The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-19

and recommendations of former grand juries as to the condition of the county jail, and trust that the county finances will soon be in condition to justify the Board of Revenue in making some much needed Improvements in the same. The prisoners in the jail are as we'll cared for as they possibly could be under the conditions, and the sheriff's office is to be commended for It's conduct of the same
 An examination of the county's financial condition disclosed the follow ing statement:
 General fund on hand. .$47,Ss3.09 Road and bridge fund ...... 14,386.1S Fines and forfeitures ...... 1,425.oo Cost Of prosecution .... .. 172.7S
 This statement of the clerk of the Board of Revenue tallies with the statement of the Treasurers account. with the exception of SELLS, the amount of warrants that have been issued, but not presented.
 There Is bonded debt of $35,000, jail and court house bonds due in 1907, bearing per cent interest. There Is also a bonded debt of $42,500 due in 1885. road and bridge bonds, bearing per cent interest. The registers claims against the fine and prosecution l fund amount to $27.2O3.95. Condition of Roads.
 The reports of the road superin- tendents show the roads of the county to be in as good condition as possible at this season of the year and in view of the weather, except that about six teen miles of the Woodley road is re- ported to be full of holes, and six or seven bridges are badly needing re- pair; and also the road leading from
 
 mel. This road needs attention.
 We have made considerable exami- nation into the violation of the local prohibition law in force In the county outside of the city limits of Montgom- cry. In some cases we have been able to obtain sufficient evidence on which to base an indictment, but in great majority of the cases we have simply had the rumor of a violation of this law in many portions of the county, with | out sufficient evidence on which to pre- dicate a true bill. If this evil con- tinues in our county (and 1t is especial ly demoralizing in certain communities where the blacks largely predominate), we think that future grand juries 1 should take more time and adopt more I strenuous methods for the purpose of | procuring sufficient evidence to punish | the offenders, and break up the evil.
 
 the recommendation of the last grand ! jury for a stenographer to attend its sessions and keep a record of the tes- | timony of witnesses brought before l that body. We urge this in view of | the fact that witnesses sometimes state one fact before the grand jury, and on trial testify to an entirely different thing. It rarely happens that any member of the grand jury, out of the tNHAA n4 vnyfNr carry for weeks afterwards in his memory the testimony of any particu- lar witness who was examined before that body, But if the testimony be taken down in writing. 1t could be easily proven and would tend to dis courage the commission of perjury in our criminal court.
 Small Number of Cases. Tho number of cases examined by this grand jury has been smaller than usual We congratulate the county upon the fact that the docket of re- ported cases contains a much smaller number of trivial cases than that of any grand jury for the past several years. Notwithstanding the bad weather which has continued during most of the time the grand jury has been in session, there have been a much smaller number of witnesses who 1dlAGu lO dbLStlu lHdH uSudls ana we are especially indebted to the sheriff and his able deputies in this particu- lar
 We desire. in conclusion, to thank your honor for your lucid charge, our 1 able solicitor for his untiring assis- tance, in the investigation of all mat ters brought before us; and MT. Whit ing for his prompt and courteous at- | tention as bailiff, and the sheriff and his deputies for the ready assistance that they gave in all matters called to their attention.
 ''Now. having performed our labors, we respectfully beg that we be dis charged. H. 4. Belser, Foreman"
 Judge Thomas will convene the criminal division of the City Court of Montgomery at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. Appeal cases from the court of Recorder Arlington will be taken up first.
 
 4. H. 9tmhhM GmeRn-neFa wuNmaA