The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1905-06-24
GRAND JURY REPORT.
FRANKLIN, La. June q. 1905.

IL tIlt "a ~ L11lCLs ooE
23rd Judicial District Court. Par
ish of st. Mary, State of Louisiana
We herewith hand your Honor ouI
final report as Grand Jurors of Thu
parish. which we hope will meet will
your approval.
We have passed upon and disposed
of all business of a criminal nature
sumbitted to us, except two, which We
have referred to the District Attorney
requesting him to file Bills Of 1nfor
nation, as we did not succeed in get
ting the witnesses before us.
The District Attorney was presen
during our entire session and mater
tally assisted us.
The investigation of criminal cases
consumed more time than necessar!
for the reason that the witnesses in q
number of cases were not on hanC
promptly, and it seems through some
misunderstanding or negligence haC
not been summoned.
We are again compelled as other
Grand Juries have in the past to make
complaint that in many cases the
upon the reverse side of the atfidavits
We were thus hampered in our work,
and had to resort to other means OF
obtaining the names of witnesses. We
called one of the Justices of the Peace
before us, and upon inquiry from him
as to why the names of witnesses were
not endorsed upon affidavits, he re-
piled that complainant making same
agreed to furnish names of witnesses
later. and then failed to do so.
In regard to public buildings we
wish to say that we have examined
the Court House. and find it in di-
lapidated condition, and in need OF
expensive repairs in and outside.
These repairs should be made at once,
but if upon inquiry it should develop
that they would prove costly and in
advisable. then in such case, we re-
commend the erection of new and
larger building properly furnished
and suitable for the needs OF the par
ish.
We visited the Jail and find it also
in the needs of repairs. The inside
should be painted and white washed
and the sanitary condition improved,
and cleaned up generally. We find a
serious leak in the roof Of the build
ing which evidently has been in ex-
istence for number of years. We
found water resulting from this leak,
standing on one of the upper floors,
thus injuring the iron work, the floors,
and the arches overhead. The water
finds its way over the centre front
wall of the building, damaging and
it, and the mortar is
being washed out of the
brick work. Unless this leak is stop
ped much more damage will be done.
We made inquiry and visited some
of the public schools buildings and
learn that number of these are in
need of repairs and sanitary i'm
provements; especially the Franklin
High School. At this season OF the
year, the cisterns and vaults should
be emptied and thoroughly cleaned
and disinfected.
In an interview with the Supt. of
the public schools we are informed
that there are no funds on hand with
which to make repairs or employ per-
sons to take care of the buildings, and
or this reason they do not receive
he necessary care and attention. 1t
seems to have been mutually under
stood between the School Board and
he different school committees, that
he latter as rule were expected to
urnish janitOrs to care for the build
ng. The Supt. informed us that
here were Some funds on hand which
we're used in the employment Of bet
er class Of teachers, and that there
vas no money available to make re-
,airs to the buildings nor was the |
resent source of revenue sufficient to |
10 anything of the kind in the near
uture.
Therefore some means should be |
dopted whereby the parish school
evenue can be increased, SO that this |
ecessary work can be done. And |
S one source we recommend that the |
arish license for the sale of liquors |
e largely increased.
Concerning the public roads, we are
lformed that while they have been
lirly we'll worked, in some wards
lere has been some complaint about
ne conditions in the LIST, End and 7th.
In regard to Bayou Teche, we have
lade inquiries and are told that the
ayou now is almost if not quite
ear OF obstruction and debris, and
e have not learned of. any one
trash into or polluting the
alter.
We examined the books of the Sec
tary Of the Police Jury and find
at they are well kept in a systematic
I'd business-like manner, and.show a
lance in the parish treasury of
,O77.4S.
This ending our Investigations and
,thing further being before US, we
spectfully ask your Honor to dis
arge us. II
Respectfully submitted, t.
S. B. CROSS.
Foreman of the Grand Jury.