St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-13

Technical Violation of Law
Relative to Employing Young
Children, But advise Against
Prosecution.
The Ramsey county grand jury made
a report to Judge Willis at o'clock
yesterday afternoon, and was discharged
until Monday. Jan. 30. at 10 O'Clock a.
m, when the court asked it to convene
again.
The report of the grand jury led to a
somewhat peculiar episode in the shape
of sharp rebuke by Judge Willis, who
was presiding. Its report was sabStan-
! TALLY as follows:
AS TO the special recommendation of
the court on the enforcement of new
statutes, the grand jurors found that
there is a general desire on the
! part of employers to provide safe
guards for dangerous machinery,
and it has been sufficient for i'll
| Spectors to call attention Of factory
| and mill owners to dangerous features
to have them promptly remedied.
AS to the new law prohibiting the
employment of children before Z O'clock
a. IN. and after o'clock p. m, there Is no
doubt of technical violation of that law
by keeping stores open after 6 o'clock
Saturday evenings, especially, and
where young people are employed as
clerks, cash boys, etc. 1t is not be-
lleyed, however, that sound public pol
icy would be subServed by the prosecu-
lions OF employers for this cause, or by
compelling them to discharge their
young employees. The young people
make no complaints. In most cases
they are members of poor families. and
| their earnings are important cOntribu-
lions to support younger brothers and
| sisters or aged parents"
The Inquiries of the grand jury lead
| to the opinion that crime is not more
common in st. Paul than other cities of
the same size
Proper officials are recommended to
strictly enforce the collection of saloon
| and other licenses on dates when they
fall due.
The city hospital was found to be in
| excellent condition, and is believed to
be model Institution of its kind, of
which the citizens should justly feel
proud.
The workhouse appears to be eff
GENTLY and economically managed.
There are 80 prisoners there now, the
lowest number in years. At one time
there were $50 inmates. The small
number at present is accounted for by
the general drift to Chicago of the
tramp element during the worlds
fair, the theory being that this element
has not yet had time and means to re-
distribute itself over the country. The
food at the workhouse is ample III quan-
tIty and of good quality, the cost of
food per day per man being so cents,
which is remarkably low figure.
There are 81 inmates in the poor
house, filling up that Institution.
The county Jail is, as usual, over
crowded. 1t now contains IS prisoners.
Attention is called 10 the fact that
grand jurieS have for years reported
the urgent need of new jail. and it
was deemed useless to make another
| report to that effect. The need of
Jail yard for the use of prisoners in
open air exercise was alluded to in the
interest of humanity.
The central police station was found
incubation was made that a new build
ing should be provided, as the present
rerted building is only temporary eX-
pedlent. In conclusion, the thanks Of
the grand jury were expressed for the
faithful and intelligent assistance given
by the county attorney.
COMMENTS OF TIE JUDGE.
Judge Willis was apparently dis
pleased with the findings relative to the
employment of young children. He
said that the recommendations in the
report were iii the main excellent, and
the court cOncurred i'll the recommended
lions as to the county jail and the CEN
trail police station. But when the grand
jurors presume that the executive Off
GERS of the law should be merely recon-
mended to enforce the law. and reliev.
ing themselves of the responsibility of
Furnishing for infractionS of the law,
and, like Charles |. OF England, say
which laws should and which should
not be enforced, then the grand Jurors
failed to do their duty. The grand jurors
were reminded that they were the su-
preme accusers Of the county, ana it was
their duty to see that the laws are en-
forced as they are found On the statute
books. Continuing, the court said:
There is wise provision of law pro-
viding for the education of the children
Of the republic. The presumption and
intention of the law is that children
under sixteen years of age are in the
schools. When the grand jury saws
that it is not believed to be sound pub
lie policy TO enforce the law as to the
employment of children under certain
conditions, iC diSregardS the plain in
struction of the law and takes the posi-
ton of saying what laws shall and what
shall not be executed" Judge Willis
then thanked the grand jurors and ex-
| cuSed them for two weeks.
COMMENTS OF THE JURORS.
In speaking OF the comments Of the
judge after adjournment, some of the
jnrors expressed considerable feeling.
| They had, they said, at the request of
the court, carefully investigated the
| subject of child labor and endeavored
to honestly and faithfully discharge
their duties, presenting the facts as
they existed and thought they were en-
| titled 10 credit rather than censure for
| their painstaking.
ADDITIONAL INDICTMENTS.
| L S IOllONlHS duulIlOHdl Inducements
were handed in with the report:
| l.. E. Fuller is indie ed for forgery in
| the second degree for putting off on the
| First National bank note for S125,
| signed Frank D. Willis and l.. E. Full
| Ter.
Thomas O'Brien and Press Durant,
assault in the first degree made upon
Jacob Miller and shooting him in the
hand and robbing him of $40. Miller
was held up while on his way to the
| Central Park church with his wife.
Edward Crowley and Joseph Davis,
grand larceny in the first degree, who
are accused of holding up George C.
| Block on Dec. s.
Nicholas Clark and Charles Wright.
grand larceny in the first degree, COM
United Dec. II, by robbing the store of
| Michael Orenstein of clothing and cloth.
Fred Thompson. grand larceny in
| the second degree, committed Aug. Is
by stealing from thesdwelling of Daniel
/ Y L alIyy of