The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-31
GRAND JURY DROPS THE DRENNEN CASE Sanitary Sewer Commission Not Improperly Influenced INDICTMENTS NUMEROUS Elevator Wanted In Court House ana 1t Is Recommended That Old Jail Be
 Removed and That New
 Building Be Erected.
INDICTMENTS NUMEROUS

After returning A number of indictments and submitting it's final report the Jef- ferson county grand jury was discharged yesterday after being thanked oy 1uose Dan A. Greene.
 In brief the grand jury wants an eleva- tor in the courthouse, wants the oid county jail removed and new building erected and finds nothing legally improp- CT in the case of D. M. Drennen and the Jefferson county sanitary sewer com mission.
 The Drennen case was thoroughly ln- yestigated, but the grand jury fdiled to find that any members of the cominls- sion were improperly influenced and the interests of the county had not been jeopardized.
 The report follows:
 To the Hon. Dan A. Greene, Associate Judge of the Criminal Court Of Jerer- son County.
 We the grand Jury, organized by your honor for the present term of said court desire to make this, our final report as follows:
 We have been in session twenty-1our days, and have docketed 276 cases which  captions; have examined about 75O wit nesses and returned into court l~ rue bills.
 We have examined as best we could the bonds of the different officers and we think the sureties good and sufhclent. We have examined the books of the treasurer and probate Judge, as you directed, and as far as we were able to find they are nicely arranged and cor rectly kept We also examined the sher- frs fee book for feeding prisoners and the accounts seem to be correct. We examined the jail and find 1t as well kept as it could be, all things considered The prisoners claim that they have suf- ficiency of food, and that they are well treated by the sheriff and his deputies
 Recommended New JaiI. As to the old jail, which is now used for a hospital we find 1t in a very delapidated condition, and unsafe, particularly as to fire and the grand jury desires to recom- mend that the board of revenue have the old debris removed and made safe as to nre as it would be easily ignited In Its present condition. We would also suggest and recommend that the board of revenue remove the old Jail and build new one in it's stead as soon as the finances of the county will allow.
 The sheriff reports to us 176 prisoners 8 white males; no white females; 11s coIored males and 25 colored females. We have examined into the condition of the almshouse and find it all right in every particular, and we have no recom- mendations to make on this matter. We find that there are now about 10 inmates in the almshouse
 We earnestly and respectfully remind the board of revenue of the recommenda- ton of the last grand jury as to the in- stallation of an elevator in the court house.
 Drennen Claim Investigated.
 We have made careful and thorough examination of the matter of the let ting of the contracts for the building of a sanitary sewer. and the bids of the contractors in relation thereto and we find that there were no improper infiu- ences attempted to be brought to bear upon any member of the sanitary con- mission, either by any of the contractors or any person acting in their Interest. or the county jeopardized by any contract made between private parties. or other wise for the obtaining of said sewer con- tracts. We gave this matter our spcs csia, attention because of the rumors preva- lent on account of the claim for Sl1.oc9 filed against the Donelson Construction company before the referee in bnrkrupt.v V and the testimony given by certain wit nesses on that proceeding.
 Thanks to Officials.
 We now desire to thank your honor for your very able and explicit charge given. and to our able and efficient solicitor,