The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-07-19
THE GRAND JURY REPORT
1T COMMENTS SEVERELY ON THE
woRKHoUsE SYSTEM.
William Perry Indicted for Murder
leased-Last Batch of Indictments.

The mai report or the grand Jury was
made in the Criminal Court yesterday. II
shows that a very large amount OF bust
ness was disposed of during the month.
Indictments were returned against forty
four persons, five cases were dismissed for
90 witnesses were examined. Several i'm
portant cases were included in the partial
list of indictments reported yesterday.
William Perry was indicted for the murder
of Leotus McClain at Hiram Miller's farm
July II. In the case OF Joseph Hoffbauer,
charged with being an accessory to the
murder of Arthur Boyd by Lon Reed in a
Brightwood saloon. the jury recommended
that Hofbauer be discharged. Charles NJ.
Anderson and Walter Wood, the two men
arrested for running a fake employment
scheme. were indicted for obtaining So in
money by false pretenses. The indictment
Is based on information. of William Nc
Claim. one of the victims, who deposited $25
cash bond on the representation that
he was TO be given employment by the
fictitious firm of c. NJ. Anderson & Son.
Other indictments were returned as fol-
lows: George Miller and Rollo st. John.
entering store room Of Claude Field, 400
Bellefontaine street. to commit felony
Emmett Wilson, larceny of s.. 90 from Nora
Burner. rs South Missouri street, June p;
Theodore King. larceny of brass valued at
$50 from the Metallic Manufacturing Com
pany, June %: Charles Williams. larceny of
SIC worth of wearing apparel from Hattie
Lyons and s13 worth from Pearl Tilden 100
South Senate avenue, July 6; Lewis Cline
larceny of $3.50 in money from Christian II.
Ellerkamp. III Prospect street, July s.
The prisoners indicted were brought into
the Criminal Court yesterday for arraign-
murder of Leotus McClain on Hiram Mil
ler's farm last week, pleaded not guilty
and was remanded to jail without bond;
His case has not been set down for trial
and 1t will probably be some time before
ii is taken UP.
Before completing it's work. the jury
made some recommendations pertinent TO
the management of the workhouse and
suggested that some different method of
followed. whereby the superintendent
would have authority to make all appoint
ments and remove his Subordinates for
cause. The report of the jury on this ques
ton is signed by Joseph Il. Flack, foreman.
1t is as follows: I'VE find that all of the
employees of this institution are appointed
and that while the superintendent is
charged with the management of the in
stitution, his control is not absolute over
the minor officers He does not have the
selection of his subordnates, nor the power
TO discharge them. even for a good cause.
In our opinion, the system of management
WHICH mas Decn IN operation LOT years IL
wholly wrong. A thoroughly competent
man should be selected for superintendent.
with authority 10 appoint his subordinates
and to discharge them for cause, and the
superintendent should be held responsible
for the management of the workhouse.
Under the present system that harmony
and cooperation among the officers and
employees does not exist to secure the great
est efficiency. Sixteen prisoners have eff
fected their escape from the institution in
the last six and half months. Nine of
them have been returned. In one instance
the escape of q notorious criminal was be-
lieved TO be due TO the negligence of
is still retained in the service of the insti-
tuition.
lon or about the second or third day of
July, 1896. A. F. Collins, a night watch
man. was absent from his post of duty
without permission. said to be drinking.
and had the keys to the dollhouse in his
pocket. On another occasion the same
Waterman sent Charles Barr. of the
guards. for two bottles of beer one bottle
OF which was drunk by the guard and the
duty. This Waterman is still employed at
the institution. Seven of the escapes herein
referred to We're effected during the period
when the water from the city water works
was unfit for use and water had to be
brought from we'll at the barn. Some of
the prisoners were detailed and trusted to
bring water, and, taking advantage of this
opportunity, effected their escape. To
guard against a repetition OF this we sug-
gest that a Well be put down near the
into the kitchen. Considering the large
number of prisoners confined in the work.
house and the desperate character of many
of them, and the fact that the management
is required TO work them we are of the
opinion that at least two additional guards
he, afalO xraH