Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-09
THE GRAND JURY,s PREsENTMENT

THE GRAND JURY's PRESENTMENT
Their Report Upon County Affairs-A
Careful Consideration of the Road
Question Recommended The Jail
Condemned as a Disgrace to Civiliza-
ton.
The grand Jury of the Superior Court,
at the close of their term of service yester-
day. made the following presentment Of
various matters brought TO their attention;
We have examined the offices, books, pa
rers ere Of the Ordinary. Clerk OF the SuPe-
rior Court. County Treasurer. County, Nom-
missioners and Tax Collector, anu nc uVoA "
the Receiver OF Tax Returns, ms oIlce 9elng
closed at this season. By all Of these o1hclals
we were courteously received ana every Ia
cilitv was given Us 10 make thorough mspec-
ton. After as rigid eNamlnalloh e Wa
practicable. we report al OF these oHces ID
good order the books well and neatly kept,
papers regularly fled. and everything lndl-
eating that the respective offices are properly
managed and conducted. W especlaly com
mend the orderly condition ana the improve
ments in the internal arrangements Of me
Office of the Clerk of this court. Ihe general
Improvement N the condition Of the court ana
Jury rooms Is matter of public congratu l&tloh
and we deem it advisable TO recommend tnSt
IN future rigid precautions De auopleu y! l-S
proper officers 70 prevent any ueIAe eiAel ~ ~ u,
walls. floors. windows. furniture, etc. haSn
inrv sbould he held responsible pecunlarily
If practicable Tor injury done 10 IooA
while il may be IN session therein
THE MAGISTRATES.
The books of the different magistrates Of
the county have been examined, eActPtluS
those Of Magistrate jefferson Roberts, who Is
reported to have done no business. 50 lar as
we have been able 70 discover, they nave ueeh
correctly kept. with the following eNcep-
tons; --
on the civil docks of Magistrate James I.
FoEartv we ind the case of c. Seeman :.
Thomas shelton. attachment anu sun IoI
$500 Instead of making this returnaole 10
higher court. the case seems 10 IA 6 80
pressed 10 q Judgment. and the cosis' -, Ali''
$50 on account of the debt to have oeea COZ,
'ected from the defendant. ON the crilhlhat
docket of the same Magistrate the Caee %
Cain Price, charged with larceny, was omit
ted entirely. though a warrant mas heeh Is
sued.
Magistrate Fogarty said il was not ms Gus
tom 10 make an entry OF cases until the War
rant had been returned by the officer, ana, as
in this case. the party had not been arrested,
he had not made any entry.
On the books Of Magistrate James T. Buck
uer we lind the case Of Harry Battle, charged
bv MoSsa George with malicious mlschleI.
July q. ISIS. marked as dismissed. el tne
costs. s. e5. were collected from the defend
ant.
Magistrate Buckner states that has always
been his custom 20 collect in such cases
THE COUNTY ROADS.
Tie roads of the county have been exam
ineI by our committee e report the Al
zusta road in good order. showing proper so-
pervision of the Commissioner Of that dls-
trict. The Louisville road Is IN very bad con-
dition. specially so at or near the nNe, ten ana
twelve mile posts. also at the Chores or SHY
ers swamp. The section from the eight mile
post 10 the city has not been WofAeu ~ an
This season The bridges on Pine Barren and
QuakoO roads are IN bad condition. ana the
Road Commissioners report that they nave
been unable 10 procure lumber from the
County Commissioners TO make necessary re
pairs. The Isle of Hope road and Prltcharl
cross road are IN good order. as also Is tile
Ogeechee road, except on the causeWaL pc
tween the Little Ogeechees. The W mte BUN
road Is in good condition.
We recommend to the County Commission
ers careful consideration of the question OF
the location Of the toll gate on this last named
road. Ii now stands within the city limits,
aud il would seem proper that such an OBJ
structlOn 10 free transit should be removed 10
a point beyond said limits. If II can be done
without trenchiug upon the vested rights Of
the Vernon shell Road Company.
DISGRACE TO CIVILIZATIONS.
Following in tie footsteps Of many proceed
Ing grand iurfes we condemn our county jail
as a disgrace To civilization and we recon-
mend that no time be lost IN building new
one. The site selected by the County Com
missiOners near the Police Barracks IN tins
city seems TO Us pre-emlnenuy the best lhat
could have been chosen for the purpose, and as
citizens and taxpayers Of the county ana
city we regret that they were unable 70 puf-
chase il. If. however the commissioners are
cornpelled TO build upon the present site we
would recommend that at least One-half Of
the ground be sold and the proceeds aided 10
the building fund. as there Is more lana upon
the Jail lot now than there IS use for We
would also recommend that the county CON-
IN ssi0ners formulate some fixed and definite
rules for the conduct Of the jail and the man
agement Of the prisoners. Heretofore. we be-
lieye this matter has been left entirely to the
jailer-a degree of irresponsible power tnat
ought to be given 10 no one man.
In view Of the heavy taxes now berne by
our citizens and the large outlay that Is con-
templated for building new jail, we deem 1t
inadyisable for the present to make any struc-
tural changes in the court house.
Our attention has been most fOrclbly and
painfully called 10 the unhappy condition Of
those of our fellow citizens whom, because OF
insanity. il has been necessary from time 10
time 10 place for temporary safe keeping
within the walls Of the county Jail- The re-
cital Of the suferings Of these uniortunateS.
as made TO Us BY His Honor John o. Ferrlll,
Judge Of the Court Of Ordinary, has moved
Us more than we have words 10 express: 80
far as we can learn. there Is no charge OF IN
humanity or want Of klndlness TO- be
brought against those who have had
charge of the insane, but IL Is dot
upon the county, a STAN upon each
any poor Cod stricken Great ure should be
consigned TO the wretched cells Of Chatham
county jail. It Is bad enough there Tor those
condemned to such an habitatlOn Tor their
evil deeds but who have control OF their m
tellect and viii to seek such comfort as the
place affords. but when we learn OF tender
woman and helpless youth sthe law Of self
preservation all gone beating themselves
against hard walls and stony noors, half
naked. in freezing cold, living in this misery,
and some diving IN II, we feel that prompt ac-
ton should be taken 10 remedy tue etlI anu
to prevent the recurrence OF even one similar
case.
The law requires the cOmmittal Of the IN
sane to the Jail pending their being sent 70 the
H. .~~snf HraT
upon the community to see to It that such az
ficted ones should have every protection there
from themselves that II Is possible 10 give
them In view of the fact that the sending Of
such patients to the jail Is matter
of frequent occurrence. we recon-
mend most earnestly that the county
Commissioners at once take steps 10
fit uU three or four rooms there with padded
walls and with such comforts "a II Is possible
to give. We think the necessary expense to
this end should take precedence Ofeyery other
public expenditure.
SPECIAL PREsENTHENTs.
A number of special presentments
have been made by the Jury Iof
violations OF the law in relation to the regis
tratiOn Of liquor dealers. The law as IL STANDS
calls for the registration and payment OF IL
cepse on the same day, the first day Of the
year In view of the fact that the lst OF jan
uarv Is public holiday, and because OF the
great number Of dealers in the county, an eX-
act compliance with the letter OF this law
Quence imany citizens practically Violate
il without any intention Of so doing.
We would request our Representatives
in the Legislature to enQedNOf TO
have the law changed so as to allow the regis
tratiOn TO be made at any time within the nrst
two weeks in January, and the payment OF
the license at any time prior to the lst day Of
February in each year.
THE JURORS PAY.
We recommend that the pay Of Jurors, both
grand and petty. during the year be liked at
81 O0 two dollars per diem, and the pay OF
bailifs at - 00l two dollars per diem.
In conclusion. we beg TO thank HIS Honor,
Judge a P Adams, and the Solicitor General.
AIr. Walter e. Charlton. for the courtesy and
kindly consideration that have rendered our
duties plain and their execution free from I'M
necessary trouble or delay on every day Of our
service No Jury ever had its pathway marked
ont for it with greater clearness than was
done for us by His Honor on the first day Of
the term. and we only regret that so lucid an
exposition 81 what grand jury should do.
was not committed 70 paper ana MADE part
of the permanent record Of the court.
Il Is but Just to add that the bailif OF the
iurv. Mr.. 4 Jones Franklin. has discharged
his duties faithfully and well.
Respectfully submitted,
CHAs. II. OLMsTEAD, Foreman.
F. CAvASNAUGH.
CHARLES SELLER.
". BREN.
JOHN F. LAFAR.
CHARLES Z. HARDWICK.
SIMOS /. BYCK.
JOSEPH HIRsCHBAcH.
:. =. GOODWIN.
X. n. DEMERE.
j. DALE.
Ii. NJ. c. SMITH.
GEORGE SCHLEY.
FRANK BUCHANAN.
GEORGE j. MILLS.
CHARLES r. HEBRON.
JAMES HUNTER.
CLAyIUs PHILLIPS.
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