The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1898-10-29
To the Hon. VIM. \. Hooker.
Judge Of the Aforesaid Court:

county, having finished their
labOrs at this term Of the court, /.
would most respectfully submit
to your honor the following, their /
general presentment:
In our investigation of crimes
in the county for the time which
has elapsed since the last term of
this court we are sorry to note
an increase in all classes of crime
and especially in burglaries and
hrcenics from buildings. We be-
lieve the best remedy for this
state Of affairs lies in the speedy,
certain and adequate punishment
Of crime, and for this reason we
regret the long time which neces-
sarily elapses between the terms
Of our court, and the cumbersome
and expensive machinery now
provided by the law for the dis
position of the great mass of
petty criminals in our county. In
this connection we would urge on
our representatives in thecoming
! Legislature to try to devise and have en-
acted into law some means of handling
/ this class { + crime more speedily and at
| less expense to the public. We do not
advise. nor do we think it would be
/ IL. Il. L
entirely, but we do not believe that it is
necessary that eighteen men and some
/ hundred witnesses should be kept in at
! tendance on the court for weeks in in
vestigating crimes which involve in
themselves Il money value not equal to
! one cent in the dollar of what their in
vestigatiOn by grand jury alone costs
the people. We would suggest that if
it can he done in conformity to Ollr
present constitution. that our legislators
prepare and have introduced in the leg
islature measure providing for the
election or appointment Of county
prosecuting officer in the larger cOun-
ties of the state at least. and in counties
having no criminal courts Of record. who
shall have jurisdiction to investigate
causes and file infOrmatiOnS in all cases
less than capital. and who shall be an
assistant TO the state or district attorney
in all criminal matters. The cost of this
grand Jury. exclusive of the item of
mileage. has been for this term alone
something over 500, and there have been he;
/ fore n& = Witnesses. "A of "
nrsscS We're recognized tu appear at the first
day of This court. with very few exceptions
and the great majority of thcS" witnesses We're
bound over to appear here on crimes ,f 4 = .tty
nature If the grand jury had been charged
only with the investigation OF capital Ca~t.s.
and the general inspection Of the public Offices
and business. their lNbor4 might have been
completed Within four or five days OF the com
mcnccment of the court, with Il saving in per
oiicm OF Jurors and the per diem and mileage.
of Witnesses III petty cases sufficient t" l.ay Il
regularly employed official reasonable COM
peusation for half II years service. Another
advantage of the system suggested by thu.
, grand jury. aS il appears To them, il that ~
soon n matters We're !isp0@"d "r hy our JuSt-
c"S OF the peace. the papers and records per
tanning 10 the cause mi yht 20 1T "ur" To the
county prosecuting officer, and these matters
be investigated 10y him thoroughly and fully
long prior To the sitting OF til" court; whereas.
under the present system no papers of mHgi--
rrateS, with the exception of three cases. wrr'.
received un,il the day the court met. and some
We're not received until several days after the
grand jury had been in session. all of which
caused and will always cause. confusion in the
conduct "f the public business Ia the lrlri-
mrnt OF the treasury and 10 III" djsc"uragine
OF good order and the rncoura cement of crimi-
: mails dr@irou< OF ,-vading the law