Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-11-26
GRAND JURY REPORT.
THE WORK PERFORM,D DURING
ITS SESSION.
Books of County Officers County
-Roads-Leyees- Coun-
~ Jail and City Prison.

Fl. A. Burnett, John II. Carroll, H. Cock, NJ.
Fay. L. B. Moore, P. H. murphy, George Rich
]. Reith, John Sawyer. A. G. Tryon, S. Wasser-
man, D. T. Lufkin and W. f. Knox, report as
follows:
W. F. Knox having been by the Court ap-
pointed foreman, the jury organized on the
18th day of November the DAY of their appoint
ment, by electing Samuel Blair Secretary.
We have investigated II criminal cases, taken
the testimony of Is witnesses, and have found
6 true bills, as follows: Assault to murder 8 ;
assault with deadly weapon, with intent to do
great bodily harm, / grand larceny l; obtain
ing money under false pretenses, l and have
ignored the bills in four cases, as follows: Muir
der, l. libel, /; obtaining money under false pre-
lenses, /; resisting an officer, and one charge
of assault to commit murder was passed to the
next Grand Jury.
BOOKS OF COUNTY OFFICERS.
We have, in obedience to the instructions of
the Court, examined the books in the several
county offices, and found them kept in a neat
and business-like manner. We find that the
books of the late county officers, whose term of
Office expired at the beginning of the present
year, have been examined and reported on by
a competent expert appointed by the Board of
Supervisors. We have examined the report
submitted by him to the Board and find no de-
nnquencies reported. We believe the examina-
ton made by him. as the basis of this report to
have been thorough and complete up to the
commencement of the terms of the present in
cumbents. We find no reason which requires
the service of an expert accountant in anv of
the county offices at this time. as their accounts
Will doubtless be examined by order of the Su-
pervisors at the end of the term of the present
1ncumbents as has been the custom heretofore
The books OF the city officers being exported
annually, according 10 law, we deemed it I'M
necessary to investigate them.
COUNTY HOSPITAL.
The Grand Jury, the second dav after their
organization, visited the County Hospital. Ihe
Superintendent was somewhat surprised to see
us 20 early in the session. Notwithstanding
however, he and his assistants and employees
showed US every courtesy. We made a careful
examination, so far as practicable of the entire
institution. Many of the jurors found acauaint-
ances among the patients, and questioned them
privately in regard to their treatment and onv
other matter occurring to their minds We vis-
tied the stables, out-buildings and grounds in
spected the supplies of all kinds in the wood
houses ana storehouses, and it is a pleasure TO
US 10 say we came away unanimous in the opiu-
ION that 1t was being well managed and that SO
far as we could judge, Dr. White the Resident
hyslclan and Superintendent, is entitled to
great credit for the satisfactory manner in which
he discharges his duties, as is also the Board of
Supervisors in this regard. 1t is well known
that the system of drainage adopted a few wears
ago is not success, but we are informed that
suihclent means is provided for in the revenue
now being collected, and that proper engineer
ing talent VIII be engaged and an effort made
that promises to be successful
We may confidently congratulate the citizens
OF the county that the dread which SO often
prevents people from going to county hospitals
need not exist III regard TO their hospital On
the day OF our visit there were 159 patients in
the hospital, viz: Ill males and IS females
COUNTY ROADS.
Many complaints have been made to the
Grand Jury of the condition of the roads in diff
ierent parts of the county. From n partial ex-
animation made by our Committee on Roads
we desire to especially call the early and earn
est attention of the Board OF Supervisors to the
river road below Freeport, where in many
places, from the eucToachments of the river on
one sac, and the excavations made to build and
repair levees on the other, it has become absO-
luteiy dangerous. Several accidents resulting
thereirom were brought to our attention
Our attention was called also to the jackson
road, from Perkins store to the high land-a
distance OF some 80 miles also, to the need of
bridge over Nine mile creek on the same road
Also, to the FreepOrt road, some three miles
from sacramento, near Willow slough, where it
Is unnecessarily inundated for a considerable
distance, and consequently unsafe The Grand
Jury are OF the opinion that liberal expend-
lture IN rounding up these low places and in
99tner%ise wise permanently improving the roads, if
done with good judgment and economy, at the
proper season of the year, would be a move in
the right direction, and to the extent of the
revenue provided for the coming year, should
pc entered upon with more yigOr and care than
in the past
PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND PRISONS.
We made a thorough inspection of the Court
house, jail, jail-yard and Out-houses We find
neatness and order everywhere manifest, and a
thorough system of management by the officers
in charge. We also visited the city prison, We
recommend that the vacant room in front of the
Chief office be fitted up for receiving hospf-
tai. we found the wainscoting in many places
rotten, and therefore unhealthy, and recommend
Its repair at once. AS to the general manage
ment OF the city prison, we heard no complaint
during this investigation it was ascertained that
there is Kept in the office of the Chief of Police
fund called The Purse" composed of ali
moneys paid by Sheriffs and other officers who
lodge prisoners in the city jail en- route TO and
from the State PRISONS and insane persons en-
route; This amounts to from SIS to SIS per
month. out of which are paid bills for news
papers, telegraphing, feed for Chiefs horse etc
As In the case of the contingent fund of the
Board of Education, hereafter spoken of we
think 1t a violation of the city charter and not
In accordance with correct business methods
and should be discontinued. Section IS of Ar
ticle VII. of the City Charter reads as follows
Every officer having the control collection or
custody of any money collected for taxes licen-
ses, water rents, leyee dues, or any account or
oranch OF city revenue, shall pay the same into
the city treasury on the Saturday of each week.
etc The same section provides that " If any
officer or person having the control or custody
of any money collected for or belonging to the
said city etc, etc. shall be reported to the
Board of Trustees, etc.
We are of the opinion that all expenses of the
police department, however small the items
may De- should be pad through the city treasury.
CRUELTY TO CHINESE FEMALE CHILDREN
hellhDle IllOTlnatlOn was presented to the
Grand Jury that there are number of Chinese
female children in this cit5 being forced to IN
dergo the barbarous torture of having their feet
compressed. This process, We were told con-
tlnues from infancy to ten or twelve years of
age and is a process sickening in its details
After consultation with the District Attorney.
we have concluded that perhaps the best and
most effective remedy would be for the reouisite
number of citizens to form Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children" who. under
the authority granted by the statute in such
cases, could ferret out and put an end to this
outrageous Chinese custom in our county.
MRS. JANE rutland
The attention of the Grand jury was formally
called to the case of Mrs. Jane Rutland a widow
who, it was stated. had been defrauded
OF her property, homestead in this CITY; had
peen rendered penniless, and was now. orw would
be, a charge upon the county. Upon investiga-
ton We were informed on all sides that what
has been done had been in accordance with
law; that everything in the whole transaction
was " by order of the superior Court" IL trans
PRED that this poor, ignorant woman had been
led to believe that no process could deprive her
OF her homestead; therefore she rested con-
tented until legal net was woven around her
whereby several thousand dollars worth of
property was ldlCftiy taken to satisfy a debt of
few hundred dollars; her house legally torn
down and her household goods thrown into the
street by Deputy Sheriff, and she a decrepit
broken hearted woman, was thus by due process
OF law compelled TO go to the County hospital a
pauper. The Grand Jury regard this transac-
nun iS ~ the ana a foul
blot on the good name Of our Courts of Justice
and think the Bar Association of this county
owe II TO their future fair name to use every
means IN their power to have the statutes or the
rules, of practice so amended that should il he
possible for such men to again appear in a like
case, the Court would be compelled TO anr oint
guardian or some public officer to stand by
and see that while they took the pound Of
flesh they took nothing more.
We earnestly request that the Board of Super
Nlsors investigate the transaction. with the end
in view that necessary steps may be taken. if
advisable, looking to the restoration of this
womans property, or a portion thereof and
thus preventing her from being a charge upon
the county.
CITY LEyEES.
Owing tothe vital importance of its levee de-
lenses to the city of Sacramento, the Grand
Jury felt it their duty to make careful iuspec-
ton of the same.
Through the kindness of Superintendent
Wright, of the railroad company, who placed
an engine and car at our disposal, we were en-
abied 10 pass over and thoroughly examine the
north and esst leyee from the corner of Sixth
and streets to high land at Brighton. For this
whole distance we found it TO be high, and
broad and strong, and in our judgment. thor
oughiy safe protection TO the city against any
probable overflow from that direction.
The levee from Sixth and E streets to Front
and streets will no doubt have to be raised
eventually il hydraulic mining be not stopped,
but as all that part of the leyee is really por-
ton of the high grade. we do not deem it of
sufficient urgency to call for any recommends
ton from US.
From Front and streets to street the levee