Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-29
GRAND JURY's REPORT.
Montgomery County officials Discuss
Violations of Law and Other Matters.

Special Correspondence of The star.
ROCKVILLE, Md, November Is, lSoo.
The grand jury for the November term
of the circuit court for this county, a1ter
having been in session fourteen days, TINS
afternoon submitted its report and was
discharged from further attendance at TINS
term. 1t was one of the longest grand jury
terms in the history of the county. Inc re-
port stated that 246 witnesses were examin-
ell and ninety-four indictments found The
Indictments include nearly every offense
from petty larceny to murder, quite num-
Dor being for violations of the local option
law.
After referring to the condition of the
almshouse, Jail and court house all OF which
buildings were found by committee OF
jurymen to be well taken care OF, the re-
port continues as follows:
1T Is the observation of the grand jury
that 60 per cent of all witnesses appearing
before this body and > per cent OF all IN
dictmentS returned are the result or VIOLA
lions of the local option law and the eX-
cessive use of hard cider, the county mar
vesting a heavy aftermath OF court eH-
penses. 1t is the sense of this jury that
those who do offend by lesser crimes should
return to the county in measure the costs
which they, by their acts, force upon the
county. For this reason we do recommend
and request that the state senator and the
members of the house of delegates from
this county present to the next legislature
a bill providing that such lesser CRIMINALS
may at the discretion of the court be re-
qured to excavate and crush stone to De
used on the public roads of the county.
1T Is also the sense Of this BODY that
in all work performed upon the pubic
roads, where per diem labor is employed.
there should be some form of accounting
for the money SO spent. We ADVISE pay
roll sheets, ruled in proper form, for each
road supervisor. giving the year. month ana
day the work Is done and the names OF all
men and owners of teams employed; also
the rate per day, the amount paid for such
service, and, when payment is made, the
signature of each man paid should be
taken in receipt on the rolls. These rolls
should be in duplicate, one to be retained
by the supervisor and the other filed In the
office of the county commissioners. the rolls
to be attested before justice of the peace.
I'VE further advise that in the matter OF
fines to be reported by justices of the peace
a monthly report be required. The report
should be on printed form setting forth the
date of the trial, name of the party, names
of witnesses, fees and costs pei mltted by
law and fines imposed.
I'VE would suggest that the sheriff sub
init a monthly report setting forth such
fines as may have been paid during the
month"
After hearing the report read Judge hen
derson remarked that the recommendations,
almost without exception, would receive the
Endorsement of the court and that they
would be brought to the attention of the
proper officials. Judge Henderson con-
graduated the jury upon the thorough and
expeditions manner with which the unusual
amount of work had been transacted.