Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-14

! necessary
| riotic citizenship of the land. repre-
| sented by men like yourselves, shall
maintain it's courage and its earnest
endeavors and it's confidence in our
| institutions"
Many improvements Made
The report shows that many heces-
sary improvements have been made at
the county farm. The present loca-
ton of the farm, however, is declared
to be such that more suitable loca-
tion should be procured, and the jurors
suggest that the farm be sold and a
smaller tract, upon which model n
buildings could be erected, purchased
The Jury regrets that the old county
hospital building could not be entirely
done away with, but says some OF the
Objectionable features in the present
building have been removed. The
Whittier state school and the dcten-
ton home are reported to be clean and
neatly kept, and it is recommended that
better accommodations be afforded for
outdoor life for the children. The coun-
tv iail is said to be model institu-
tion and compares favorably with any
similar place in the country. Great
credit says the report, is due Sheriff
Hammel who is endeaVoring to see
how much instead of how little he
can do for the unfortunates under his
care.
Regarding the city Jail the report
SAYS it is in deplorable condition,
too small, poorly planned and poorly
built, inadequate for city one sixth
the size of Los Angeles. The condi-
tion, say the jurors, has prevailed fof
the past nine months and we can
but feel that a large part or the re-
sponsibility for this state of afairs
rests upon the city council Each
!
but on account of petty chickering's,
cheap politics and a general distrust
of each other, nothing was done. When
We get men in the city council Dig
enough to consider the public good
of the first Importance. and relegate
ward politics to a second place. We
will get better service.
Jails in Good Condition
Other iails throughout the county
are reported to be in good condition,
except that at Santa Monica, which Is
small, damp and cold.
Regarding roads, the jury recon-
mends that concrete and stone be used
TO the greatest possible extent In all
bridges and culverts of future con-
struction. Many of the roads are in
poor condition.
Values of county property, as SHOWN
by the auditors report this year, snow
an increase in valuation OF over a
million dollars. 1t is suggested that
the next grand jury have complete
inventory taken of all real estate ana
nersonal property of the county as a
foundation for the inventory value 10
be appraised every year.
A new freproof building is recon-
mended in which to keep county rec
ords. The reports of the tax collector
office the county auditor and the coun-
tv treasurer show very Satisfactory
state of affairs.
In reeard to charges made of mis-
appropriation of funds published In a
newspaper in March last year, most
of the charges are said to be uhiounu-
ed. although there is some criticism
concerning contracts.
The Jurors recommend that grade
crossings be abolished on all steam
and electric roads in the county.
District Attorneys Office
Tn regard to the conduct of the dis
trict attorneys office the report says:
."The oath of secrecy placed upon the
i11ry. and which is also placed upon
witnesses brought before the granu
Jury. should be further observed py tne
district attorneys Office and the process
servers. Employees of that office, par
ticuIarlv the process servers, should not
convey TO witnesses information con-
corning cases in which they are sub
noenaed. nor should any one connected
with the district attorneys once
divulge for publication or otherWise
matters which at the time are uhder
investigation by the grand jury. we
haiieve that better results would be
ohtained and more convictions secured
If tbe district attorney would exercise
more care in the appointment or ms
IDENTITIES and in their assignment lot
duty. The qualifications of deputy
for a particular work should be the
only reason for his assignment:
''In view of the fact that tnere mas
been so far no convictions in the ocean
park registration cases, and that the
eases which have been dismissed upon
reouest of the district attorney were
among those which from the evidence
before the grand jury seemed the ones
most certain of conviction, thlS jury
now recommends that all the remain
inc. cases of this kind be dimsissed'
thereby effecting a great saving TO the
county and a relief to the court
SAID He Would Not Try Gases
"On Monday. March 2, 1908, in open
court. the district attorney in DISMISS
ing the indictments against Messrs'
Nagle and Lattimer made the 1olioW-
ing statement: =.
we advised the Srdflu jury lloN ~
have these two men indicted, not 10 m
dict them becase of these facts, ana l
fold them if they did indict them l
would not try them
''The facts are these. When the granu
iurv was ready to pass upon all the
cases they had been considering ana
asked for the papers, those OF Messrs'
Naple and Lattimer were not 1ortn-
coming A special request was made
for them. and they were produced, each
sci of papers bearing the notation
closed Before action had been taken
bv~ the grand jury deputy from lhe
district attorneys office requested that
these two case be dropped, and gave
his reasons why this should be done
After the indictments had been re-
turned the district attorney personally
apneared and requested us to withdraw
them. rernarking at the same time that
of course if we did not rescind our ac-
tion his business was to prosecute, and
he would do So
The report closes as follows:
"In filing herewith our final report
this grand Jury feels that the majority
of cases that have been presented iol
its consideration have been OF a polt-
| ical nature. and that politics and per
| sonal relations may have lntertefeo
with the wheels of justice.
I'm conclusion, we desire to state tna'
we were convened on April 3O 1907
| have had forty-seVen meetings, have
considered about fifty cases, examined
! oo1 Witnesses and returned thlrty-hNt