The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-04-02
A NEEDED REFORM
Improved Accommodations
in the County Jail.
Al Last its Crowded Condition and Bad Ar
rangement Cause Severe
Crmmnpt
Comment.

There was a genuine sensation in the
Wake county court house yesterday. 1t
came very unexpectedly and was as
startling as a flash OF lightning from a
clear sky. One of the witnesses in the
Mangum murder trial had just gone on
the stand during the morning session
when the grand jury filed in and the
foreman, Mr.. Y. Z. Young handed in
the final report.
Read the report, Nj. Clerk said
Judge Stafbuck.
Deputy Clerk Viti1yius Royster be-
gan to read, and bur little attention
was at first paid ~ the officers and
spectators. But there was shock when
Mr.. Royster read paragraph in the
report about the Jail. which told that
the male and female prisoners were in
quarters only separated Ky iron bars,
and that there was no privacy for bath
ing or other purposes as the prisoners
were in view of each other at all times.
Judge Starbuck wheeled around in his
chair, and hardly had the report been
read when he said:
This matter should be laid before the
County Commissioners for prompt at
tention. The condition of the Jail as de-
scribed by the grand jury is disgrace
full and if It is not renadied by the next
term of the court an Indictment should
be made against those III fault
County Attorney Snow was in court
and was at once on his feet: May 1T
please your honor he said This mat
ter has. and is now veceiving the care
full attention of the County Commits
sioners and will be corrected"
Then Judge Starblok discharged the
grand jury.
In few minutes, however, there was
a stir. Some Of the officials felt that
an injustice had been cone, and that
the affairs in Wake county Jail We're
not as bad as pictured They found the
foreman of the grand jury and called
his attention to the fact that steel
partition and not crossbars separated
the cells. At their request Foreman
Young asked permission TO hand in a
corrected report, to which request Judge
Starbuck agreed.
Later in the morning the amended re-
port was handed in. This modifies part
of the original report, but still shows
that women in Jail are SO situated as to
hear the profanity and vulgarity of
male prisoners, and that bath tubs are
needed articles as Well as separate
rooms for white AMI colored female
prisoners, and that more room is ne
cessity for the large NUMBER of prison
ers.
Here is the amended report which
reached the court:
To the Hon. H. r. Starbuck,
Raleigh, N. c., March 30, 1901.
Judge Superior Court.
We the Grand Jury for the March term
of the Superior court for Wake county
most respectfully report the Jail in very
crowded condition. The prisoners are
well fed and sufficiently clad and the jail
is as neat and clean as it's crowded con-
dition will permit, and we would respect
fully recommend that the two front rooms
now occupied by the jailor and cook be
fixed and used for the female prisoners,
one for the white and one for the colored
as at present they are confined where
they can hear all the profanity and vul-
garity of the male prisoners, and that
ether rooms be built for the TAILOR and
cook. We also recommend that bath
tub be placed in the jail for the male and
female departments.
We insist that the accommodations are
inadequate for the number of prisoners,
and the same should be remedied at once.
Respectfully submitted,
Y. Z. YOUNG,
Foreman Grand Jury.
With the original report there was
also a committee report on the county
home, the work-house and the convict
camp. This was as follows:
To His Honor, Judge H. r. Starbuck.
We, the committee appointed by the