The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-30
GENERAL PREsENTMENTs.
Grand Jury City Court, February
Term, 1898.

Term, 1895.
To the Hoporable-The City Court of
Savannah:-The grand jury for the Feb
ruary term respectfully submit the follow
ing presentments:
There being much complaint of the
many trivial cases presented for consider
alton of the grand juries, consuming time
unnecessarily, and costing the county vast
sums or money, besides enabling Venal
magistrates TO impose on the ignorant
and eXtort money in fees for drawing
bonds, etc, a committee was appointed to
look into the mater and to suggest a
remedy. They report
April %, ls95.-Honorable Grand Jury
or the City Court: Your committee APP
pointed to make inquiry into certain facts
relatlng TO Issuing OF peace warrants,
and to make certain recommendatio ns If
possible, to prevent their continuance,
would report:
First-A great deal of money could be
saved to the tax payer by charging the
jurisdiction of the police court of the city
OF Savannah, so as to authorize that court
TO try mlsdemeanors like gambling, keep
ing gaming house, carrying concealed
Wear Ons and Vagrancy. The power of
the court as to punishment could be so in
creased as to authorize it to administer
adequate punishment.
The police court now has the power to
punish Tor keeping open tipping house,
on the Lords day, although this is also
a state offense, and legislation of this
character has been sustained by the su-
preme court.
Second--A great deal of evil arises from
the causeless issuance of peace warrants
and warrants for good behavior. These
laws are preventive measures, but in the
large majority OF instances they are now
used for apprObrious words or abusive
language, although such use is not within
the contemplation of the statute.
Because two colored women or men
quarrel and rail at each other the law
does not intend that they shall be put
under peace bonds or bonds for good be-
havior but in the large majority of eases
this is all that has really happened. Be
cause of the abuse of the right, the legis-
lature, a number of years ago. provided
that no person should be arrested for
abusive language. or approbrious words
until first indicted by the grand jury, and
it never intended that in such cases the
parties should be arrested on these peace
Warrant and good behavior warrant
charges.
the fee of $500 for bond be abolished
as set forth in (Sec. and 4, act Feb. Is,
1870, and that our representatives from
this county would prepare a local bill for
the next session of the legislature, en-
larging the jurisdiction of the police
court; oeIleVlng that the passage OF such
a law would be entirely valid, and have a
most beneficial effect upon the peace and
the good order of the community, besides
saving large amount of money to the
tax payer and the unfortunate persons
who are now compelled to pay so many
unnecessary costs to the magistrates and
their officials, without a corresponding
benefit to the community.
GEO. ]. MILLS,
WM. NJ. BENT,
LESTER HUBBELL,
Committee.
The committee on drainage and chain
gang report
George w. Lamar Foreman. Dear Sir:
Your camp and drainage committee had
appointed to-day for a tour of inspec-
tion, but are prevented by the inclem-
ency of the weather and as our labors
terminate on Monday, we will not have
another opportunity.
In view of the fact that the committee
from the grand jury of the superior court
have just made the inspection of camps
and drains, we trust that our being pre-
vented will not be amss.
We commend the action of the board of
county commissioners in sending to Tybee
a detachment of the chain-gang to i'm
prove and enlarge the drainage of Iybee
Island. This island being a health resort
for the citizens of Chatham county and
of the entire state, it's sanitary improve
ment is necessarily a public benefit, and
we are glad to note that the commission
erS so regard ii. We believe that since the
chain-gang are comfortably quartered on
the island, and the expense of moving
them there has already been incurred,
1t would be wise for the county commits
sioners to keep them there until perma-
nent drainage is established in accord
ance with the suggestions and recommen>
dations of the county engineer in the
report made by him on April 5, 1895, to the
ZION. ); 4. u. Carson, CHAIRMAN or the
committee on drainage of the board of
county commissioners.
The good that would flow from a first
class system of drainage on the island,
70 the city of Savannah and county of
Chatham, is unreasonable, not only from
health standpoint, but also from a bust
ness view. If Tybee is thoroughly drain
ed 1t will Immediately become the lead
ing seaside resort of the south, thereby
attracting to Savannah numberless peo-
pie. who will necessarily increase the
amount of local currency, and at the same
time affording to the poor as well as the
rich of our community a health-giving
and refreshing resort at their very doors
during our long and oppressive summers.
The steam dredge, which is now out of
service, could be sent down to the island
and used in building the causeway and
dyke necessary to keep the drains in or
der, according to the county engineers
report, and This machine with the con-
Victs now al Tybee, could with but little
additional expense to the county complete
the work in a few months. We strongly
recommend, therefore that n be DONE
G. r.. MALONE, Chairman.
JOHN q. BUTLER,
JOHN y, LAFAR,
D. b. MORGAN.
The committee on examining books. &c