Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-04-06
GRAND JURY BEFoRT.

I RA@A@
attention 70 business was discharges. We
subjoin the report:
GRAND JURY BEFoRT
4 To 'he Honorable. the Judges Of the Cir
cult Court for Saint Mary's County The
Grand jurors Of the State of Maryland foT
the body Of - Mays County. sitting dur
ing the March terg-o the Circais Court
1ssf, having discharged their duty as re-
quIrec by las, beg leave 70 submit the fol-
lowing report and ask b be discharged
from further service: We have fully in
vesiigated all matters aud things given us
In charge or that have CRIME b. or know
Ledge, and found true bills in such cases -
We thought the evidence, taken ex paEge,
would justify an investigation By your
Honorable Court, and dismissed such other
Gases where the evidence seemed insufficient
u justify preseniment.
The great inconyenieEcies and leg Il COM
plicAtiOns, 10 say nothing Of the financial
loss TO the county which haYe resulted from
the recent burning Of the court house in
several OF the counties, impress us with the
necessity Of repeating previous recon
meadaiion Of grand juries that suitable fire
proof safes be provided for the better pro-
lection Of onr public records in the Offices
Of the Clerk, Register Of Wills and county
Commissioners. Upon inspection If the
Court House aud surroundings we find
that there is but ono well or pump ia tia.
vicinity of the Court House and that this
''nly furnishes limited supply of water If
very indifferent quality for drinking pur
poses and Is ''sts.D out Of repair and az a
further precaution and better protection fr
he records and public properly we are Of
The opinion that the construction of an un-
dergr 'und cistern between the clerk office
and Jail, which We are informed can be
a"mpleted with n capacity of five thousand
.aIIons for frIm one hundred a d twenty
i've TO one hundred and fifty dollars, would
ne # inestim4ble advantage The court
house roof would afford an ample supply
OF water Ia case of fire and the same; through
The purincailon Of cIstern, would aif.'Td
Thinking water of the purest kind We
therefore suggest that the County Commits
sioners take the matter under consideration.
The annoyance and disturbance caused by
the presence of witnesses awaiting admis
-Ion ~ our jury and their proximity I'd the
ioor thereof. giving them in many instances
n opportunity TO hear and learn VIII Il is
ling on within. causes US to suggest that
screen be put at the end If the hall way,
or better, the vacant room opposite the
Grand Jury room be provided with stove
'nd chairs as a witness MON and that
witnesses. while waiting for admission to
ne jury room he required Ia remain there
in snsi s.otf a har 10. h.,
are the jury. We would further recon-
mend that suitable mating be procured for
he jury room AS the nni-e, since the new
'-iiing has been put up, Is a graf dlstur-
ance 10 cur proceedings, as we'll as that of
our Honorable Court below We have
Samined the report Of the September
'rand Jury upon the finances of the c unity
md find nothing therein t. call for invest
CATION. We have visited the Jail and found
kept IN as cleanly AM sanitary condi
i"n rs the circumstances will permit
The dreadful condition of the public
Dads throughout the county calls for
nlmpt action frnm our County Commits.
toner's We concur fully with the repeat
Il recommendations of your Honorable
nurt that a portion uf the road fund for
instance, the extra amount arising from
he liquor license, which the law sets aside
u
work Of a permanent nature Gu our m ~
pubic thnrhughfares, and that only com
2.tent aud trustworthy supervisors,he EN-
Jloyed. We recommend that our County
commissioners adopt a system Of road
rrpairs 10y which the annual levy for road
work. will ntst be distributed as reward
or partiZan services, regardless of cnmpe
-ncy If the supervisors, but placed in the
lands of responsible men who will see that
he county derives proper equivalent in
To'k for the money expended We think
mat the appointment IF competent district
rot ID supervisors under bond and at a
salary SUFFICIENT Ia justify them To give ih.
E ads their entire attention, would b.
greatly preferable To the present system
The proper care and protection of that un-
fortunate class Of people Onsane plupersl
which humanity dictates IN uld receive
very attention possible is matter that
-hnuld claim the immediut, action If our
County Commissioners We are informed
hat the State institutions devoted IL the
care Of these unfortunate individuals are
now over crowded % such NJ extent that
'uTtheT admission thereto has been dcuiei
and that some Counties have been compelled
10 confine their insane in the county JAIL
The condition If our Aims House is made
quate for the requirements of this class uf
ipdividuals and we would suggest either
The enlargement OF the same for the C IRE of
.bur sane or that conference be had
with the four lower counties of Marvland
onking "a the construction Of hospital at
-nme central point in this section for the
care Of insane aud that our next represen-
tiyes in the Legislature I've 'mpuriuned To
secure AN appropriation from the State for
the erection Of such a building. By this
To-
',Ome, as il were. where they would be
within easy reach of their friends; The
money annually paid ont If the county for
their board would be kept in our midst;
new market tn a certain extent for our pr,-
ducts would be established and many other
local advantages would arise thercirOm
We have given the question ol the pur
| chase of Hog Island. near the mouth If the
| PaTuxent river, by the Federal Government
| for purposes Oi quarantine, our especial at
t,.ntion, and believe that such step. if
taken, would be seriously detrimental To
the interest and well being of St Marv's
County We have learned, however, that
| our Representative in Congress frum the
| Fifth Congressional District, the Hon
Barnes Compton has interested himself in
the matter, and has secured the .ssurqnce
| that the property will not b. purchased by
! the Governments as quHftHtlac >ttif'o.
aud we hereby tender him our very gr iteful
thanks FIR his timely inierp' si,inn in our
1 behalf We return ihark k 10 yoHr Hon
nrahie Court and officers FIR efficient and
considerable attention and "a the States
Auornsy for his intelligent. Through and
/ prompt advice and uniform, courtenus at
tention and respectfully ak 20 he dis
charged. CHARLES ABELL,
Foreman.
Friday, March 3i-Robert G. Combs,
. Joseph z Morgan and Daniel c Hammei,,