Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-12-23
An Eloquent GrandJury
Makes a Report That is Interest.
ing Reading.
They Declare That Public Sentiment, rs
Against Prohibition Round Up
the Bawdy House Keepers
Examine the Court House
and Jail and Report.

-
The final report Of the grand jury
on Thursday, addressed to the Hon.
VIM. Gardner, Judge, first endorses the
law reducing the number of grand
jurors to one-third its former size, and
continues as follows:
We feel that we have reason to con-
gratulate the court and the people of
this county upon the fact that the FEAR
less arraignment of criminals 10y our
late predecessors and the wholesome
punishment administered by this court
and its officers, has tendency to very
perceptibly diminish the preparation
OF that particular class Of crime, viz:
cattle stealing, which had hitherto be.
come such popular and favorite ac-
compllshment with some of the knights
of the lasso and other daring young
braves of the Black Hills. We take It |
shat the public sentiment of this com
munity had reached. perhaps for the
first time, that period when it felt
itself outraged by reason of the multi
Piled frequency OF this crime, and, as
sisted by determined court and faith
full officials, it was able to call halt.
We wonld that this were true of pub.
lie sentiment now respecting the viola
tion of other of our criminal statutes.
While We say this we do not desire to
shield ourselves behind popular pub
lie sentiment blnnted, as we believe,
by sordid desire for temporary ma
terial prosperity, and in our opinion.
misguided in its judgement of what
constitutes the substantial prosperity
of the community and of the whole
people; but we do desire to say, and to
be understood, that in our invest,ga-
tion of crimes committed under what
is known as the "prohibitory statutes"
of on, state, we have been not little
perplexed to determine just what was
the wise, sensible and proper course to
pursue in the investigation of this
crime. We are convinced of our tech.
nical duty under the law, but we dis
tinctly remember that we were warm
ly admonished by the court that in all
Of our deliberations 1--WE We're never to
let go of, or lose sight of. our good
common sense and IN the endeavor
to fully exercise this function, we fin
ally came to the conclusion that while
we recognize democratic form of
government. the municipal officers of
our cities and towns, and who, it is fair
to conclude, voice the sentiment which
there obtains and prevails, should he
expected to take the inlative in this
matter, and so long as it is the pleasure
of these municipalities to permit
the perpetrators of this crime TO go
unmolested. it seemed to us in the en-
ercise of our common sense as prudent
men. that grand inry which has an
existance of two weeks, at most in six
months might be able at considerable
expense, to inaugurate movement
which could barely succeed in temper.
arily interfering with the progress and
prosperity of this business. and waking
up public sentiment to at least real
ization of the fact that while the grand
jury was in session it was indeed "a
HI of long time between drinks
but beyond this we could not see that
any permanent beneficial results would
accrue from finding bills against the
violators of this law.
Many complaints came to us from
respectable citizens of this immediate
community respecting the keeping and
maintaining Of bawdy houses and
houses Of prostitution near the city of
Hot Springs. and .,s we Wa have ;nsi;;. ,,;,i;'
e-ssd -aSd may be carried to successful
elimination of this detestible crime
from the borders Of our county.
Ut the cases which came to us from
committing magistrates in the county,
indictments were found and returned
in five cases and eight cases were dis
missed. In our other Investigations
we found and returned eighteen in.
dictments. and in four other cases
which we investigated no bills were
found, SO that in all we considered
thirty-tivc cases, in which indictments
were found in twenty-three cases, and
twelve cases were dismissed. =.
Pursuant to your instructions we
visited and examined the county Jail
and several county offices, and have to
report that the conduct of the officers
therein is GENERALLY commendable and
the books and records OF said Offices
properly kept. In the auditors Office
we found that by reason of insufficient
shelving the record books were scattered
and badly cared for. Concerning the
sanitary condition OF the court hous,
md jail we desire to say that by
= of the unevenncss of the foo,
corridor muck filth is per
"late, which not only
IT the inmates
ing the hool
der the jai
nd that tls
by an appli
,nt. We like
20 appliances l,
nate and that ir
dly fit for occu
nd in onr onininn