Daily Republican., 1878-12-05
fran YsstszAay's Late Edisnsa. !
OUR CCTNTY COURT.
NEw CASTLE, Dec. 4th, 1878,

The application tor a new trial in
the case OF William Carr VS.. Robert
Flanagan garnishee of Robert Lee,
made by Charles b. Lore, Esq, was
discharged by the court,
Alfred McCrackin was arraignrd
for the larceny of five stencil brands
from William c. Prnnypacker. He
pleaded mot guilty"
A jury was drawn and tn. cas-. went
to trial. TIE evidence taken went TO
establish the fat that the stencils had
been stolen from the mill OF Mr.. Penny
packer by some one, but nothing was
adduced to fix the guilt directly upon
the prisoner. MoCrackin had been seen
stamping something back OF the mill
upon the day the articles were stolen,
and the possession of the stencils was
traced to him by the evidence of Charles
Lamb who purchased them at his junk
shop for twenty five cents Of McCrackin.
The jury rendered verdict OF not
guilty.
owing to flaw in the indictment
against Harley q. Brown the witnesses
on the part of the State We're all re-
summoned and are in attendance this
morning. The flaw referred to is this:
The indictment reads 'No. 81" when
it should be- "No. IT," The paper was
corrected and Harley g. Brown was re-
arraigned.
Applications for divorce between
G-orgiana and Jacob A. Muhl and Div.
and Elwood C.. Hill were granted.
TIL" Grand Jury having finished is
business it came into Court about Il
o'clock aud was discharged.
Tn" report Of the Grand Inquest is as
follows
TO THE HONORABLE, THE JUDGES OF THE
COURT OF OYER AND TERMISER AND THE
COURT or GENERAL SESSIONS OF THE
PEACE AND JAIL DELIVERY or THE STATE
OF DELAWARE, SETTING IN AND FoR NEW
CASTLE COUNTY.
The grand jury of New Castle cOun
ty, for TIA" present year (lS7s), respect
fully report that at the May term W"
had before US fifty two bills of indict.
ment, out Of which We returned 45 true
bills Ignoring the remaining seven, and
IT th" present term We have had before
us 10 cases, returning l09 true bills
and ignoring l3.
During the interval between terms.
~" mad" an official visit to the County
Aims House, and upon the most care
inl examination of the grounds and
buildings oi the Aims House proper, the
asylum ior the insane, and tie hospital
for the persons suffering with infection,
diseases (all under he care OF the trus
tees of the Poor of tins county, "" have
no hesitation in inprrsslug our entire |.
approval of the manner in which that
institution is conducted. we wrIe i'm |
pressed with the clean appearance |
Of the interior a. well as the exterior OF |
all these buildings ana the apparent
comfort Of the inmates, and ghlle some
Of rs have had experience in the man
agemrnt of institutions Of this kind aud !
are familiar with the condition Of simu-
lar institutions in other States, we don't |
hes tate to say that the Aln,s house of |
N"T Castle county stands SECOND 10 |
none either III this or other States
and we congratulate t.e 0Wicted and |
mtortu"at' poor Of the county upon
the ample provision which has been
made for their comfort; We have also
visited the county prison and upon
careful inquiry as 10 the condition OF
ia" prisoners as well as to the general
management Of the prison, we are
pleased IT, be able to state that the rv-
dent attention 10 the proper comfort OF
the inmates, the clean and tidy appear
ance of th" prison, deserve our highest
c0mm-ndatlon.
During the administration of some OF
our former Sheriils it was the custom to
ave 10 certain cOnvictS who are serv.
my out the sentence of the court the
liberty not only of the prison and its
enclosures, but of the town, aud in
some cases liberty without any restrain
whatever, thus practically annulnng
the prnalty prescribed by law as pun
tshm"nt tor the crime and indirectly
a prer"gativr belonging To
tn" Executive and not to tA- Sheriff,
cannot he too seriously considered -
W" learn however from til. present
oherh that lie has discontinued this
practice and that III every case convirts
to his custody will be re-.
qulred to endure the sentence Of the
Court whatever t.at may be. How much
aid these convlcts who have not been
PRISONERS may have rendered to other
ronvlcts III their efforts to escape is an :
question.
The habit of allowing the friends and
ocQuaintancrs Of prisoners to visit them
y and at all times has
obtained to an improper extent, we are
pl opinion that such visits SHOULD be
allowed only at specified times, and un. .
der lnmr,!late surveillance of the prop ,
rr officers. During the present term of ,
Court witnesses IN criminal case hay.
"e'h allo'"d to have trequcm and pri
rate Intercourse with persons charged
with tn" highest grade of crime and (
IN whose cases they wer. witnesses 7
and to say the least the siniIari
ty oi tine testimony Of witnesses enjo,
my that privilege i, suggestive fact.
and W" deem it to be our duty to con '
d"lhh thla practice in the most EN- I
phatic manner, and advise that such
means may be used as will prevent its
recurrence in the future; we were panied
to learn that for reasons deemed sutfi-
cirnt by the jail commissioners, the
work shops heretofore existing on the
premises, by means Of which many of
the prisoners had been made to contr !
butte to their own support, have been
we recommend that they
be put in operation again, as soon !, 5
the state CT the cells will permit; whcth. :