk for the manner in which
they have discharged their du-
ties.
Your Grand Jury, having com
l..o1I +hoir lahOrS onI ,l