Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-04-23

An addition of forty feet to the Dray-
ton street side of the court house is
recommended, with rooms below for the
use Of the Ordinary and Clerk of the Supe-
rlor Court, and above for jury, Sheriff and
Solicitor. The court room to be enlarged
by the removal of the gallery, and onVert-
ing the present jury and Sheriff rooms and
court room into one spacious apartment.
THE JAIL.
In regard to this institution, which has
been q source OF so much serious consider
alton, the grand jury recommend that the
County Commissioners confer with the city
authorities and ascertain If they cannot Sc
cure the present site, and with the proceeds
OF the said lots and buildings, together with
the funds in hand, build a more suitable
building on a portion of the land near the
police barracks, or any other place that can
be had reasonably.
H CONDITION OF THE JAIL AND CONVICT
CAMP.
The committee who inspected the county
jail reported the number of prisoners in
confinement rs, of which 9 are temporarily
held for other counties, Al are at work in
the convict gang, leaving 80 prisoners In
jail. The management and treatment of the
prisoners is highly satisfactory, but 1t is
recommended that more attention be given
to the sanitary condition of the yards and
outbutldings. An inspection of the convict
camp showed forty are prisoners. The
discipline, ~rations, quarters and treatment
OF the convicts was found of a fairly salts
factory character, but as the warm weather
approaches a more liberal use of anti scar
butics is recommended.
H M%AGIsTERIAL SYSTEM.
The committee who examined the books
of the various magistrates, reported that
they found the books of Magistrates Molina,
Isaac Russell, Warlng Russell, Jr., Mcleod
King, 5. ElsiDger and FL. Bieber, correct
and exceptionally well kept, and evidencing
a thorough knowledge of the requirements
of the law.
The books of Magistrates JEFF Roberts.
NJ. Naughtin, W. H. Woodhousa and j. T.
Buckner were found correct and according
to law.
The books of Magistrates Z. l.. Strickland
and W. H.. Matthews show some minor OBJ.
J%ections, due to want of experience and a
proper knowledge of their duties, which the
committee think will not appear in the
future.
The books Of Magistrate James Dooner
are In a very unsatisfactory condition, due,
as the committee believe, to the fact that
Mr.. Dooner has been an invalid for four
months.
The books of Magistrate ]. P. Fogarty
are Illegally and badly kept, showing q per-
feet ignorance Of his duties, and, in one in
stance, the adjudication of an offense I'M
known to the laws of Georgia. There is
scarcely a case on his criminal docket that
does not show a violation of the law, and
the committee present him as a fit subject
for the immediate attention of the Solicitor
General.
Magistrate w. R. Pritchard, Jr., did not
present his books for examination, through
some Misrepresentation as to the time of
meeting.
"a LAME AND TMPoTENT CONCLUSION"
The committee In closing, say: "The
foregoing report seems to our mind "a lame
and impotent conclusion and one that falls
far short Of the object intended by the law.
Still, 1t is all our examination could furnish.
The docket of a Justice of the Peace shows |
what is upon 1t solely, and fails to give evil |
dence Of any wrong doing; though the facts, |
were they obtained, might present
an array OF evidence that would
conclusivelY prove the unitness
of many who act as officers of the law.
We do not wish to leave the impression that
there have been Irregularities, but simply to
say that, II there had been, the grand jury
have no means of finding them out. Ger
tainly no one but a lunatic would record an
illegality upon his docket that would de- |
prive him of his office, and punish him for
his ~offense, and If a Justice purposely
omitted entering a case on his docket, how |
could the committee know ii? Suppose he
collected illegal or excessive costs we could
know nothing of it from the records, for his
entry mo costs collected would convey no
suspicion Of wrong"
The committee, in conclusion, deem 1t
their duty to call attention to the large mum
Der Of trivial cases shown from the dockets
they have just examined, and to present the
matter as an evil not anticipated when the
law was made and as one that should be
abated by additional legislation. A large
number OF our population, particularly
among the colored citizens, have
been educated in the belief that
In a Justice Court they can find q re-
dress for all their domestic grievances and
trifing chickering's with their neighbors, and
In this view they are encouraged, aided and
abetted by the friendly esquire" who mag
mites their wrongs and grows fat upon
costs for warrants and cross warrants, wrurg
from the scanty purses of the ignorant and
poor. There are exceptions, no doubt, to
this disposition to encourage strife and liti-
cation, but scarcely enough to alter the gen
eral rule, and the committee are of the
opinion that were these courts barred to |
those who presented cases solely to crafty
private spleen and personal ends, a tenth of
those now employed would be quite suffi-
Client to adjudicate all cases that should be
properly and legally brought before them.
The whole system is criminally bad, because
1t encourages strife that often leads to
crime and, to say the least, involves in liti-
cation a class in our community that can
lily afford such an expensive luxury.
PUBLIC ROADS.
Louisville and Ogeechee roads are In fair
order, except some washes from rain. Isle
OF Hope road beyond the shell road is In bad
condition; also the road from Montgomery
to White Bluff road; the White Bluff road is
In fair order. The salt water bridge on this
road, about ten miles from the city, is In q
very unsafe condition, and should be at
tended to at once to prevent accident and
thereby expense to the county. One of the
supervisors of this road reports that the
foundation of the bridge near the church
will soon need attention; also that he finds
difficulty In getting hands out To work the