The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-13
THE GRAND JURY'S REPORT.
After a Session of Ten Days They Re-
turn Eighteen Indictments.
The Generally Satisfactory Condition in
Which They Found the County Poor Asy-
lum and the New WOrk-H0use.

dred witnesses were examined, eighteen indict~
ments found, one case continued and the evil
dence against four prisoners held not to be sufi
cient for further proceedings. Robert Smith,
the ex-convict, was indicted for assault and bat
terry with intent to rape. This is the man whom
Officer Charles Travis shot few weeks ago.
No case was established against Travis. Harry
George, Andrew Vanders, John Backman and
William j. Brooks were indicted for petit lar
ceny; Harrison Taskall for rape, and his assail-
ant Menhardt Heundling, who shot him in the
courtroom, for assault and battery
with intent to kill. Robert Lacy is
to answer to the charge of car-breaking, and
VIM. Mays to that of assault and battery with
intent to kill James Elmer Heath. Angelina
Thomas was indicted for grand larceny. Among
other indictments, upon which arrests have not
been made. are two for petit larceny, one for
robbery, one for perjury and four for giving
away intoxicating liquor to minors. Those dis
charged from custody are VIM. j. Brooks, petit
larceny; John W. Harrison, Kellin Hawkins and
Landy Baldwin, all for assault and battery
with intent to kill The last named is the Fair
mount man, whose association with the Durham
woman led to his arrest after she had shot her
self in the leg.
With the above the grand jurors reported at
some length the result of their annual inspection
OF the county institutions In reference to the
poor-farm management the following opinion Of
the jurors will stare the incoming Democratic
County Commissioners in the face when they
consider the list of Democratic applicants for
poor-farm superintendent
1.-THE management under Superintendent
Wright has been very successful and during his
administration there has been paid in to the
county treasury upward of SIS, 600 on account OF
sales OF produce receipts from board OF inmates
and sundries, and the institution has been run
at an expense less than Is cents per capita per
day, with an average Of 200 inmates But these
facts are Of record, and we will only state our
unbounded admiration of the condition in which
we find the farm and house. Everything is neat,
clean and wholesome about the premises, and
evidences of great care and attention on the part
of those in charge are everywhere apparent.
Mr.. Wrlgf is an excellent man, in orr opinion,
for the position he holds, and together with his
wife, as matron, and the assistants is entitled to
all CREST. The food of the unfortunateS is good
and well prepared, and their quarters comfort
able, while the farm and other property of the
county there are in thrifty and prosperous con-
diton."
The management of the Jail is complimented,
with To statement that the work house has re-
iieved the pressure on that institution. 1t being
the first inspection of the work house by the
grand jury. that institution was considered
worthy of the following notice.
I'm our inspection of the work house we were
much pleased. We will say nothing about it as
necessary institution for the county, or as to
whether it will be paying investment; but we
are free to state that it is decided improve
ment upon the Jail. AS yet it is but an expert
ment--a costly one to be sure-though we hope
that. with proper care and management, it lay,
in the near future, be as nearly self-sustaining
as is possible for such an institution to be. Mr..
Thompson, the superintendent. and his estima-
BILE wife, seem to have taken hold with de-
termination to do all in their power to maintain
good order and strict discipline, and the clearly
and orderly condition of the prison attest the
efficacy of their modes. The work house has
now been open for the reception of prisoners
about three weeks, and though the entire build
ing was taken off the hands of the contractors
with all the plaster, rubbish and rejected
material scattered over the floors
ally, it is now perfectly clean
and in excellent order, and was all done by the
prisoners. The grounds are now being graded,
roadways cut drainage perfected. and the entire
twenty acres of land surrounding the building
put in thorough order, and this is being done by
details of the male prisoners, while other por-
lions of such prisoners are busily engaged in the
workshops breaking stone, for which the COM
mlSSlOn0rS nave a contract WIFI the city Tor all
they can produce at 81. 80 per yard, aud which
they are enabled to furnish at a net cost to the
county Of ST. so per yard. The entire number of
males in the prison now is forty; the females,
nine. All these are kept at work, the men
set out above, and the women at homework,
laundry work. and sewing for the occupants.
description of the building would not be peril
nent to this report as that has long ago and
often been set out by the papers of the city, and
we will only say there are 160 cells in the male
apfy hpciA txyn fior IF lie hal
ground incomplete in the female de-
partment there forty-eight cells.
with like two tiers below
These are all kept in good order by the prisoners
who are required to make their beds, straighten
up their rooms, empty their Stops, etc, each
morning before being taken out to their re-
spective works And the cleanliness of their
persons is not overlooked, as they are each made
to take bath not less than once a week. The
prisoners put in their cells at o'clock in the
evening each one to himself, and the getting up
hour is half past 5. Prison discipline is observed
in the way of talking. walking lock-step etc.
The uniform of the men is black and gray
prison stripe, and that of the women a check
have fully famiiarized themselves with their du-
ties, and no infraction of the rules is allowed.
We were pleased with our inspection, and, while
we feel that at present it is burden upon the
tax payers. we cannot but think it great for
ward step in our county prison REFORM as put in
contrast with our county jail"
Directly following the submission of the above
report in court Judge Norton said that he had
noticed in one of the morning papers what pur-
ported to be an account of the grand iury's pro-
ceedings relative to certain cases. Il direct
your attention, gentlemen, to what the statute
says in regard to divulging the secrets of your
actions" He then read the law relative to the
grand jurors oath of secrecy, remarking, at the
close. THAT is all, gentlemen" The jurors took
this as a reprimand for something they had not
done, and left the room in humor otherwise
than amiable.
Il am glad we are through with this session,
and am heartily glad have but one more to at
tend" said Foreman Schey 10 a Journal re-
porter.
IA grand jurors position is, then. rot bed of
rosesln
II should say not don't want to serve on
another. This session has been particularly an
noying. We have been pulled this way and