The daily gazette., 1880-02-05
FIRST EDITION.
Grand Jsss'y's Report.

i
| THE COURT.
The Grand Jury came into the Court
room, at New Castle, yesterday evening,
having finished their labors, and made
the following report:
To the Honorable Judges OF the Court
of General Sessions of the Peace and
Jail Deifuery:
| Tue Grand Inquest of the State Of
Delaware, and the body of New Castle
county, inclosing their term Of service,
sould say TO the Court that they have
endeavored to fail hfully perform the du-
ties prescribed to them by the laws Of
the State.
They have reported all violations OF
the law coming To their knowledge have
returned as true bills all indictments,
when IN their opinion the evidence was
strong enough to warrant them In so do
ing, and ignored all they believed the
testimony insufficient 10 sustain.
During the year they have acted on
1928 indictments; returned as true bills
274 and ignored 81.
They would say to the Court that
they deeply regret the fact that so many
of the cases coming before them have
been Of such light and trivial nature;
the cons derati0I OF which has consumed
the time Of the Court aud thereby in
creased the. burden Of taxation to the
people.
ADVICE TO THE COURT.
We would in nowise desire that any
of our citizens should suffer serious
wrong In person or property, and be de-
nied redress In our Courts OF Justice.
But there are so many cases every
year coming befo our Courts that might
be settled by the parties or their coun-
sells aud no serious loss accrue to any
one. In view Of this fact we appeal TO
the people, to the counsellOrs, TO the
Court, aud TO all who may possess any
influence Ia this matter, to discourage
and discountenance all resorts to the
Courts of Justice for the settlement of
differences betw cen our citize 8, believing
equity will be as fully satisfied and the
public will be relieved of an onerous
weight of taxation.
We desire TO call the attention of the
Court 10 the fact Of the present recur-
renee of indictments against the same
parties. The indictments of the same
parties at almost every term of Court
would seem to indicate that their pun
ishment had not been severe enough TO
deter them from these nefarious prac-
tees. We regard these viOlators Of the
law with abhOrrence, believing their ex-
! ample to be altogether iawless, hurtful
and subversive 70 the morals and peace
Of society. We would suggest TO the
Court the propriety of visiting on the
convicted offenders the full measure OF
punishment allowed by the provisions of
the law.
: THE AIMS HoUsR.
r During the month Of September the
Grand Jury visited the County Aims
House. They report that they found
: things In good order the house clean
and healthful; the inmate kindly cared
for, and the establishment such as TO
show that New Castle county has been
very fortunate In the selection Of the
: guardians Of her poor.
IIIn the Insane Department we regret
ted to find that portion OF the building
In which the most violent we're confined,
that the rooms were small, low, badly
lighted and illy-ventilated. 1nquity in
It's different forms Is u disease that can
I not Le reached by the art of medicine,
but that its relief and cure can only be
Q effected by Influences that operate Oh
the mind. Light ventilation and all that
= conduce 70 the health and cheer.ulness
are very essential to Its relief. We wo1l1
4 recommend thaLmore spacious aud more
= comfortable buildings be erected for
these poor unfortunates, believing as we
l do, that the public and private charities
OF the people are an excellent criterion
y OF their rank in the scale of civilization
and christianity.
Z THE COUNTY JAIL.
). The Grand Jury also made their usual
n visit TO the jail. and found it In good or
n der, clear and free from disease; the
prisoners well aud securely cared for,
aud under proper discipline. There at
this time in the jail four prisoners for
life, % Others serving out terms of SEN
l. tepces; % for trial; "a imprisoned for
fines and costs before Justices of the
K Peace and for vagrancy. In view of this
Il fact, also of the crowded condition OF
our Jail. and its limited means of accom-
mediation, would IL not be wi, and ad-
= vantageous to the people of the State to
establish Stale Work house or peniten-
s tiary In which the convicted criminals
J. might be taught, and required 20 work
a at some useful trade or business, there
by lessening their expenses and fitting
them for useful citizens when their
, terms expire? The history of these in
b stitutions In other States is that they are
a self supporting, and of benefit to the
: community aL large. We would recon-
v mend that the people of this county
= urge the passage OF AN act by the Legis-
laiure, erecting an institution Of this
- kind.
|
the officers connected with 1t for the
Information aud uniform courtesy ex-
tended TO US we submit this report, sign-
I. ed ON our behalf by,
q WILLIAM Herbert, Foreman.
!. The court, Chief Justice Comegys, In
!, reply, stated that he presumed the Grand
A Jury alluded TO violators of the liquor
i law In speaking OF offenders whose
, cases were constantly recurring TO the
y courts. In many of these cases the
breakers of the law would be- indicted
I, by the Grand Jury on several charges.
= IL had been found rather better policy by
the officers of the court, where there
were several indi ctmests agaIust parties.
to take confession OF guilt and lot him
be ined in one or two cases, and enter a
noile proseQui n each of the ..others. To
II. be imprisoned would be an expense TO
" tue county, and not 80 great apunibb-
le ment TO the offenders, Tor there are n
le class of men who generally greatly DIS
:, like the payment Of money. They
- ~ make an effort to pay their fine In one
N N or two cases, where, II they were fined
10 in all, they would pay nothing. The
: violation of these laws is very fragrant,
and an in, ult to the Legislature who
framed them, and something should be
m Done to check the uDblushing violation
,g The esurt closed with the promise to
/ Hat tg.,I.