Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1898-12-02
Report Of the Grand Jury.

To the Honorable the Judges Of the Circuit
Count for Montgomery county:
The Grand Jury OF Montgomery county
for the November Term of Court 10 the
year 1898 respectfully beg leave To report
as follows:
We have TO the best of our ability care
fully Investigated all the affairs of the coun.
" which have been brought to our at item
ton. We have examined all the witnesses
who have come before US, numbering two
hundred and forty, and have found seventy
five presentments. In addition to the pre-
sentiments found we have examined the tes
timony adduced in support of number oil
other offenses, but in our judgment there
was not sufficient evidence 10 support in
dictments
The Jury visited the Aims House and
carefully examined the condition of the in
mates and the entire building, together with
the barn and outbuildings, implements, land
Rau stGsGGeeA , Snd found every thing in excel
lent condition, refiecyng "ge1lt upon the
efficiency of the superintendent. 'here are
now twenty nine inmates, jas follows Ewtye.
white males, six white females, two Whit
female children, four colored males, four col
osed females, and one colored female child.
We find on the farm four good work horses
and one bull, twenty four fat hogs and two
brood sows. The farm during the year pro-
duced three hundred and fifty bushels Of
wheat, one hundred and eighty five barrels
Of corn, one hundred bushels of potatoes
and fifty tons of hay. There are now forty
seven acres OF growing wheat.
The Jury visited the Jail and found there
confined thirty nine inmates, ten white
males, twenty-six colored males and three
colored females The inside OF the building
is clean and well kept, and the prisoners
seem TO be we'll cared Tor, and inquiry elicit
ed no complaint from them Of their treat
ment. The cellar is damp, caused by the
water finding its way thereto from the worn
out and defective spouting, which should be
renewed at once. Our predecessors have
for years past called attention to the sewer
system from the Jail. We cannot use Ian
gusge too strong 10 express our condemna-
ton of the condition of the Jail and Its sur.
roundings in this regard. All the refuse Is
carried through pipe into box In the
yard. This constantly leaks, and has no "
Overfowed and the contents have spread over
the ground around the place and has run
down into the grounds of the public school
building 1t is an outrage that the health
of the several hundred children in the school
and those living Ia the neighborhood should
be endangered by this unpardonably filthy
condition Of affairs. As the matter now
stands, not only Is there stencil aud discom-
fort arising from this uncleanly state OF
affairs, but there Is constant and ever in
creasng menace 10 the health Of the children
from more than hundred families. This
condition of affairs should be remeded.
And the County Commissioners should not
be deferred from doing what Is necessary by
the, comparatively speaking, small cost Of
the undertaking.
The present hot air system of heating the
Court House Is very Objectionable as TO
health, economy and safety filling the vari'
Gus Offices with dust and dirt, besides being
difficult to regulate. IL is Also eminently un'
safe, having fired the building several times
within the past year We would recon-
mend that IL be abandoned as soon as posi-
BILE and steam heat substituted. AS II often
becomes necessary for the various county
officials 10 work at night 10 order TO keep
the business Of the county up 10 date, we
recommend that the Court House be lighted
with electric lights.
10 view of the fact that IL requires about
one week TO summon witnesses and make
case against merchants trading without
license, we would recommend that the
Court direct the Clerk TO furnish the Grand
Juries at the November Terms OF the Court
with list Of those having such licenses on
the first day Of the sitting Of such iuries in
stead Of near the close OF the session as has
been heretofore the practice.
The Sheriff and bis deputies have been
faithful In the discharge Of their duties, and
this Jury desires 70 express It's commenda
ton Of the efforts they have made TO bring
offenders TO punishment and 70 preserve the
peace and good order OF the community.
In conclusion, this jury can not help but
express the concern which should appeal TO
all thoughtful citizens at the growing spirit
Of lawlessness and violence which seems 10
pervade the Turbulent classes among u.s.
This spirit has been evidenced 70 as not
only in the cases where we have found 10.
dIctments, but 10 others we have lnvestl-
gated. There has been plainly shown 70
US the presence amongst our own people OF
those race differences which have led 70
armed conflicts In other States, and we deem
II our duty 10 call the attention Of all con.
sentative citizens Of the county TO this con-
dltion that they may be careful 70 preserve
that peace which is the conserving principle
Of the State.
Having finished our duties, we ask 10 be
discharged.
GEO. X. RICE,
Foreman