Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-02-13
y guilty, and the State did not feel


to save expense to the county, and
ask for nolle prosequi, II he could not
conscientiously ask the jury for a ver-
dict of guilty. And the nollc prosequi
was entered.
Upon the order of the Court Grin.
mage was brought UP. His counsel told
him the good news, and he smiled all
over his face. Chief Justice Lore di-
rected Grinnage to stand UP, and in
formed him of the action of the court.
The Chief Justice said that suspicion
seemed to be thrown at Grinnage's
door. He might be innocent; the Court
hoped he was. If he was guilty, he
escaped this court, but he did not es-
cape from the bar of higher court
He was advised 10 conduct himself In
such manner that no shadow of sus-
picion shall cross his path, and to be
good boy. The Court ordered the sheriff
TO let Grinnage 60.
Charles Sanders, colored, was found
guilty of the larceny of ~ yards of
swiss from William B. Sharp Il Co.
The witnesses for the State were Sor-
geant Evans, Officer Riley, Winfield
Starr, Elmer Klund and William BEN
son.
Sanders testified in his own behalf.
The jury returned the verdict without
leaving tho box. San,lcrs was sem
fenced TO receive 20 lashos aud to be
imprisoned one year.
The jurors were discharged until .. 30
O'Clock Monday afternoon.
Attorney General White was asked
by reporter of The Gazette what
the trouble was in the Grinnage case.
Mr.. White stated that while suspicion
pointed strongly towards Grinnage.
the State could not prove him withn a
mile and half of the place at the
time of the murder.
Mr.. White said that if the physicians
had told the woman she was going to
die her statement would have had the
force of dying declaration.
Warren Marshall who had pleaded
guilty to the charge of larceny, was
brought up for sentence, but upon ap.
plication of Walter II, Hayes. his coun-
sci, sentence was deferred. 1t is said
that Mr.. Hayes will try to prove Mar
shall to be kleptomaniac.
The grand jury returned to the court
room few minutes before l2 o'clock.
Foreman Armstrong handed In large
bundle of papers and the report Of the
grand Jury. They had ignored all the
bills against the "shinners. There
were GO of these bills. The grand iury's
communication was read by Clerk of
the Peace Foard. 1t was as follows:
''To the Honorable Judges of the
Court of General Sessions of the Peace
and Jail Delivery of the State of Della
ware in and for New Castle County:
1.-THE grand jury of New Castle
county, beginning with the May term
Of 1895, and ending with the February
term of 1896, respectfully reports that
236 bills were submitted by the attor-
ney general. OF this number 78 were
ignored and 15S returned as 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 recog-
nize the 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 eX-
pensive than the present system.
''In pursuance of our duty we visited
the almshouse at Farnhurst, and the
county Jail at New Castle. We found
1914 inmates in the almshouse, sup
ported by the county. The inmates
are properly cared for and the manage
ment of the institution highly satisfac-
tory. The grand jury thought the en-
closed stairways in the building not
sufficient means of escape in case of
fire, and we are glad to report that
iron fire escapes are now being con-
tracted for. and will soon be placed on
the outside of the building. All the
other departments, including buildings
and grounds, are in good condition.
''In the Jail there are 1876 prisoners.
OF this number 10 are women. Nine
prisoners are sentenced for life.
1.-THE health of the prisoners and the
sanitary condition of the building is
good, and the prisoners are as well
provided for as could be expected in
The overcrowded condition of the cells.
In ono room we found 81 prisoners hud-
died together, the sight of which is
disgrace TO civilization, and should be
a convincing argument to any reasona-
bic mind that more room is needed in
the jail, or that work house or peni-
tentiary should be provided where pris-
oners should be compelled to labor, in
stead of spending their time in idle
ness and vico.
1.-THE breaking of stone affords some
employment. but this applies only to
persons admitted as tramps, but owing
To the distance from the quarry, we
think it foo expensive.
No fault can be found with Sheriff
Gillis and his subordinates in the
management of the Jail and the pris-
oners under the present system. The
defect is in the system itself, which
consists in crowded coils and enforced
idleness, when it should be system of
Just classification and compulsory labor.
The sleeping apartments for the
jury in the Court House have been
furnished with comfortable beds for
the jurors, and the Levy Court, in
making this provision for tho comfort
of those who are held ON public busi-
ness, has supplied long needed want.
The attention of the grand jury
has been called to some defects in the
sanitary condition of the Court House
and to the needs OF some additional
cells for the use of female prisoners and
we recommend that the Levy Court
investigate these matters and make
such improvements as they deem ne
cessary.
'.The grand jury thanks the Court
and various officers for the assistance
and courtesy shown them.
Theodore f. Armstrong,
Foreman. !"
On behalf of the court, Chief Jus.
tice Lore extended thanks to the jury
for the full and cretlitable report, and
stated that it would be ordered spread
on the records of the court and would
be brought before the Levy Court and
the General Assembly and the Court