The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-02-10
THE GRAND INQUEST.
TIE CONDITION OF THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS
OF ABBEvILLE COUNTY.

Presentment Of the Grand Jury al
the February Term of the Court OF
Common Pleas and General Ses.
sions.
TO the Hon. I. D. Witherspoom, Presid-
ing Judge:
AS the Grand Jury for the County Of
Abbeville we would make the following
presentment:
We have given such attention to the
different matters suggested by your
Honor as the time at our disposal would
permit. We take pleasure in commend
ing the general good condition Of all the
County oficers-system, accuracy and
efficiency are apparent in each. We
have not, however, been able to give to
their offices that careful examination,
which, we infer, from your Honor's
charge, is required of us at least once
during our term ofservice, and to do this
we think it would be we'll to have this
work committed to a part of the Grand
Jury, who can attend to il at time more
convenient both to them and the County
officers. If this suggestion meets your
Honor's approval we would suggest that
Joel S. Baily and P. B. Speed, together
with the Foreman, constitute committee
for this purpose, and that they meet at
the call OF the Foreman.
We would call attention to the recent
marked improvement for filing and
making of easy reference the many and
great variety of papers in the Clerks s
office, and recommend that the County
Commissioners be authorized to pay cost
of same.
We find that a good desk, with
provision for locking up important pa
pers is much needed in the Auditors
office, and would recommend, as former
Grand Juries have done, that one such
be furnished him. The Auditors Dupli-
Gates, very large and heavy books, are
piled up in such manner as to be difficult
OF reference. We would suggest that a
plain case be provided, in which, after
being property labeled, these books can
be conviently and systematically ar
ranged.
We regard the Bonds of the County
officials as in satisfactory condition, with
the exception Of that OF the Clerk of the
Court, which we think requires strength
ening.
A delegation from the Grand Jury Wis
tied the County Poor-House. The in
nates number thirty-two about equally
divided between the two races. These
were comfortably clad and report that
they received sufficiency of wholesome
food. One house is in bad condition,
needs new sills and window, shutters, and
the floor requires repairing the other
house shows mauy broken panes of glass.
We would recommend that these several
matters be attended to.
The County Jail was also visited and a
favorable opinion formed as to general
management of same. We would make
these recommendations as to the Jail {;
that some arrangement be made, by
which slops can he removed from the
cells without having to unlock the doors
of same that the pipe of the stoves used
for warming the cells be so fixed as to
render it more safe than at present that
a ladder to reach scuttle hole be provided
and kept in place that the portion OF
plank fence recently blown down be at
once put up; that the door at theen trance
to the prison part of Jail be hung so as to
open differently from at present, and that
an iron bar be placed across same, and
that the window in same apartment be
made more secure by means of iron bars
Tho books of thirteen trial justices
were brought before us, and due care
given to their examination, In the
main these were carefully and cor
rectly kept. We think that in most cases
there is lack of promptness in paying
fines collected. Charges of improper ad-
ministration of his office were made as to
one of the Trial Justices, but as ne eX-
plained part of these, and as the book
presented to us appeared to have been
properly kept, he was directed at next
term of the Court to produce book by
the entries in which he says he can free
himself entirely. Our attention has been
Called to the fact that several of the Trial
Justices are in the habit Of compromising
cases and some of considerable impor-
tance. Wo would direct their attention
to the law, which makes all the parties,
who participate in the settlement of any
felony, guilty of compounding felony
and furnishing the same severely. Com
plant having been made on the part Of
Trial Justices of loss of time and increas-
ed expense because of having to attend
the first day Of Court, we would recon-
mend that theyall be required to pre-
sent their books to the grand jury on the
second day of each term of the Court
during our term of service.
1t has been brought to our notice that
in some sections of the County the pub
blic highways have been entirely neg
lected or very poorly worked. The great
severity of the weather may partly eX-