Birmingham state herald., 1895-11-10
REPORT OF GRAND JURY N A Supplementary Report byFive
 of the Juryman. 189 TRUE BILLS RETURNED A Very Interesting Document, in Which All Glasses Are Touched Up More
 or Less.

Jdiy 0dnQeO report 10 the Judge of the criminal court
 Out of the 221 cases examined 1s9 true bills were found, 159 of which were fel- onies and twenty-nine misdemeanors.
 Nothing deserving adverse criticism vas found in the books of the county of Icers and their bonds were found cor rect in form and sufficient in surety.
 Violations of the garnshment law were reported almost without exception b.y every justice of the peace." but as the violations were technical impeachments were not recommended.
 The jury reports finally that there has been no dimunition of crime and rec Cmmends the passage of an act giving exclusive Jurisdiction to the criminal courtof misdemeanors begun by indict- ment of the grand jury. In conclusion, favorable mention Is made of the execu- tive officers of the county and city for the excellent work they have done in the cap ture and conviction of criminals.
 The following supplementary report vas submitted by Jurors R. J. Tillman, John G. Bonner, A. c. Oxford, J. M. Du- pey and J. R. Jenkins. The report was not concurred in by Foreman w. J. I,sowell and Jurors J. E. Camp, J. A. nowney, II. A. Haigler. G. H. Bailey, Jacob Smith, w. J. Yielding. J. K. P. V and ". P. Waldrop.
 The report reads as follows:
 Justices of the Peace.
 "We have caused to come before us every regularly elected justice Of. the peace and notary public ex-officio Jus Hces of the peace in the fifteen beats ef this county and have carefully examined the dockets kept by them in their official capacity and have found them In all re- spects regulr except in some instances we found some slight irregularities in the issuance of process, which we DeneVe IS due to ignorance of the law as much as 10 any other cause, and excepting one or two of said officials, whom We believe to be guilty of malfeasance in office and which we have heretofore reported to your honor.
 Detectives.
 During our session we have had occa- sion to observe certain acts and actlohs of persons who call themselves detec- tiyes, and we deem it advisable and rec ommend that the legislature pass a law requiring all persons who are engaged in or who may become engaged Tn de- tective work to execute a bond in the sum of $5OO0 O. $10,000. with not less than two good and sufficient sureties, to be approved by and filed with the probate fudge of the county in which said person resides, or has his principal place of busi- ness, said bond to be conditioned to pay any damage that any citizen may sus- tain by reason of any unlawful or illegal act of such detective, in his capacity as such.
 Newspapers.
 "We believe also that all quiet, peace able and law-abiding citizens snouiu pc protected against the. slanderous, libel ous and scurrilous attacks upon their character by wholly irresponsible and in solvent newspapers or periodicals, ana we therefore recommend that the iegls- lature enact a law requiring the owners or proprietors of all newspapers or pe- riodicals published in this state, or at least in this county, having 800 or more subscribers, to execute bond in the sum of at least 5000, with sufficient sure ties, to be approved by and filed with the probate judge of the county where such paper is published, conditioned to pay any citizen any damage that he may sus- tain by reason of any publication or edi- torial appearing in said paper or per1odi- cal.
 Mining Corporations.
 "Our attention has also been called to a custom and practice among certain individuals and corporations engaged In the uuarrying and mining business which, to our minds. calls for the seVerest condemnation, and should De ringing appeal to the legislature for relief. It appears that certain mine and quarry operators deduct or detain out of the monthly wages of their employees every month 50 cents if single man and $l IT a married man. for house rent, 50 cents or $1, as the case may be, for insurance, and like amounts for a physician ana school teacher. It also appears that the house rent money is deducted and held back, whether the employe lives on the operator's property orenot. If he owns the house in which he lives, or if he rents 1t from some one else. still he must pay the operator his monthly house rent. This seems to us to be extortion, pure and sim pie. In some instances the physician s or school teachers fund each aggregate $500 or $500 month. The operator em- ploys a regular physician for $125 or $150 a month and school teacher for a like amount. We are not informed what dis position the operator makes of the bal ance of the funds. but we have no reason to believe that it is donated to>any char itable cause. These are such gross out rages and impositions on the laboring man that we believe the legislature should in some way correct and remedy the evil.
 Check System.
 "The commissary check system, as in vogue in this district, has been brought to our attention. From what information we have been able to gather on the sub 
 and should be abolished: that 1t is a menace to the substantial business and commercial interests of the community We are informed that although the checks are marked not transferable , yet coal, iron and all other kinds of mer- chandise can be bought and paid for with these checks by the holder thereof. This we believe Is unfair competition, and since, as we have been advised, your honor has ruled in recent case that these do not and cannot perform the office of money by reason of being stamp ed not transferrable,' we recommend that the legislature enact law making all checks or tickets issued for labor good in money in the hands of the holder for face value, and due and collectable thirty days from date of issuance.
 Local Laws.
 We believe that our local laws should be changed and amended in many respects by legislative enactment, and we recommend the following:
 That all witness certificates Issued out of court of record be made non- transferable Xs
 That it be made compulsory upon the solicitor or foreman of any grand jury to