The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-27
REPORT OFGRAND JURY
ONE HUNDRED INDICTMENTS
 WERE RETURNED.
Criticises Frivolous Charges, De- plores Condition of County Treasury and Finds Fault
 with Justices of the Peace.

The grand jury for the October term of | the City Court reported at 6:3o o'clock | yesterday evening. The report was read | by the foreman, H. L. Stone. The jury
 sociate Judge w. H. Thomas. The grand
 jury returned one hundred indictments.
 The report in full is as follows:
 '"To the Hon. William H. Thomas, As- | sociate Judge of the City Court of Mont gomery. The grand jury empaneled at | the present term of the court, having | performed the duties prescribed by law, ] have instructed me to submit their final 1 report. "They have had a large number of cases before them. and have found in dictments in all cases which they be-
 lieve the public good required. The num- her of indictments. as compared with
 the number of cases before them, is small, but this Is due to the fact that in great number of cases. their Judg- ment dictated that no indictment be character.
 "A number of cases have been called to their attention, which in their Judg- ment should be disposed of in the Re corders Court and controlled by the po- lice. They think the time has passed in this county when such matters as night walking, Sunday breaking and the like should be a matter of grand jury cog nizance, and that such matters should be controlled by the police authorities. ''In the further performance of theii duties, they have examined the poni house and jail, and find them properly cared for. and as to the jail. they rec ommend that one more light and three
 more closets be placed therein: They have examined the bonds of county officers and find them good and | sufficient. They have examined into the l finances of the county, and greatly re- gret to report that owing to the unfor- ! tunate condition with which the people | of the county are familiar, they are in an unsatisfactory condition. In their judgment that condition will be ended l in a very short time, and holding such views, they do not append to thS1r re- port any statement of the finances of the county. They have checked up the Sher- ! iff's feed book and the report or licenses | of the Probate Judge as required by law. and find them correct. They have. through their appropriate committee, ex amined the books and records Of the | county officers. and find them neatly and l correctly kept. They desire to recom- mend that there should be provided at | the earliest practicable moment ire proof vault for the safe keeping of the public records, for the reason that ev cry one knows that unless such protec- l ten Is provided, fire in the court house | would destroy valuable records Of years. They have examined into the condi- | ton of the public roads, and are gratineo
 to say that their condition is shown to to be very satisfactory, except that the public road crossing over the railroad ar Pike Road should be fixed at the earliest possible moment, for the sale conduci of travellers. - '"The reports of Justices of the Peace made to the grand jury show that many of these officers do not observe the law
 in the issuance of warrants, ana that
 the principal reason for the existence or
 some of them Is to secure arrests and
 effect compromises. While we have made
 no presentment in such cases, we greatiy
 depiore the evil, and respectfully direct
 the attention of future grand Juries to
 the subject.
 'we have carefully and earnestly In.
 uuired into the various subjects referred
 to us in the able charge of your honor.
 and performed the duties enJoined upon
 us by law to the best of our ability, and with this general presentment Of the af- fairs of the county, we respectfully ask to be discharged.
 eve desire to return our thanks to the Solicitor for his attention and kind | ness, and to our bailiff. Mir. w. 5. Whit" | ing, for uniform courtesy.
 Respectfully submitted, HI. l.. Stone, Foreman"