The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-26
GENERAL PRESENTMENT



To His Honor, Thomas NJ. Norwood,
Judge of the city Court, Savannah, Ga:
Sir-The grand jury Of the city court, No
vember term, 1896, respectfully submits The
following report as its general present
ment
We have, through the usual committees,
examined the condition of the offices Of
the clerk and sheriff Of this court, and,
from their reports. we find their books
We were able to judge, the methods Of
conducting the duties of their offices were
all that they should be.
We made no calls upon, nor examina-
ton of, the convict camps for the reason
that the county officials have declined to
pay the expenses incident to such a visit
Following the suggestions i'm your honor's
charge TO us, we do most earnestly recon-
mend, as other grand juries of this court
have done, the establishment of a re-
formatory school in this county for youth
ful deGnquents We regard the relief and
reformation of the suffering and depraved
as one of the highest duties which con-
front us as Christian people, and to re
strain the INDECENT and neglected children
from continued wrong-doing, and raise
them to positions of usefulness, is a moral
obligation which has been too long neg
lected by this community 1t should be
made the duty of the county authorities
to provide, as early as possible, school
where we can save and not punish"
youthful offenders. Many of the viola
tors of law who are brought before the
courts of this county are mere children
1--WE saw such an example in this court
this morning., old enough, il is true, to
be legally responsible for their acts but
too young to know, on account of their
nraHr g
their moral offending. For such as these
we say that neither the chain-gang nor
the poor farm are the proper place, and
unless this county, or our state, takes
steps to provide a place where youthful
criminal depravities can be repressed and
corrected, we need not expect any diminu-
ton of crime in our community. The
history and statistics of these institutions
show that where they are well managed
about IS per cent of the discharged do
well, 10 per cent. relapse, and the re>
mainder become idlers-but not criminal.
We regard this question as of vital inn
portance and we make this recommended
ton with the hope that it will awaken in
terest, and invite enlightened inquiry into
the best methods of depressing crime ia
our community.
To your honor we beg to return our
thanks for the able and comprehensive
charge given us at the beginning of our
term ana we are also tllnuIuI OF cOufle-
sizes extended by all the officers of tho
court, for which we beg to record our off,
oial appreciation.
We recommend that this presentment' be
published in the Morning News and Sa-
vannah Press. Respectfully submitted,
c.. B. Pritchard, Foreman.
George j. Mills.
G. G. Anderson.
J. p. Merrihew.
T. T. Chapeau.
Thomas Halligan.
William c. Powell.
Joseph Phillips.
w. II. Connerat.
Samuel i. Hamilton
John Reilly
Max l.. Byck.
e. G. Cabaniss.
Thomas Daniels.
a. S. Bacon.
Walter S. King.
\. Ct. Guerard.
George w. Anderson
\. S. Delannoy.
g. A. Gregory
James l.. Morrison
It is ordered that the above and fore
going presentment be published in the
Morning News and the Savannah Press
as requested. In open court, this Jan 25
1897 T. M. Norwood
Judge City Court, Savannah.