The Greenville times., 1883-12-22
Craad IHrr Esport.
To Hon. B. F. Trmble, Judge Sch
Judicial District Mississippi.

To Hon. b. +. Tnmble, Judge ltl
Judicial District Mississippi.
SuR:-The Grand Jury, empan
nelled for the November term o
Circuit Court 1855, Of Washing
ton county, Miss, respectfully
submit the following report al
the result of their labor:
They have examined 100 wit
nesses. and found 50 indictments,
Examined books Of Sheriff. Chan
eery Clerk, County Treasurer aud
of the Treasurer of the Board OF
Mississippi Levee Commissioners,
all Of which we found correct, so
far as we could ascertain. From
a rigid examination of the Ran
gers books, we find the law reg.
Mating the taking up and dispOs-
ing of estrays, greatly abused, to
such an extent, in fact, that it be-
came necessary for us to find a
number of indictments against
parties, especially for the offense
OF taking up estrays, and then fail.
ing to post or report them, and
also refusing to deliver them to
the Ranger upon demand made
by him. In some cases parties
have been known to keep estrays
for years, without complying with
the law in any particular. We
note that in almost every case
where an estrsy has been report.
ed, they have been speedily prov.
ed away by the owner or owners.
We recommend to succeeding
Grand Juries that they do not
fail to give this matter some at.
tentlon, rs it will likely: be
the means of checking the abuses
alluded to above to a great extent.
The matter of carrying concealed
weapons, to which your Honor SO
earnestly callel our attention in
your charge to us, has had full at.
tention and as u result a number
OF indictments were found. The |
matter OF guack practitioners was
diligently inquired into, but with.
Dut sufficient information upon
which to find indictments. The
natter of selling liquors on Sun.
lay was also thoroughly examined
nto, but from the fact that there
vas NO testimony before us show.
ng any violation Of the law, we
AXE it for granted that the morals
II the county are improving.
We wish further to state that
re have made close inspection
nd examination of the vault in
no Chancery Clerks Office, and
nd it wholly unfit for the safe
eeping and preservation of tho
scords of tho county, and unless
lid vault is greatly improved in
10 near future, the entire records
the county will have to be con.
u with new books, which will
itall an expense of at least 10000
this county. We, as Grand !.
irors, would therefore recon.
end tue building of suitable
ace for the safe keeping of the : :
cords of this county. We would .
ggest that the Board of Super. =
sors Mt their first meeting in = :.
nuary 1881, make q thorough !,
vestigation of this very import. :
matter, so as to preserve the
cords for future gederations. " -
We would further suggest in :, -
) matter of taking up estrays, =
It we note much grievance in y
matter of stock having been q
Ten up by irresponsible parties o'
ranges acknowledgements premc. =
and not posting same. In very
instances do we find that
OK has been taken up by land
ners as the law requires. ne
u the matter Of the riot which ed
urred on night of Sth of De. Ca
,be, 1883, in the dance house as
DR.. Jones, in which one man wi
! killed outright and others as
are made a thorough Hi
and found a number tn,
Indictments. of
70 tender our thanks to the COZ
IIict Attorney, Sheriff and Bal. keI
md Circuit Clerk, for valuable SO,
stance rendered us by those .
Ilcmen.
A. ?. kEEsEokER, 'o'
Foreman. .o'