The sun., 1900-02-08
SHOULD UPHOLD THE
DIGNITY OF THE COURT
Grand Jury Suggests More De-
sirable Procedure in
Court Room.
SHOULD UNIFORM BAILTFFS
Witness Fees Ought Not be Paid in
the Court Room---Other Rec
concentrations Made by
the Grand In
quest.
SHOULD UNIFORM BATLIFFS

During yesterdays session of court the
grand jury made its report. Chief Jus
tice Charles b. Lore thanked the mem
bers OF the jury for their valuable service
and said that certainly no other grand
jury had excelled them in their work.
The report was addressed and sub
mitted as follows:
To the honorable judges Of the Court
OF General Sessions of the State Of D1la.
ware, in and for New Castle county.
The grand jury nf New Castle conntv,
beginning with the May term al 1888,
and ending with the February tenn of
1900, respectfully reports as follows: US
indictments were suDmitte by the at.
torney genera; OF this number l57 true
bills we're found, and q were ignored.
As per instructions from the Cont,
the grand jury visite aad inspected the
conuty a'nishouse at Farnhurst un No.
yember 70 and ile. jail at New Castle on
December I, 1899.
Both Of these institutions were fannd
to be scrnpnlously Clean and healthfuI
except for the CROW ded condition of the
jail In this Institution more room is
needed. There was no dirt nor smell Of
any kind i'll the corridors or rooms Of
either institution, nor any complaint Of
III treatment from any Of the inmates.
There are members of this grand jury
who have men employed receiving SIS
per week, whose homes are not as
sweet and comfortable as the county
almshouse.
The inmates at Farnhurst and the
prisoners at New Castle are we'll cared
Tor, and the county superintendent and
the sheriff deserve credit for their care
and paipstaking.
The basement and the cells of the
county court house have been examined
and found clean and the sanitary condi-
tion excellent, due to the diligence of the
officers in charge. There we're $50 in
mates at Farnhurst and lS9 prisoners at
the Jail
The grand jury sets the need Of and
recommends the following:
First, On the first day Of the session,
the court should convene at ten O'CLOCK,
or the jurors and witnesses should not
De subposnaed TO appear until twelve
o'clock.
Second, The county should provide
some other place to pay witaess fees
than IN the court room, while court is in
session. The present plan doti acts from
the dignity of the court, and is annoying
to the witnesses.
Third, The bailiffs and Tipstaves de-
tailed to keep order in and about the
court room, should be uniformed SO that
strangers coming to and into tine court
room could recognize those in authority.
Fourth, More room should be pro-
vlded for the county prisoners immedi-
ately.
Fifth, At least S., 600 should be pro-
vided for the purpose of furnishing beds,
heating apparatus, and establishing a
hospital in the third story OF the county
almshouse, for which the room is already
provided. This jury has seen man with
a broken leg, and one with typhoid fever
together in small room at this institu-
tion, for the reason that no quarters
other than this are provided because of
lack of funds. 1t is our opinion that tine
means of fighting fire are Inadequate.
Sixth, The General Assembly should
enact law in conformity with Section
80, of Article 1V, of the New Constitu-
tion, giving to the Municipal Court of
this city original jurisdiction of viola
tions of the law in regard to the sale of
Intoxicating liquors, and the offense of
concealed deadly weapons. The
penalty for the last offense is imprison-
ment not exceeding 80 days, yet the |
person so charged is often confined two
or three months before their cases are I
tried. Experience has shown that in
offenses against Intoxicating liquor laws
that the witnesses are very often tam
pered with before the cases reach the |
grand jury. These offenses should be
tranferred to the Municipal Court, where
speedy trials could be had at small
expense in comparison to the present
system.
The grand jury gratefully acknow-
Lodges the patience and uniform courtesy
Of the Court and it's officers and extends
its thanks to them and especially to the
deputy attorney general, whose ability
and energies have always been at our
Chief Justice Lore said the report
would be laid before the Levy Court and
The next General Assembly.