The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-26
PREsENTMENTs
Of the Grand Jury Of the City Court
of Savannah.

81 Oh the OIy u JIG ivy OOuEb
of Savannah.
q To his honor the Judge of the city
u court of Savannah we respectfully make
the following presentment:
CONVICT CAMPS COMMITTEE REPORT.
4 On Monday, March G., your committee
a visited Camp Lawton, No. L. and found
4 the general condition of the convicts (9)
81 fairly good, two being on the sick list.
q The sleeping quarters, bedclothes, etc,
q we found not clearly.
The surroundings of the pump which
8 supplies the drinking water were unclean
q The shed under which the cooking is done
q we found in filthy condition, and the
q brick oven dilapidated. The oven should
4 be torn down and rebuilt; the expense
8 would be small. The captain (Shuman)
& at the camp should see that it is kept in
n better condition.
4 Tuesday, March Z, we visited Camp
q Walker, No. q Capt. Lane in charge
q number of convicts 49, all in fine condi-
81 ton, except two slightly indisposed. This
camp and all the surroundings we found
8 in fine order and condition, except the
brick oven which needs repairing.
JAIL COMMITTEE REPORT.
The committee to visit and inspect the
q county Jail respectfully report as follows
81 on March II:
81 The total number of prisoners confined
at present is 5S Including 4 lunatics) IL
a Of whom are city court prisoners.
Your committee do not regard the night
force as being sufficient to prevent the es-
a cape of prisoners, if they so desired. We
~ find but one watchman on duty in the Jail
= proper at night. The deputy sleeps in the
office, ond with prisoners, many of them
b desperate characters, on three floors of
the building, who can know the where
abouts of the guard by the sound of his
footsteps, we see in the situation every
81 thing to encourage an attempt at liberty,
&whether successful or not. We learn
from the jailer and his deputy that the
#COunty officials only allow one guard al
&night and we would therefore recon-
nend to the county commissioners that
they authorize the jailer to employ an ad-
ditional man for duty at night.
There are four prisoners confined in the
Jail said to ne lunatics. The attention of
Zyour committee was specially attracted TO
&One of these, white child IA years old,
Whose condition does not seem to warrant
#incarceration for lunacy From our OBJ
servation and from the report of the Off
clals also, she seems to be harmless, and
#appeared to be moro of an imbeeile than
lunatic. We do not regard the jail as the
#proper place for this child. Her parents
or friends should take charge of her.
The sanitary condition of the building
81 ls good, and the treatment and care of the
& prisoners seems to be all that humanity
e and prudence should dictate.
COMMITTEE ON CITY COURT OFFICERS.
Your committee beg to report that they
* have carefully examined the books of the
S clerk and sheriff and find them neatly
kept and apparently correct.
we lind that the prisoners brought
from the Jail for trial is done so on orders
#1romsthe solicitor general, and only when
Ihere IS every reason to believe that they
will be tried, and that the number so
brought for the months of January,
e. Feoruary, March and April of this year
was 1875, against 1863 for the same time
IN ls92, and 2l7 for the same time of 1891.
e we DO not consider that the fees are ex-
4 cossiye.
q MODERN BANKING.
The attention of the jury has been
Nca!led tothe nsages Of a loan company in
eumS TO lndigent borrowers and requir-
ing them to give bill of sale for their
s. urnlture and effects frequently worth
many times the amount of the loan and
20 De absolutely forfeited if the INSTALL
lnents are not promptly met when due,
eVen II but small sum-a few cents-re-
nam unpaid, and which is collected by
Mspeclal constahles with bludgeons, who
me Jury is informed break into the houses
~ me delinquents, assault the occupants
x IN break up and carry off the furniture.
ne grand jury is advised that the law,
#py falling to prohibit, sanctions such
IdhSdctlons. We unqualitiedly condemn
4tnese methods and recommend the enact
*lRent OF law for the proper protection
&C III Ihe people Two cases are cited as
ustratlng the usurious charges of this
HI Z . r.
&tn1onth 81 90 was charged The loan of
8SlO cost the victim So a month for four
months and 50 cost
we direct attention of the proper au-
y, critics to the pawnbrokers of the city
hey are'purchasers of stolen goods, and
as bad as the thieves, and
~ dctlng as agents of thieves, instigate
NpuQ encourage crime and shield the crini-
ndIS. We recommend that when stolen
Foods are found in their possession that
1hey be prosecuted to. the extent of the
lay IN every instance,
WORK OF THE CITY COURT,
A carefully compiled statement of the
Hork OF this court from 1883 to 1892, in
sc1uslVe, gives valuable information to the
Ncommunity.
Increase in business of city court from
Inc years 1888 to 1892:
CIVIL CASES.
IN 1888 there were fled 227 new cases
;ooS 1853; 1890, BOB; 1891, 32s; 1892 S3S-an
increase of As per cent
oAININAL CASES BROUGHT AND DISPOSED
oF-JAIL CASES.
,eiiaa 1888 there were brought 1877 cases
i9o9' 4Sl, 1890, 439; 1891, AVS; 1892, 575-an
increase of A per cent.
NUMBER OF DAYS COURT HELD.
,s IN 1855 the court sat 1853 DAYS: 1889. 173;
13'9 u 1856; 1891, 23s; 1892, 297-an increase
oI 81 per cent.
Last term-November ls92-tbe total
4 judgments rendered by this court
amounted to over 1855, 900.
an In conclusion the grand jury acknowl-
a oNse appreciatively the courtesy with