The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-22
GRAND JURY FILES REPORT. Returned lO7 True Bills
 to Court. LOOKED INTO ls6 CASES
  Negro Indicted for Sending Out a Challenge.
  Same ola Recsmmesdatiea for Im- provement sf County Jail is Re- peated-omcisls at Court
 house CemmenaedL

Thomas of the criminal division of the City Court and adjourned at 1t:45 o'clock yesterday morning. There were i07 true bills returned. A total of 4Sl witnesses were examined In 156 cases. A novel indictment was that return ed against ". s. Webb, a negro who is charged with dueliing. He is alleged to have sent a challenge to negro. Giles Johnson. So as far as Is known at the court house this Is the first true bill that has ever been returned in Montgomery County on this charge and 1t is very likely that there has never been an indictment similar to 1t in the State. Both negroes live in the Pike Road Beat. Webb was arrested several weeks ago on a warrant sworn out before Justice c. H. Belser and was released on bond.
 An unusual number of indictments for murder were returned by the grand jury. there being thirteen on this charge alone .of which nine charge murder in the first degree.
 The report was submitted to the court by Charles P. Gunter. foreman, and it was read by H. H. Matthews. clerk of the City Court
 .tA the conclusion of the reading, Judge Thomas briefly thanked the jurors for the faithfulness in the per- formance of their duties and for the complimentary remarks of the report on the assistance rendered by the Judge Thomas then discharged the jurors.
 Full Text of Report.
 The grand jury's report was as fol- lows:
 Montgomery. Ala, Oct. q, 1905. ITO the Hon. William H. Thomas. As-
 sociatc Judge City Court. Montgom. cry, Ala:
 The grand jury organized for the present term of the court makes this their final report.
 We have diligently examined each case brought before us, and where the l evidence was sufficient we have found a bill. fs
 we have examined 4sI witnesses in f5s cases. and have returned io7 in- dictments.
 The Road superintendents report I without exceptions, that the roads and the bridges are in good condition, and that no violations of the road laws have come to their notice.
 We have examined the fee books | in the office of the Judge of Probate. l and find nothing to show that any | illegal fees have been charged or col- | iected,. and have also examined the | books of the sheriff, and other court | officials, and found them all In good order.
 "we have examined the jail, and find | that 1t is very much in need of repairs, | and that it Is in a very unsanitary con | dition; the ventiiators being out of | order. The steel cages have been | whitewashed for years. which has | caused the steel to rust through fin | many places. We are glad to report, | however, that the Board of Revenue | has advertised for plans to enlarge the | jail, which seems to have grown too | small for the many prisoners, that arc | confined there.
 Poor Well Cared For.
 We find that the inmates of the | county poor house are we'll provided for, and that the building and grounds | are in good condition.
 We have examined the bonds of all | county officials, and find same satis- factory.
 We find the financial condition of the county is very satisfactory, as Ter.
 We recommend the appointment of i a stenographer to aid the solicitor in Il the grand jury room: the reason there for being obvious.
 We desire to thank your honor for the able charge given us. We desire to sDeciali thank the Solicitor. Mir. D. n. Lent, JEs WHO udS lhpOTeQ 5O eficientiy, and conscientiously in the | discharge of his duty We also thank Mir. William Whiting our Bailiff. the Sheriff and his deputies for the many | received at their hands.
 Having discharged our duty, we ask your honor, that we now be discharged.
 Charles P. Gunter."
 The grand jury was organized at noon Monday, October 9th. The larger portion of it's labors were completed during the first week of sitting. Very few cases were under consideration during the past week. The report was short.
 In addition to the foreman. the grand jury was composed of $. Price McLe- more. T. M. Westcott. W. T. Nj. Rush Ing, s. ". Williamson, j. A. Thompson, z. D. wurnum, D. A. Dickey. George W. Halls, JT.. W. S. Waugh. A. W. LeBron, J. If. Kennedy, C. B. Duncan, J. q. Car ter. Barry l.. Holt, W. c. Yelverton and J. D. Wade.