The Mena weekly star., 1906-10-25
GRAND JURY REPORT
County Property h Good Condition Little Crime High Praise for
 Sheriff Joplin.

To the Honorable James s. Steel.
 Judge of the Ninth Judicial
 Circuit:
 We, the grand jury, selected and empaneled for the October 1906 term of the Polk circuit cours beg to submit the following report:
 We have diligently inquired into all the breaches of the penal laws over which VI have jurisdic. ton, of which we had knowledge, or have received information, and in pursuit of these investiga- tions we have examined eighty seven witnesses and have reported ffty-two indictments.
 Our investigations have dis closed the fact that few crimes of any character have been commit- ted in the county since the last term of this court, and these few are of a minor class. This con- dition, we are constrained to believe, is due the vigorous man. uer in which the law has been enforced in the county. We are proud to note that our petit jury are fully alive to the importance of the position and do not hesi- tate to convict when the evidence will warrant such a conclusion.
 Having examined the public buildings we find the court house and jail to be in good condition, except . few minor particulars. A few lights are out of the win dows of the jail, tLe walls of the witness rooms in the court house are marked to a considerable e1tent and the steps of the court house are somewhat out of re- pair. We recommend that lights be put into the windows in the fail, that some steps be adopted to suppress the ugly practice of marking on the walls of the court room and that the steps of the court house be repaired. We further recommend that necessary closets be provided for the accom- modatiou of the court and its attendants. And that they be kept exclusively for the use of such.
 We find that the jail is well kept and the prisoners properly cared for. The poor farm has been carefully examined by a committee appointed for that purpose and it's report is attached as an exhibit to this report. The county officials appear to be effi- cient in the discharge of their duties and we have no criticisms for any of them.
 In as much as the term of our worth sheriff, D. B. Joplin, will soon expire, we deem it but just to express in measure our great esteem for him as an officer. Honesty and efficiency have characterized his official conduct through hout his official career and we congratulate him upon a strict adherence to these prin- cipals. He has at all times set for himself a standard of excel lence, which others may emulate but none can excel. No one can justly charge that he has ever shown favorit;sm or prejudice in the discharge of his official duties. In the selection of special juries he has ever taken the very best material available.
 In view of the opportunities and temptations such position gives for aiding a friend or in- turing au enemy we feel justified in saying that no higher commen- dation can be said of anyone than that he has been just and fair un- der the circumstances. If his successor shall exercise like judge ment and impartiality it will be our pride and boast that every man charged with crime must submit to trial by an impartial