Middletown transcript., 1899-02-18
THE GRAND JURY REPORT.
MANY ADMIRABLE SUGGESTIONS MADE I

MANY ADMIRABLE SUGGESTIONS MADE FOB
THE GOOD OF ALL ADOPTED.
The matter of the trivial cases brought to
the attention of the Court of General Sess.
ions, the lack Of proper ward at Farm
hurst for serious cases, the fact of the New
Castle jail being to small, the matter of a
State workhouse and quarry, inclosing Of
the pilory and whipping post and prohibit
ing minors from visiting whippings, were
all dwelt upon in the excellent report made
by the Grand Jury in the Court of General
Sessions last week.
The Grand Jury completed all the work
brought before them and received an unus-
ual amount of praise from Chief Justice
Lore, who thanked them for the rapidity
and accuracy with which they discharged
their duty.
He added that they never had a jury
space of time and as WE'LL
The Grand Jurys report was as follows:
The Grand Jury OF New Castle county
respectfully reports that for the year end.
ing with the present term $50 bills have
been submitted by the Attorney General
Of this number 80 have been ignored and
218 returned as true bills.
As usual, large portion of them were
for minor offences; and some provision
should be made by the General Assembly
to have these trivial cases settled elsewhere
In pursuance of our duties, we have visited
and inspected the Almshouse at Farnhurst
and the Jail at New Castle.
We found the inmates at the Almshouse
well cared for and great credit is due to the
management. While at Farnhurst our at
tention was called to the lack of a proper
ward for serious cases, where they could
be isolated and have more quiet than in
the general hospital wards.
The members of the board of Trustees, as
well as the physicians in charge, requested
us to ca II attention to this matter in our
report, which We cheerfully do trusting
that the Levy Court will grant the small
appropriation needed. and which will add
SO much to the comfort of these unfortun.
ate wards of the county.
We regre. we cannot say as much for the
jail; amply large as it was for the time in
which it was built, it has long since proved
too small for the growth of the county.
While the Sheriff seems to have done
nvnrvthino in biS Y,ouar ~ to1yo ,.o.o. oo,o
Of those committed to his charge, yet with
often from 1870 to 200 prisoners, and only SO
small cells, besides the one larger room for
the short term prisoners and tramps, it is
necessary to place from six 10 eight in one
cell. These cells are but IA feet inches
long and feet 8 inches wide.
With these facts staring US in the face
comment seems unnecessary, and it cannot |
De otherwise than school of vice and a
iotbed of disease. The only wonder is that |
no epidemic has broken out. A bill is be- |
lore the present Legislature to establish a |
State workhouse. and the question of a
stone quarry for the prisoners is also being
sgitated again.
Whlle Objection might be made to the |
irst on the ground of expense. the cost of
he latter would be comparatively light,
md be step in the direction of improving
our roads.
1t has also come TO our notice. that dur.
ng the last pnnishments inflicted at the
post and pilory, the culprits were subject to
'evere infiction from exposure to stormy
weather, we would recommend the inclos-
ire of the post and pillory. We would
llso recommend that all minors be prohibr
ted from witnessing such public punish.
nent.
All Of which is respectively submitted.
[signedl !. wilkins cooch,
Foreman.
Chief Justice Lore made an order that
he report be spread on the court records,
md that copies be sent to each branch of
he Legislature and the Levy Court.