The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-14


must reach the city, and also seriously
impair the healthfulness of adjacent
farms. Among these are the railroad
borrow pits the low place opposite Ditt-
mersville near the White Bluff road sew
eral pools near the Skidaway
road and on the Louisville road
for considerable distance beyond
the Charleston and Savannah railway
crossing. We regard the drainage of
swamps and filling of low, isolated spots
as of far greater Importance than the con-
struction and improvement Of roads just
at this time. while decidedly in favor OF
having better roads as sOOn as the means
for their construction and maintenance
can be raised Better highways would
materially and quickly enhance the value
of contiguous lands, and make truck farm
produce, etc, cheaper and more plentiful
in the cities, but the cost of building and
maintaining would be very great if con-
structed before the drainage of swamps
and lowlauds was established.
All of the county roads are imperfectly
ditch-draiued. We find chat the prime
cause for this lies in the fact that there is
no statute authorizing the county COM
missoncrs on the county road commits
slOners 10 open drains through private
lands. We recommend that our repre-
sentatiVeS introduce a bill at the next seS-
sion of our legislature, authorizing the
county commissioners of Chatham
county to direct the cutting of drains
through private lands, and putting in of
Culverts whenever, in their Judgment,
necessary for the proper construction or
maintenance Of any highway, under such
restrictions as now obtain with reference
TO opening Of new roads. Respectfully
submitted. w. II. CoBURN, Chairman.
j. w HMsoN.
F. a. ENLEY.
A. :. NICHOLS.
The grand jury, with deep regret, but
lmpellcd by "A deep sense of duty do
here present to your honor the occurrence
of most revolving crime which was COM
mitted in the county Jail upon the person
Of an unfortunate young white
girl, VINO had been placed in the
custody and care of the sheriff, to
be held until such time as admittance
could be obtained for her in the state
lunauc asylum, she having been adiudged
insane and imbecile by the proper au-
thorities. This girl not yet IA years Of
age was, while detained in the insane
ward of Chatham county Jail on or about
| the eighth day OF April, 1893. most brutally
assaulted and outraged Tho discovery
of this outrage was on Saturday the
! eighth day Of April, in the afternoon of
that day, but not made known By the au-
| thOritios at the Jail 20 the county corn
missoner5 until tho following Tuesday,
when an examination was had by the
county commissioners, and the fact thar
the outrage had been committed clearly
established. This delay in giving notice
TO the proper authorities gave ample time
for the perpetratOr OF this crime to OBJ
literate all traces that would lead to his
| discovery. This grand jury have made
diligent and laborious investigation of this
matter since il was brought to their 1T
tention, both as Il body and by individual
members Of the jury, in order to fix the
guilt upon the right person, and, if pos
sible, 10 bring HIM TO justice; but we re-
greet to state that our Investigations have
not led TO the results contemplated and
desired, namely, to fasten the guilt upon
any person.
The mental condition of the girl pre-
cluded the possibility of obtaining any
testimony from her, she being utterly de-
void of reason and comprehension. There
were three guards, who alternated every
six hours, and who had the charge of the
prison and the ward in which this girl
was kept, and who had free access to her
apartments. Besides the above named
three guards there was detailed to take
! care of her a colored woman, who for im-
moral practices and prostitution was
| convict in the jail serving out her sentence.
| This unfortunate girl was the only oc-
tulIdiIb VI billS WdIN, tAIbDb a Aithbb , WIZ
ness who was detained, but the door to
whose room, we learn, was locked and
consequently rendering it impossible for
him TO be the guilty party.
On the night when, in all probability,
this crime was committed this colored
woman, who had had the charge of the
girl, was locked up in cell, and this poor
crazy child was left unguarded and un-
protected, even by this colored woman.
fq.f, fe
entire management of the jail, and is not
only reproach on those whose duty it
was 10 care for and protect this poor
creature, but also upon the county.
While we have. failed to point out and
bring TO justice the criminal who per-
petrated this heinous crime, we feel that
a proper protection should have been
afforded by the jail authorities, so
that it would have been an impossibity
for such an occurrence to have happened.
|. We call your honor's attention to this
matter and the attention of the county
commissioners, and we earnestly recon-
mend that a suitable reward be offered
for evidence that would convict the per-
petrator of this outrage, and we also
recommend that when it becomes neces-
sary TO confine girls or women in the Jail
for insanity that they have the care and
protection Of some trustworthy female, so
that a recurrence of such calamity
would be impossible.
We return our thanks to your honor for
your very able charge given to us at the
beginning of our term and for the cour-
tesies extended us during our labors. We
have missed from our councils the advice
and counsel of our very able SOL
icitor general, Mr. Fraser, and
we deplnre the circumstances which
deprived us of his presence and adj
vice and we extend to him our heartfelt
sympathies for the bereavements which
have fallen TO his lot. We express our
thanks TO the acting solicitor for his kind
and courteous attentions to us during our
service.
We recommend the publication OF these
Dreseutments in the two daily papers.
Respectfully submitted,
JOSIAH L. WARREN, Foreman.
JAMES NJ. DIXON.
JOHN w HINsoN.
FREDERICK L. COOPER.
WILLIAE c. POWELL.
ALFRED S. NICHOLS.
JAMES MCGRATH.
GEO G. WILSON.
FLETCHER A. EXLEY.
IRWIN g. TIEDEMAN.
FULTON w DALE.
JOHN O'GoRMAN.
WIN II. CoBURN.
ALoNzo NJ. WEST.