Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1882-03-31
Report of the Grand Jury.

To the Honorable Judges Of the Circuit Court
for the County Of Montgomery:
The Grand Jurors of the State of Mary
land for the body Of Montgomery county
beg leave TO report to your Honors that they
have completed all the business brought be-
fore them-impartially indicted all violators
of the law where the evidence has been clear
and conclusive, but when in their judgment
the testimony of the witnesses has been
prompted by spite or some petty quarrel
and the charges had slender foundation,
in fact, we have refused to indict, believing
it no light matter to subject citizens to the
injustice, expense and modification of being
dragged into Court on criminal charge
upon light and frivolous grounds and incur
ring useless expense to the county.
The committee visiting the Aims House
report sixteen white and thirty three colored
inmates with comfortable clothing and bed
ding, and from the statement of the Over
seer they are furnished with an abundance
OF plain but substantial food. The com
mittee commend the sanitary condition of
the building and the general management
of the property for the county's interest and
the comfort and health Of the inmates. They
fully agree that the recommendation of Dr.
Stonestreet the physician in charge, that an
addition to the building or separate one
would be desirable for the sick, but could
not advise at this time any additional outlay
on the property.
The Jury visited the Jail and found that
building In u most excellent sanitary condi-
ton, well whitewashed, no dirt or filth on
any part OF it, or any unpleasant odors on
any part OF the premises, and from the looks Of
the prisoners we should judge they were
"A N;.x;l. ,,cM NJ tNfx al,t,rx NIn
jailor, on the inside and his dog Schneider
ON the outside, in the opinion of the jury,
escape OF any OF them is almost impossible
Charges were laid before US of several par
ties who had violated the local option law,
and witnesses by whom it could be proven,
but when summoned before the jury, suffi-
cient evidence could not be obtained to base
All indictment, we will not say not guilty,
but not proven.
To Judge from the report of the consta-
bles in their several bailiwicks the degree Of
peace and good will that reign throughout
the county betokens near approach of the
millennium.
Obeying the instructions of your Honers
that it was our duty to inquire into the Off
cia conduct of all officers of the county,
from the Judges of the Circuit Court down,
il affords us great pleasure to say that we
have no personal knowledge, nor has it been
brought " the notice Of the Grand Jury by
any one, that any officer of the county, from
your Honors down to the lowest official,
have neglected: any of their duties, but all
have promptly and efficiently discharged
them.
In conclusion, we feel certain your Hon
ors will rejoice with the Grand Jury that
the good order Of the county has so increased
that it was found necessary to find but nine
bills of ndictment-possibly the smallest
number for any Term Of Court in the his
tory Of the county for the last twenty years
WALTLR M. TALBOT,
March 25, 1882 Foreman.