Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-01-10
OVER THE COUNTY
The Grand Jury Ranges lis Eagle BYE
What the Optic Saw in the Va
riOus Institutions.
The Inside of the P9OrhOuse, the Station
and the Jail-SOme Gratuitous
Suggestions.

Suggestions.
Yesterday afternoon the grand jury Of
Shelby county made report Of iis Inves'I-
gatious Of the various county Institutions
and wss dismissed, Judge Horrigsn thank
ing the jurors for Inc efficient discharge OF
their duties. The following is The
Report Of the Grand Jury, Bepts mber
Term. 1852.
To the Hon. l. B. Horrigan, Judge of the Grim
inal Court, Shelby County
DEAR SIR-The undersigned grand jurors
for September Term Of your honorable court,
beg leave TO submit that the duties devolving
upon them win close with the following re-
port:
Having been imp8uel, and sworn, Sep
TENDER 18, 1882, to inquire into all matters
affecting the Wel.being of the people OF
Shelby county, as we'll as the interests OF the
State in 80 far as she il represented IN said
county, and while we have endeavored 10
discharge our duty to the best Of our ability,
there ia doubtless much left undone that
should have been we'll done. But the great
diversity of human minds, and the knowl-
edge and experience Of men differ so widely
that we are often surprised 10 ind twelve or
thirteen men thrown promiscuously together
who could possibly be OF the same opinion
rs were those who composed the present
grand Jury, especially when we consider that
| there are but four OF the original thirteen
now remaining. Our intercourse with one
another and with your honor, and the at
| torney-geueral, aud his polite and stfabe
assistant, has been uniformly pleasant and
agreeable. Any information desired has
1 H. nd much z ain hlp aid IA
BEEN rendered us by Mr.. Samuel j. Weak
! ley, jr., assistant attorney neral.
| The great difficulty attending the duties Of
a grand jury is the frequent changes made
during the term, as 1T frequently happens
that link or two Of important testimony
il omitted in the examination Of witnesses,
which necessitates postponing until another
meeting, at which time jurors are excused
and new ones substituted sRnd they are not
| willing at all times 10 be governed by the
testimony adduced at former meeting, and
the new testimony only serving as con-
Meeting link to the former, renders the whole
nugstory and void.
|. During the present term there has been
presented to US the following bills OF indict-
meni, subdivided as follows: Felony csses,
las; Inisdemeanor cases, 402; total, 547.
Misdemeanor cases embrace all that are SUBJ
ect 10 fines and imprisonment, among which
NAV be specially noted that bsrbarous and
uuciviIized practice OF carrying concealed
weapons. While the grand jury has cause
TO congratulate your honor Tor the tirm and
decided stand you have taken in melting out
the deserved punishment TO all such cases
regardless OF caste, condition, wealth, OF
fame, we can but urge you TO De vigilant, at
there sre still those who think the law has
no terror for them that they are bound to
respect.
| The grand jury have quite an array o.
evidence in regard 10 he different rail
roads entering the city, which, IL
its opinion, should deserve some NOTES
at lis hands. Complaints have frequently
been made OF great carelessness, aud aPPs-
| rent unconcern OF the railroad authorities,
in permitting the running OF trains at too
great speed, thereby causing great danger
10 pedestrians and vehicles. They should
not be allowed to run at greater speed
crossing our main thoroughfsres than foul
miles per hour, and as a still further protec
tion to life and property we would recon
! mend that they be required 10 place In
, Patent Guards" at all crossings on Main
Second, Third and Front streets where the.
} intersect Washington.
The visit 10 the poothouse wac made IN
der very favorable auspices. We found ID
superintendent, Or. Duncan, and his So
sistant, DR.. Pate, ready aud willing to fur
nish all the information desired-reuder U
d all the assistance necessary to aid ua IN GU
! investigation. We first examined the 81
!, perintendent's Office and records, and Will
we are fully satisfied that the county hs
cause for congratulation in securing th
services of 80 able and painstaking a pei
!. | son as DIR. Duncan, who, with his young as
eistant, Dr. Pate, is doing all he can 10 allie
Is yiate and soothe the sffiicted ones under hi
charge, he superintendent labors undo
much difficulty. In the first place the sy
2 TEN of checks or regulations for supplies
] a very poor one, and we would recommen
that the County Court supply him with
new set OF books for orders, with duplicate
attached so that in m king a requisitio
for supplies he can retain s duplicat
: on the ''siub," for az he now keeE
them in case Of loss or altsratio
there would be no means OF detection. III
Recommendations for the sick, decrepid an
insane are a shame and a disgrace TO tn
good people of Shelby county. Especial
is that 30 with the latter class. A lot OF oil,
rickety frame shanties in which to con6r
those who are deprived of their reason
sufficient to shock the moral sensibilities
the Asiatic, much less the civilized Christia
D. especially when we consider that the couni
only last year spent some S26, 900 or $2S ,0(
/
adapted for college or ballroom purpos
'r than for the poor, the rooms in which a
y | adequate for the poor of six counties. II
!. architect evidently intended there should
another appropriation of a similar amour
n or perhaps greater, to provide for the grow
ing necessities OF Shelby county in proteC
i, ins the insane. There is now not a slug
room in this spacious building adequate f
this class of unfortunates. The rooms pr
vid,d for the poor are better adapted Il
y hospital purposes in case OF another rebe
; lion. Think Of Il! A room Fifty or six
feet long by twenty-seven wide, heated by tv
CRATES, and very small; no convenience
whatever, without walking down two high
of stairs, then out 10 The weather expose
IS about sixty feet, That for old and decrep
'r men and women! The basement about 81
: feet, the floor Of which is frequently coveIe
= with water, the first floor only about tv
. feet from the ground. 1t certainly do
seem as though the County Court new
n examined the plans, or allowed the archite
pi power to build such az he thought prope
e The grand Jurors believe that while q
" chairman of the Poorhouse COMMISSIONS
has done much to lessen and reduce the e
,e penses of that institution, there is certain
more wisdom in three than in one, and '
believe the County Court should make
compulsory upOu All
= visit the institution at least once a mont
"a and make such notes or recommendations
II they in their wisdom deem proper, whic
together with a record of their visit, shou
= be made in a book to be kept by the supe
Is intendent. And one week before the NEE
IL ing OF the Quarterly Court they should
r. r, quired TO meet and compare notes of the
a a visits, audit all accounts and make SUI
recommendations as they deem props
Where goods that fiucluate in price fro
day 10 day, we would recommend that as 4
: chairman is paid for services rendered,
re shall be a part Of his duty to purchase sa
goods in person, by all meanF, and In all i
Is stances. We would also recommend III
g. the County Court erect a suitable storehoui
Mt or st up come portion OF the preseat bull
ings in which 10 store all provisions nec'
= sary for, say three or six months, so as
enable The commissioners to take adyanta
n. of The market in purchasing by the quaint
such as are not perishab!e in their natul
* The grand jurors would also recommend &
60 County Court 10 petition the Lsgislatu
fe 10 pass a law paying each coun
Il. such sum per capita as in the
Judgment they think sdequste for {
re safe keeping and protection Of the i
sane, especially when the State seylum
"a overcrowded. The grand jurors found 1
:, carpenlers' work and plsstering in the ne
building OF a very inferior quality. E'
= IDENTIFY there was no one 10 snperiniend 50
y work while the building was in course
- construction. The grand jurors would b
as leave 10 state that the furniture now used
- totally unfit for the purpose, and belle
= there is no economy in purchasing cue