Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1902-01-18
GRAND JURY REPORT.


Your Grand Jury empaneled at
and for the January term of the
circuit court, respectfully beg leave
to submit this their final report
We have been in session 3 days and
have examined 20 witnesses, and
found and reported to the court 6
True Bills of Indictment, and ig-
nored 4 cases. We find very little
of a criminal nature to investigate,
and we congratulate the people of
the county upon this state of affairs.
We have investigated the roads
of the county, in compliance with
your Honors' charge, and find from
the evidence before us that the
roads of the sd Supervisor S district
and a part of the 5th Supervisors
district are in bad condition, and
should certainly be remedied. We
find a peculiar state of affairs exist
ing in this county, with reference
to the public roads. The Board of
Supervisors, i'll their wisdom, which
we heartily commend, have acted
under the law of 1900, and let the
roads out to contract, elected road
Commissioner who seems to be a
very competent man, and con-
scientious official. We had con-
siderable evidence before us that
the roads i'll the grid and 5th dis
tricts, above referred to as being in
bad condition, had been condemned
by the Road Commissioner and he
had reported to the Board of Su'
pervisors the true condition of sait
roads and advised that no payment
be made to the contractor unit
these roads were properly worked
but Notwithstanding these report!
by the Road Commissioner the
Board of Supervisors paid these
derilect contractors anyway, which
action of the Board we condemn a:
unwise, improper and unjust to the
tax payers.
We further find that the bonds o.
these contractors are so drawn as tC
leave the rights of the Board of SUI
pervisors involved i'll doubt, the
contractors claiming, as we have
been informed that they have unit
July end, 1908 to repair the road
and are not required to repair then
at once. A contention which VIZ
repudiate and deny, and we thinl
that in common sense and reason
the Board should demand the i'm
mediate working of the roads which
are out of repair. or the contracts
should be forfeited and annulleC
and no more money, which has 10
been earned, should be paid out t.
the contractor for working road
which e.has not worked.
We trust that the Board will tax,
the proper steps to remedy the evil
herein complained of, as we are ad
vlsed that such neglect is made, b.
law, the subject of Indictment.
We have also examined the book
of the county officers and find then
correct and we'll kept, but find tina
number of persons have BEEF
carrying OIL various callings, whic1
) are licensed, without first havinI
paid the privilege tax, but we ar
of the opinion that no one of then
= is willfully violating the law, but i
, largely through ignorance of tn
law which imposes the tax. w
have furnished the Sheriff with
: list of these delinquents and W
have no doubt that the licenses wi
be promptly paid when he shall de
! mand it. If not he has ampl
: power, so we are advised, to pre-
| coed by affidavit before a Justice G
the Peace, to enforce its collectio
and this we request him to d
where necessary.
! We have examined the count
f Jail and find it in good conditio
and the prisoners we'll cared for.
We have also examined the coul
: house and we find it in bad cond
e ton, if indeed it is not dangerou.
9 The foundation is insecure and Iii
e safe, the walls are crooked and it
t badly in need of repairs. tt
d grand jury room is in sad pligh
t The glass in the windows are badl
!, broken, and it needs paint and r
1 pairs and a general overhaulinI
and we recommend to the Board
Il Supervisors that they take steps