The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-12-10
REPORT OF THE GRAND JURY.
The Jury Want Separate Residence for
the Sheriff and a New Jail.

After a session of seventeen days, the long
est for more than twenty years, if not the
longest in the history of the county, the
| Grand Jury was discharged on Tuesday, after
making the following report:
| The Grand Jury Of Carroll county for the
| November term of court in the year 1898, re-
spectfully beg leave to report as follows:
! We have to the best of our ability carefully
! investigated all the affairs of the county which
I have been brought to our attention. We
have examined 90 witnesses, investigated GO
cases, found 81 indictments and dismissed IL
cases, not believing indictments could be sus-
tanned.
A committee of the Grand Jury visited the
Aims House, and we would recommend for
the comfort and health of the inmates that
new floors and new windows be put in certain
rooms, as it will help TO make the surround
ings more comfortable, as the trouble has
been removed. The inmates all expressed
themselves as being we'll cared for in all par
ticuars.
We visited the Jail and found the Jail in
very bad condition in many ways. First, the
.antary condition is very bad. We believe
prisoners should be treated as prisoners, but
think they should he kept as human blngs.
Second, the Jail is not secure to keen prison.
ers in. Third, the Jail is not large enough.
Fourth there should be a separate plsce for
female prisoners. Fifth, we wish 10 express
it strongly that the Sheriff 5 residence should
not be so closely connected with the Jaii that
his family have to come under the Jall lnt1u-
ence Sixth, we believe the time has come
when something ought to be done. We
strongly recommend the County Commits
sioners to do something and do it right. and
not undertake to repair the old Jail, us it is
past repairing.
The Grand Jurors seem to know very little
Of the holding capacity of the Jali. A few
Years ago more than one hun ircd persons
were confined in the Jail at one time. That
WAS in the days of the tramp nuisance, and to
the ''knights of the road the Carroll county
Jail was known as the best and most comfort
able place to stop between Philadelphia and
Chicago. Since the tramp nuisance has been
abated it is rare that there are more than a
dozen prisoners in Jail at one time, and for
these and many more there is ample ROOM
The Jail is rot handsome, and it is not in
tended that home-like comforts of the well-to
do shall be furnished. And it is likely, too,
that whatever of unsanitary conditions exist
are entirely due to the careless habits Of the
inmates conditions that would exist i'll any
Jail, unless attendants were constantly on
duty. No prison is absolutely secure
There is none from which prisoners do not
escape, and the Carroll county Jail is secure
enough if the sheriffs do not allow prisoners
too much liberty and lock them in their cells
separate residence for the Sheriff would
make it necessary to employ a special guard
for the Jail In addition to this annual ex-
pense. to carry out the recommendations OF
the Grand Jury would cost about $4,000
for residence and not less than So, 900 for
a Jail. a total Of $4,000. Under present
agricultural and business depression tax rates
are high enough without adding to the bur
den, and there are many persons in the county
who want to be Sheriff. notwithstanding the
Jail Influence"