Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1906-08-11
GRAND JURY REPORT.


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t To the Hon. R, F. Cochran, Judge Of the Tenth
judicial District;
Dear Sir; In accordance with a time
honored custom, we the Grand Jury Of
Noxubee county, for the July term 1906
submit the following as Our final report.
Catching something of your honors firm
and fixed purpose to enforce the crimi-
nal laws in the county, we have worked
with zeal and fidelity toaccomplish this
purpose.
We have been in session fifteen days
and have examined four hundred and
thirteen witnesses. and returned four
hundred and forty.four bills Of indict-
ment, We found such violations Of the
law as gaming, and the illicit sale Of in
toXicants running wide open, and so
bold had these violations of law become,
that the tigar was no longer blind and
gaming was fagrantly engaged in on
two Of the most public streets Of the
towns of Brooksville and Macon. In |
the former the marshal was one Of the
chief offenders, This deplorable state
of affairs is entirely attributable to the
almost criminal unfaithfulness Of those
officials in these towns whose duty it is
to suppress such places, and bring their
patrons before the courts hey cam
not plead ignorance, for they ere So
bold and defiant that every pr n Of !
any intelligence whatever knew OF their
existence. We desire to,place ourselves
on record as saying that the laws are
sufficient for the suppression Of crime,
and the protection Of society if executed
by faithful officials.
We would also say that in its last
analysis the people are responsible 70
with the ballot in their hands they can
elect whom they will to public office
and that an inefficient officer means a
low state of public opinion, so far as the
enforcement of the law is concerned.
We think that the large number Of
Of true bills found, instead of indicat-
ing an unusual amount of1awlessness in
our midst, indicates rather the love of
orr people for law and their stern pur
pose to enforce it. This Grand jury
would have been helpless, and our eff
forts futile without the aid and hearty
corporation Of our law loving and law |
abiding citizens especially when the SO
cial and business standing of many Of
those who have been indicted at this
term of the court is considered.
1t is usually an easy thing to bring an
ignorant negro before the courts, but
stupenduous task to bring up white
man of social standing and financial d,
backing. One OF the greatest Difficult
ties encountered by tbs. was to prevail
upon negroes to testify against white
men, because they felt, and We to some
extent knew they ieopardized their
lives, and we want to declare and en-
phasize in this public manner, that we
have solemnly promise to all who have
thus testified, our protection, not only
as officials but as citizens, and we no
tify your honor that if any of these wit ,
nesses are in any way molested or in
undated to call special session of this
court and have the matter investigated
and the offenders punished to the full
extent of the law In
We feel that when negroes can be in
duced to tell upon their white EN-. f
ployees and partners in crime that the
Of the criminal law in
many species of crime will be an matter
Of easy solution. Many Of these ignorant =
creatures are now in the chain gang of q
the state in the place that should be
occupied by some white knave. II
A great dealot the illicit whiskey sell
ing and gaming among the colored pop I
ulation takes place at or near their
on the Sabbath, and other
places of public gathering until their
ministers and other leaders Of the race !
place their disapproval upon these vio- ,
lations IN way that will call a malt
grand juries can do but little.
An enlightened public opinion should
demand this Of them in every locality
If they should do this and preach in I
tegrity Of character, instead Of clamor I
oring for more privileges, they would
dc more to advance their race than all
other agitations can accomplish in a
century We place this responsibility
upon them and demand that they bring
these reforms
We have examined the county Jail
and as to the propriety Of erecting a
new Jail is being now considered by
our Board of Supervisorsors, we deem
it proper to give our views upon this
question, first we are unalterably op.
posed to erecting Jail in our Court
House square, as this is the only place
in the nature Of park at our county
site where our people can assemble on
public occasions and other reasons too
obvious to mention We too are of the
opinion that with the natural advan-
tages for drainage at the present site
an annex can be built at the cost OF |
1900, equipped with light heat and
modern sanitary arrangements This
would give Us commodious and up,to