The Forrest City times., 1906-09-28
REPORT OF GRAND JURY.
In St. Francis Circuit Court,

the First Judicial Circuit, Presid-
 ing:
 We, the grand jury have been six days in session. during which time We examined sixty-ftur witnesses. from 1 whose evidence we found twenty-four l indictments, eight for felony and six teen for misdemeanors, and discharg- l ed four cases.
 A committee from our body visited the poor house. They found six in- mates-four females and two males The paupers say they are well housed and fed. Sanitation is good.
 We visited the jail in body and We have delicacy in again going through the formality of recommend ing what about every grand jury has recommended for the last two or three years.
 We again recommend a saf, ty and sanitary improvement in our jail. We find the walls of the jail very weak under the window sills. Any prisoner with stove poker or any other hard in- strument can make a hole throug the brick and mortar in very short time and get out. On this account the 1 prisoners must be confined within the cells which are entirely too small. By measurement a cell is seven feet wide by eight feet long, seven and one half feet high and has as many as four 10 six prisoners in it. This crowded condition for weeks and even months makes it not only unsanitary but is bad and even inhumane treat ment. Because a person is unfortu nate enough to be placed in jail does not always prove that he is crimi- nal, and we must not lose sight of the fact that we still owe him humane treatment.
 Our grand juries are composed of representative men from all parts of the county, endowed with good moral practical business sense.
 They visited the jail at every term of court for years and have been un- animous in their recomme ndation of this improvement.
 we are not pauper county, our financial condition is good; the cost of the improvement is not so great We cannot do it. Then why not do 1t? Have our county officers neglected their duty or are they devoid of pub lie enterprise?
 This grand jury goes a step further than their predecessors: they insist that this improvement be made and we further state that we do not be- lieve 1t advisable to take prisoners from other counties to hold. owing to the unsanitary and crowded condi- tion Of the jail-not at least until the jail is strengthened and there is some room for, the exercise of the prisoners
 From the magistrates transcripts filed with us we find they are made out according to law. From the cases coming before the grand jury we would recommend that magistrates be more thorough in disposing of their cases, and not bind them over for trial courts unless they have good reasons for doing so.
 We find from the report from the commissioners of accounts and from consulting the county clerk that the various officials have made their set dement's according to law.
 We want to call attention to the fact that magistrates throughout the county place too many witnesses un- der recognlzance for their appearance before the grand jury, when a asmaller number would answer the same ques- tions, and thereby save the county that additional expense.
 In concluding our report we wish to compliment our county judge upon his able and economical management Of the county affairs, for the many public improvements he has made at a small cost to the county.
 We also desire to thank the various county officials with whom we have come in contact in the performance of our duties for the many eourtesies extended us, and the willingness to assist us at all times.
 Respectfully submitted,
 ]. T. JOHNSON, Foreman. n