The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-17
GENERAL PREsENTMENT
OF the Grand. Jury of the city Court
for the November Term. 1898.

OF the Grand Jury of the city Court
for the November Term, 1898.
To His Honor A. II. MacDonen, Judge
Of the City Court of Savannah: sir-The
grand jury of the city court for the No
vember term of 1895 begs TO submit the
following as its general presentment:
In compliance with the injunctions OF
your charge we have, by committees, ex-
amined the condition of the offices Of the
clerk and sheriff of this court and also the
condition of the county convicts. The
duties of the clerk and sheriff are inteln-
gently discharged. and. with change In
the books of the clerk, their records are
in proper and commendable shape.
The committee on the clerks records
reports as follows:
I'VE find the present system faulty, i'm
that when case is first entered in the
issuing docket a number is given which
is changed i'm the judges docket, changed
again in the book of record, changed again
in the Judgment docket and again in the
execution docket. We see no reason why
the number cannot. be used throughout
the entire case, thereby saving consider
able trouble, unnecessary annoyance ana
at the same time afford a more compre-
The grand jury desires especially to
give expression to the result of its IN
mittee visited all of the camps in the
| county.
In camp No. 1, the main camp, on the
Waters road, there are SeVenty-thrce pris-
oners, including the poor farm force of
seven women and eleven boys.
In camp No. ?, ON the Augusta road,
near the ounaee, canal, lars .thirty-qine
prisoners.
| In camp No. 9, the temporary camp on
the Ogeeehee road, are twenty-eight pris-
A total of 14O prisoners in all the camps
The force in charge of the conVicts con-
sists of twenty-three men, three captains,
three quartermaSters, one yardmaster
two teamsters, one farmer and thirteen
guards
There is at once noticeable a marked
Improvement both inn the condition of the
camps and in the conduct of the pris-
oners. The camps are, to all appearances,
in excellent sanitary condition, with the
are in good repair and clean; the yards
well kept; the clothing of the prisoners
cleanly; the food, SO far as could be
judged, well prepared and sufficient; in
fact, the general condition of the con
Victs and their surroundings, and all that
pertains to the chain-gang, is not only
satisfactory, but commercially so.
The convicts at camp No. / are at work
on the Casey canal, near the junction of
are employed in the ditch and on the en-
bankments. The poor farm force is at
work clearing the right-of-way for the
new canal. The entire force is well
ing condition. The sleeping quarters are
notably well kept; the mattresses clean
scrubbed. The camp force consists of a
captain, quartermaSter, yardmaster,
teamster, farmer, three day guards, one
night guard and one extra guard.
The location of camp No. 2, on the Au-
gusta road, is unsanitary; the water is
poor and the surroundings not conducive
to health. The camp, however, is to be
moved to new location on the Louis
vile road as soon as a site can be Sc
cured and arrangements for building the
stOckade can be made. The same care eA-
tends to the arrangements of the camp,
however, as at camp No. 1. The sleeping
quarters are well kept; the commissary
prisoners is good. The working force
which consists of thirty-nine men, is at
present engaged in ditch work on the Dun
dee canal at the Augusta road crossing.
The camp force consists of a captain,
quartermaster, teamster. two day guards,
one night guard and one extra guard.
A temporary camp, known as camp No.
g. for the force at work, under the direc-
ton of the superintendent of public roads,
on the OBeechee ROAD, was established
Jan. near the Charleston and Savannah
railway crossing. The working force con-
sists of twenty-eight men and is in charge
of the road foreman. The camp force
consists of two guards one quartermas-
ter and yardmaster and one night guard.
Three sick prisoners We're found at camp
No. ! and one at camp No. 3, none Of
them, however, being serious cases. An
examination of the county engineers
books shows the percentage of sickness
during December to have been four and
four-fifths per cent, against eight per
cent. in November.
The cost per diem for feeding and guard
ing the prisoners is 3ll5 cents,
The prisoners at all camps are required
to battle once week When working in
water a change of clothing and shoes is
required Immediately the prisoners arrive
in camp after their days work. A strict
enforcement of these regulations we com
mend as largely conducive to and respon-
sible for the good health of the prisoners.
We fully indorse the action Of the coun-
ty engineer, Mr.. W. A. Dayton in abolish
ing the "trusty" system. All conVicts
now wear chains. The regulation is no
unnecessary hardship and lessons the op-
portunity for the escape of prisoners
The discipline of the camps is, to all ap.
pearances firm and far as we were
able to judge, the punishment inflicted
is not unnecessarily so. Punishment when
necessary is inflicted by the captain of
the camp or by his direction.
We believe that under its present man
ageTnent the purposes of the chain-gang
as a form of punishment are. more effect
lively accomplished the moral results to
the public are more beneficial and the
work done by the prisoners for the county
Of greater service than has been the case
in recent years.
The grand Jury desires to express its an
probation of the able, conscientious and
faithful services rendered by his honor
Judge MacDonell during his term of Of
hce and the regret shared alike by those
with whom he was in frequent contact
in his judicial capacity, and by the public
whose interests he subserved, at his re-
tirement from the bench. 1t also desires
TO commend the faithful and efficient SER
vices Of the clerk and sheriff during their
terms of Office and to thank the court
and its officers for the courteous assist
ance rendered at all times to the grand
jury in the discharge Of IT'S duties
We recommend that this Ifesentrnent
be published in the Savannah Morning