The Washington herald., 1906-11-27
JURY SCORES JAILER
Montgomery County Prison
Is Called PestiIential.
FIND NO BILL FOR ARSON
Despite $1,000 Reward LaystonsviIle
Poison and Fire Cases Has Not Yet
Yielded Indictment - Cabin John
Hotel PrOprietOrs Face Many
Charges of, Selling Liquor.
Special to The washington Herald.

Special 10 The Washington Herald
Rockville, Md, Nov 26.-The Montgom-
cry County Jail came in for a severe
scorching at the hands Of the grand jury
which has just closed its session here.
In report signed by Francis c. Hut
ton, foreman of the grand jury, a re-
voting state of affairs, from a sanitary
view, IS said to exist, and the jailer Of
the institution is bluntly characterized
as being totally unfit for his place"
No Indictment was found in the arson
poison cases at LaytOnsville. this county
wherein the buildings OF Mr. and Mrs
Oliver G. Henley were burned, and his
cattle poisoned Every effort was made
by the states attorney to obtain evidence,
and, in spite of the fact that S2.0OO had
been offered TO obtain evidence none was
forthcoming The guilty party has COW
cred his or her tracks well.
Cases Against BOBbinger Brothers.
The jury examined 345 witnesses, and
found 1l6 indictments, the greater por-
tion Of which were for selling intoxicat-
ing liquors, larceny, and assaults OF the
first mentioned. BObbinger Bros. pro-
prietors Tof Cabin John Hotel, this county,
have the largest number of indictments
10 face In addition 10 a money fine,
should the defendants be found guilty. the
court may also impose an Imprisonment
sentence.
The grand jury's report relating to the
county Jail is in part as follows:
The prisoners appeared generally
cheerful-probably at the sight of many
new faces-nO complaints of III treatment
were made Inspecting closely, the Jury
finds fault with the quality Of food as
prepared, especially the sour, dark,
sOggy, and indigestible looking corn
bread seen there and which. We learn.
forms the greater part Of the prison
fare
We see loose management and SLOW
enly housekeeping in throwing from
downstairs window into the Jail yard
what the jailer called only water but
which appeared TO De dish water. and
the water from soaked fish, as the win
dow sill, and wall directly under IL, are
stained and discOloTed, evidently from
this long established misuse, and also
the finding Of wet ground Uttered with
FISH scales, and 1T least one rotting fish,
this being in the prison yard, directly
under the cell windows; Odors cannot fail
10 rise and, If possible, increase the
stencil and the danger Of d pestilential
outbreak, which continually threatens
from the constant presence Of the Jail
slop Cart-an uncovered metallic recep-
tacle-of probably four TO six barrels ca
pacity, for receiving the night soil and
filth Of the establishment, which is un-
utterabIy nauseatng- horrible, and dis
gusting The constant and serious dan
ger il presents of an epidemic of fever
and disease, extends beyond the Jail. 20
the grounds and houses around. This
cart. We learn, is removed and emptied
bi-mOnthly, and sometimes oftencr. de-
pending on the number Of prisoners, but
not until well-hllcd.
Is Reflection on Civilization.
IF as is said, the civilization and re-
hnement Of community are measured
by its toilet facilities, nfriendly critics
might well call our people barbarous.
The health authorities. or the county
commissioners. should certainly devise
some different means and provide decent
accommodations. The county. OF, possi-
bly,. the county and village Of Rockville
jointly. might we'll go to considerable ex-
pense to remedy this menacing evil"
Continuing, the report ends In this man
ner-
We find inside the most meager ar
rangements for feeding the prisoners, and
the food We saw, as prepared, was unfit
for any one The bedding was filthy, and
entirely inadequate. Because of made
qUate bedding. apparently, the prisoners
were crowded four and five together in
small cells. which we consider most in
sanitary, and liable 70 produce tuber-
cuIosis. diphtheria. and other diseases
We consider it most debasing to tho prs
oners TO be treated in this way
The impression the jailer made on the
grand jury was that he was totally unfit
for his place"