Evening capital., 1904-11-02
GRAND JURY IS DISCHARGED
MAKES MANY IMPORTANT
RECOMMENDATIONS.
Is Highly Complimented BY Judge
Revell For Splendid Work
ACCOMPLISHED.


the members of the body anticipated
the grand jury for this term of court
was discharged by Judge Revell this
afternoon. Many reports and suRSes-
tions We're made by the body relative
to various matters, but none of very
sweeping nature.
Only one charge of ineiiiciency or
neglect in any Office was made by
he body and of rather serious ma
ture. The jury filed into the Court
room at 2. 10 o'clock during the hear
ing of Samuel Griffith on the charge of
larceny. States Attorney CAN'T was
addressing the jury and suspended to
await the reading of the grand jury
report.
1t was stated that the jury had in
vestigated large number of cases.
examined lS9 witnesses, presented 54
persons for trial and found 90 untrue
bills. committee had been appoint
ed TO investigate the business methods
and books of the treasurer, county
commissioners aud board of school
commissioners offices and made a gen
eral report. 1t was stated that the first
two offices were found to be conduct
ed on the very highest business prin-
ciples.
Particularly strong was the language
used by the committee in its report
on the condition of the county COM
missioners' office. Ii was stated that
the commissioners office is now being
managed on better and more bust
ness like plane than ever before in its
history. The treasurer's Office and
that of the county clerk were also
found to be in excellent condition as
far as business methods are concerned.
AS for the office of the board of
school commissioners the committee
had some very strong recommenda-
tioDs to make. 1t stated in its report
that no record was kept of the pur-
chase made by the board other than is
contained in the check and bank
books. Going into the matter in de.
tail il stated that there was no means
of knowing the number of books pur-
chased by the board at various periods
or in what manner the old ones had
been disposed of. The committee
strongly recommended that a system
of book keeping be inaugurated in the
office which would make it possible at
all times to ascertain what had been
done by the board in the matter of the
expenditure of public money.
In the general report of the jury il
was stated that much time and pains
had been taken in the investigation of
the so-called shell cases. Many wit
nesses had been examined, but no evil
dence of a wilful wrong ON the part
of anyone had been shown. 1t was
found that the discrepancy between
the amount of shells as reported by
the contractors and the amount actual
ly in the scows from which they haul
ed was due, no doubt, to the fact that
after the scows had been measured
and numbered they had been taken to
other than the points for which they
were intended. It was found that no
more was paid for the hauling and
spreading of the shells than was right.
The jury recommended that il would
be a good plan to have the hauling
and spreading of shells done under
the direction of the road supervisor Of
the district in which the work was
done.
The jury recommended the enlarge
ment of the grand jury room and also
that the Court House be given a
thorough cleaning from top to bottom.
Particularly strong was the statement
with reference to the violation of the
local option and game laws, particu-
larly in the First precinct of the Third
district. The jury was of the opinion
that the officers of the law had been
remiss in their duties in this respect
and that hereafter they exercise great
er energy in enforcing the laws. 1t
was found that the almshouse and the
county schools were in good condi-
ton. At the almshouse they found
the conditions to be very good. The
present inmates consist of white
and 6 colored persons. Particular
stress was placed on the condition OF
the county Jail in charge of Sheriff
Samuel b. Hardy recommendation
which had been made by the previous
grand jury were found to have been
carried out at the Jail.
1t was found by the jury, however,
that fire escapes had not been placed
on the Hotel Maryland, as recommend.
ed by the previous jury. 1t was also
found that wooden fire escapes haC
been placed on the Colonial Theatre
1t was recommended that these b,
supplauted by metal ones of a more
substantial and durable nature anC
that the management of the theatre
use cbcIy calSB uuiA W pACfSAe eii'
dangers of fire.
At the conclusion of the reading oi
the report Judge Revell warmly com
plimented the BURY on the splendid
manner in which it had conducted it
duties and TIE painstaking effort i
had made to investigate all matters
that came before it, He stated tina
the recommendations made by it will
be given that attention which thei
importance warrants. In discharginl
the jury he stated that in accordanc
with the provisions Of an enactmen
by the last Legislature he would stat
| to them that should conditions warTan
it or matters of a serious nature aris
the members of the jury could agail
be called into session.
Weather In Past Novembers