Saint Mary's beacon., 1889-03-28

Grand Jury Report.
The Grand Inquest of the State of Mary
land for the body Of st. Mary's county
having diligently inquired and true pre-
sentiment made OF ali matters and things
given us in charge or that have come to
our knowledge touching this present SER
vice, beg leave to submit the following re-
port:
We have examined the county Jail as re-
quired by law, and find ii neatly kept and
in fair condition and repair. There was
some complaint on the part of the prison
ers of the insufficiency of bed-covering fur
nished them. and we request that they be
furnished with what is necessary for their
comfort. The surroundings of the Jail are
not such as are calculated to promote the
sanitary condition of the inmates; and the
open pool near the building which is used
as receptacle for the filth and offal OF the
Jail is nuisance, and some better way Of
disposing Of these accumulations should be
devised by the proper authorities.
An examination of the Court House
shows that much plastering has fallen in
some Of the upper rooms, but we have been
informed that this condition of the walls
has existed for number of years, and was
caused by leaks in the roof, which have
been repaired, and the roof is now in fair
condition. The plastering in the rooms is
so broken that we doubt the advisability of
repairing it, but think it would be- better to
plaster the ceilings anew.
We have reviewed the report of our pre-
decessors of the Sept. Term, 1883, in regard
to our county charges and expenditures as
shown by the books of the County Com
missioners, and have nothing to add to
their comprehensive exhibit of the finan-
cial affairs of the county.
we find that the public roads previous
10 the late heavy rains were in fair condi-
ton. But there is yet much room for i'm
proveEient There are annually large sums
of money expended on our roads in work
of a most temporary character, which has
to be renewed after almost every heavy
rain. We think the supervisors should ex-
pend most of their appropriations in road
work OF q permanent character, which will
not have to be renewed every year; and
that this work should be done in proper
season-the public good, and not the con-
venience of the supervisor, TO be the guide
in its performance.
The constables Of the county have been
before us as required by law, and report
| such an absence of crime in their districts
as would be most gratifying, were 1t not
rebutted by facts which come to US from
other sources.
We have reason To believe that the Sun
day law is being disregarded to an alarm
ing extent throughout the county; but we
experience great difficulty in securing tes-
timonY sufficiently reliable to sustain
presentment
The failure Of magistrates to pay over to
the county, fines imposed and collected by
them in the discharge of their official duties,
10 matter of great importance. Your Hon.
ors charged us at the beginning of the Term
to give this subject careful investigation.
But the pressure of other duties has been so
great that we have been able to make only
partial examination, but sufficient to sat
isfy us that the payment of these fines TO
the county by the magistrates Is the ezcep-
ton and not the rule of their action.
We find upon examination of the books
ofthe County Commissioners, that only four
Justices have paid fines into the county
treasury since the Sept Term, 1883, Of our
Court, TO wit:
Nov. II. 1883. Josiah NJ. Biscoe, $l0O.
Dec. 4, v. Camalier, 100.
Jan. 8, 1885,. 10. F. Morgan, 1000.
March 10, Jas. r. Alvey, $500.
The Act of Assembly giving Justices of
the Peace concurrent jurisdiction with the
Circuit Court in many cases, must have
added largely TO the volume of business
transacted BY them, and correspondingly
to the number and amount of fines imposed
and collected, which the law makes it their
duty to pay into the county treasury with
in reasonable time, and upon failure 10 do
50, they become deiaulsers 10 the county
and are liable to the severe penalties pre-
scribed by law for such default In view
Of the importance of this matter, we sug-
gest 10 your Honors' consideration, the ad-
visibility Of our resuming the investiga-
ton Of ibis subject al such time in the
future as may best suit the convenience of
the Court
We tender our thanks 10 your Honora-
bic Court and its officers and to the States
! Attorney, for valuable assistance rendered