Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1896-02-10
ARE FOR PRISON REFORM
Grand Jurors Declare Them
selves in Favor of ofPrison Labor.
A MUCH BETTER JAIL IS NEEDED

Grand Jurors Discharged After One
Years service-Almshouse InApected.
Review of the Work Of the Year.
oompIimentsd in Glowing Terms BY
Chief Justice Lore
The grand jury made it's annual report
to the Court this morning II WAS as
follows:
To the honorable judges Of the Court
OF General Sessions Of the Peace aud Jail
Delivery Of the State Of Delaware in and
for New Castle county:
The grand jury Of New Castle county.
beginning with the May term OF 1895,
and ending with the February term Of
1875, respectfully reports that 236 bills
we're submitted by the attorney general
or this number rs we're ignored and 1853
returned Rs true bills.
A large portion Of the true bills
rendered have been for trivial offences
In which small amounts have been In
volved. for larceny and for carrying
concealed weapons. While we recognizes
tho principle OF theft being the same
whether large or small amounts are
Involved, we are OF the opinion that
some law should be enacted by the
General Assembly whereby business Of
this character should be disposed Of In
some manner more simple and less expen
siyo than the present system.
In pursuance OF our duty we visited
the almshouse at Farnhurst, aud the
county jail At New Castle We found
/ 1914 Inmates In the almshouse, supported
by the caunty. The inmates are properly
cared for and the management OF the
Institution highly satisfactory. The
grand Jury thought the enclosed stair
ways IN the building not sufficient
means OF escape IN case Of fro, aud we
are glad 20 report that Iron Ere escapes
are now being contracted for, and viii
soon bo placed on the outside Of the
building. All the other departments,
including buildings and grounds, are In
/ good condition.
In the jail there ara l55 prisoners or
this number ten are women. Nine
prisoners are sentenced for life.
The health Of the prisoners aud the
sanitary condition Of the building Is
good, and the prisoners are as we'll
provided for as could be expected In the
overcrowded condition Of the cells
In one room we find thirty seven
prisoners huddlsd together, the
sight OF which Is a disgrace to
civilization. and should be convincing
argument TO any reasonable mind that
more room Is needed In the jail, OF that
work house or penitentisry should be
provided where prisoners should be
compelled TO labor, instead Of spending
their time Ia idlenees and vice.
The breaking Of stone affords some em-
Iployment, but this applies only to persons
admitted as tramps, but owing to the
diatanco from the quarry, we think 1t too
expensive
No fault can be found with Sheriff
0his aud his aubordlnates Ia the mRn-
agement cf the iail and the Driso nera
under the present system. The defect
ls In the system itself, which consists In
crowded cells and forced idleness, when
it should be a system OF just classiEca-
tion and compulsory labor
The sleeping apartments for the jury
In the Court House have been furnished
with comfortable beds for the Jurors,
aud the Levy Court. In making this
provision for the comfort OF those who
ARE held on public business has supplied
long needed want.
The attention iof the grand jury has
been called to some defects 10 the sani
tary condition Of the Court House and
to the needs Of some additional cells for
1 hNr use ol ltAalo ltlnVAuho anu Wo
recommend thst the Levy Court investi-
gate these matters and make such i'm.
provements as they deem necessary.
The grand jury thanks the court and
various officers for the assistance and
courtesy shown them.
THEODORE +. ARMSTRONG,
Foreman.
Chief Justice Lore-"We want to
thank you for that very credltablo
report. We will order It spread upon
the records Of the court and will
see that the recommendations
contained are brought to the attention of
the Levy Court and General Assembly,
We do hope they viii listen to the wise
suggestions made for the better
ment Of the large class Of
citizens confined in our common
jail We thank you for your attention
to the business Of this court, and the
expeditions manner In which you have
disposed Of the business We can only
] 1nwrro-o oua crrrour N mart with WIN a 10