Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-02-03

Suggested Thanks to Oficisls.
The Grand Jury, which has been in
session since Monday last, concluded its
lsbors yesterday and presented volu-
minous report. from which we make the
following summary;
CRIMINAL BUSINESS.
Owing to the fact that criminal busi-
ness is prosecuted by information by the
District Attorney, but three criminal
complaints were brought to the atten-
tion Of the jury-one for embezzlemeut
and two for accepting bribes. A true
bill is presented fer the former and the
two latter ignored.
/ THE COUNTY HOSPITAL.
A visit to this institution disclosed the
fact that it is clean and well kept. the
food Of good quality and well cooked.
Recommend q more liberal use of veget-
ables and the Introduction Of fruits in
their season. Also. that instead Of
offended" coffee, future contracts shall
require the furnishing of coffee roasted
in the berry. Ia furtberance of the sug
gestion that more vegetables be used,
recommend that more Of the Hospital
farm be- devoted to the raising Of vegeta-
bles instead Of hay.
THE COUNTY JAIL.
The management Of this institution is
all that is possible. The prisoners are
well fed aud the premises kept in a. good
order as can 10 expected. considering it's
character. "As to the jail building,
this Grand Jury is incapable Of language
strong enough to condemn it as q stand
ing disgrace to civilization and Los An
gelez county. We would suggest as o
measure Of temporary alienation that a
separate room or rooms be Immediately
provided for insane people and de-
tanned witnesses.
"What is said Of the Jail as standing
disgrace to the connty, applies with al
most equal force to the
COURT HOUSE. :
I'm this connection we beg TO urge
upon the Board Of Supervs that they
take steps to remedy the evils con-.
planned Of as soon as possible and we are
satisfied the people Of the county will
sustain them in their action.
YOUTHFUL CRIMINALS
In view Of the fact that there is no
suitable place for the detention Of this
class of culprits. which sometimes
includes mere children, and doubt.
ing the feasibility Of the
establishment Of House Of Correction,
the Grand Jury recommen that youth
fuI criminals under proper committent
aud suspension Of sentence, be placed In
q detaining and correcting Institution at
San Francisco, under the direction of
board Of which Ex-Governor Perkins is
the official head, where they will be
held for periods not exceeding two
months. at cost Of sl2 each. Should
this sum not be available from fund
appropriated for that purpose. the jury
think the Board Of Supervisors should
not hesitate to make the necessary ap-
preparation.
ACCOUNTS OF COUNTY OFFICERS.
An examination OF the accounts Of
the county officers show that, in
the main, they are properly kept and
that the balances of the several county
ofRcers who handle public funds tally
accurately.
| SWEEPING REFLECTION.
In complimenting the present County
Superintendent Of Education for the
regularity with which he manages the
affairs Of his Office, the jury are at some
pains to reflect, by implication, on his
predecessors, ~ they find evidences of
the greatest carelessness and negligence
previous to the present incumbent" In
concluding this pert Of their report, the
jury find that the Office occupied by
the Superintendent is inadequate for the
business required and no safe place for
the storage Of valuable papers and docu-
ments. and that If the Court House
should be destroyed by fire. every evi.
dence of the condition Of the school
funds would be obliterated.
/ A FULLER SYSTEM OF BOOK -KEEPIsG.
Recommend that a more elaborate
system of bookkeeping be adopted in
the County Auditors office, and that he
open leger account with each fiduoiary
Of the county. instead Of making, as
now, merely journal entries Of the sew
eral accounts.
THE ASSESSORS oFFIcE.
With regard to complaints of instances
in which property owners have been
omitted from the assessment rolls, the
Grand Jury has Investigated the matter,
and find tina! such omissions arise from
the lack of suficient maps in the office
Of the County Assessor. To remedy
this, the Jury recommend that the Board
of Supervisors furnish said Office with
all maps necessary.
| UNREsTRAINED GAMBLING.
The attention of the Grand Jury was
called to the fact that faro and other
gambling games are carried on in Los
Angeles city without interference by
the police. II was also shown that the
Chief Of Police even restrained his
subordinates from raiding gambling
places without his special instru ctions.
and that, on one occasion, when gam
blers had been arrested and their money
and apparatus captured by members Of
the force. without the forsknowledge Of
the Chief, said officers were repri-
manded and warned that II they did so
again they would be dismissed. II is
also alleged that the gambling outfit
then captured was returned to its own
ers. In view Of these allegations, which
were not sufficiently proven to warrant
an indictment, the Grand Jury think
that an official investigation Of the Chief
of Police should be held by the Council.
COUNTY ROADS.
On this subject the report is full and
exhaustive. 1t opens with the following
showing Of the amounts received for
the road fund and how it was ex-
pended:
Road poll taxss-labor ,07p
Road poll tAxes-cash- 900
Total from psrsonal taxes o.oeo %
| From direct property tax x....-.....-. 1893 %
Total expenditures. .,............s ..ss4. .4ss Is
Of this sum S3, l67.67 was paid out
by order Of the Board Of supervisors