The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-04-08
pREsENTMEST OF THE GRAND JURY.
EXTRA TERM-MARCH, 1875.

Of the Eighth Judicial Circuit:
We, the Grand Jury for Anderson County
for the year 1875, ask leave respectfully to
make the following presentment:
/. We are much gratifed to state that in all
our deliberations and investigations the utmost
harmony and goodfeelng has prevailed, and
the following conclusions and suggestions ar
rived at:
9 We have visited and rigidly examined
the various County offices, viz: the Probate
Judges, Sheriff7s, Treasurer's, Clerks, County
Commissioners, Auditors and School Commits
sioner's, every one of which we find to be neat
ly and properly kept, and according to law, so
far as our information extends. We find that
to insure the safety of the funds collected by
the County Treasurer, it is absolutely impor-
tant that the County Commissioners provide
suitable safe for said Treasurer's and their own
use, and VIC recommend such action by the
Court as will accomplish that end. We further
find that the County Commissioners are greatly
in need of q secretary in which to keep their
passed by this Honorable Court authorizing
them to provide themselves with such an one
as they may deem suitable And we further
recommend that the Board of County Commits
sioners furnish Immediately to the School Com
missioner record book or journal.
3. We find that the Court Room is in a very
filthy condition and nearly without a carpet,
and therefore recommend that new carpet
be at once provided, the Room thoroughly
cleansed, the seats more conveniently arranged,
and that the special attention of the officers in
whose charge the Court Room has been entrus-
ted by law, be called to the propriety of keeping
it more neatly in the future.
4. We do not desire to be captious or fault
finding, but we think it our right to inquire of
the Court why it is that we are required to seek
a room, at an additional expense upon the
County, outside the cover of the Court House.
We notice that the Clerk has three rooms, the
Sheriff and Probate Judge two each, and we
think it great injustice that we be forced to
travel backward and forward through the rain
to find shelter during our deliberations in be-
half of the County. We mention this in the
hopes of securing the interposition of the
Court in our behalf
5. We have visited the Jail, and find it neat
ly kept the prisoners we'll pleased with their
treatment, and speak in high terms of the
Jailor We also find two or three leaks from
the roof the fence in the rear of the Jail in a
dilapidated condition, the garden fence in q
worthless condition, and recommend that the
said fencing be repaired with good heart lunl'
ber, and that the leaks be thoroughly stopped
The garden fence especially needs rebuilding
and we recommend a paling fence out of good
heart lumber, and of sufficient height to keep
out thieves, of whose depredatons much com.
plant has been made to us.
6. a committee of our body visited the Poor
House, and it is our unfortunate and humilia-
ting duty to state that the home of our helpless
poor is shame and disgrace to Anderson
County, and even to human civilization
Nothing is comfortable or convenient. The
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thoroughly wet, as we were informed by the
inmates in the interior during rains. The in
mates complain for want of medical attention
The garden is entirely too small, it should be
at least an acre in area, whereas it is only a
quarter of an acre. The physician should visit
the inmates oftener than he is reported as hav-
ing visited them, and should keep them furn-
ished with little camphor-the old especially
desire this. We find the farm very poor and
badly located one-rolling and too far from the
village-and we suggest to the County Com
missioncrs the propriety of negotiating sale
of said farm if favorable opportunity should
present itself, and Of procuring more suitable
one. The inmates are we'll fed and maj jority
of them we'll clad-the most needy being the
worst clothed. Three of the inmates are fit
subjects for the Lunatic Asylum, and we sug-
gcst that they be brought before the Probate
Judge and their condition legally investigated.
Some of them, we have good reason to believe:
are required to work when, in the opinion OF
the Grand Jury, they are unable to.
7. We have inquired particularly into the
conduct of the Trial Justices and Constables,
and fear that a majority of them fail grievously
to do their duty as required by law. They fire.
quently try cases that ought not to be tried
aud ignore cases that should be investigated
and they are sometimes very patronizing upon
such as stir up business for them. In some
cases, we have reason to fear, they do not re-
turn all the fines they collect, and we reccln-
mend that an act be passed requiring the Trial
Justices to make full statement of the pro-
ccedings in their office, and return the same to
this Court at least ten days before each of its
regular sessions, for the inspection of the Grand
Jury and the Court. In some cases they are
known to have purchased whiskey from itine-
rant peddlcrs Of liquor, when it was their duty