The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-02-07
THE GRAND JURY
MAKES ITS REPORT
Fifty Three indictments the Result OF
the Term.

Judge of the Fourth Judicial District
of Mississippi;
The Grand Jury for the January
Term for 1908 of the Circuit Court of
Letlore County, Mississippi, make
this their final report:
We have examined about two hun
dred witnesses from all parts of the
County, have inquired diligently into
all violations of the law that have
come to our knowledge, and have
found bills in all cases where we
thought the evidence would warrant
conviction. We have returned fifty
five indictments.
We regret, while we have no cor
rect statistics, from general obser-
walton we note the crime of murder
is increasing rather than diminishing.
We especially call your Honor's at
tention to Beat Two, where crime of
taking human life is greater than in
any other part of Lefiure county. We
specially recommend that the police
force of this beat be increased, and
that first class officers be selected in
addition to those now elected. We
feel that the officers that have served
for the past year have done their duty
to the best of their ability, but that
the two officers now in charge are not
sufficient to control the lawless negro
element in that community.
We have examined all the justice
dockets in Lefiore county, and find
them all correct to the best of our
ability, except that of W. s. Joiner.
We find he has failed to turn in two
| fines of one hundred dollars each,
making total of two hundred dol
lars. This gentleman, however, re-
commends that he will make this
good in the next few days. We think
this an oversight, rather than vio-
lation of the law,
We have examined the county poor
house and find the conditions there
very good. We recommend that a
sink be installed in the paupers house
with proper drainage, so that the
water will be drained away from the
house. We also recommend proper
bedding be bought for one additional
pauper. We found only two paupers
at poor house, and comfortable bed
ding for only one.
We recommend the discharge OF
Eugene McCary, confined in jail,
against whom we find no evidence.
We also recommend few repairs,
such as sill and a few other changes
at house of keeper of poor house.
We have examined the books OF
Sheriff, Chancery Clerk and Circuit
Clerk, and to the best of our ability
have found them correct.
We have examined the County
Farm in charge of s. F. Jones, and
find the prisoners have fairly com.
Portable quarters, and twenty two
prisoners in ali, one female and six.
teen male prisoners working under
the gun, and five TRUSTEES, making
total of twenty two, The prisoners
stated that they had comfortable
clothes, including clothes for all kinds
of weather, comfortable food, ant
were not mistreated. Also had com
Portable beds. We found prisoners
all in good health, except one Johr
Henry Jones, who has Syphilis badly
and we do not think he is ply sicalll
able to work. We recommend thai
the court either discharge him, o.
place him in Jail, so that he can have
proper medical attention. We fount
cages provided for both male anC
female prisoners.
We have examined a number o
witnesses in regard to sci ing and pur
chasing futures, and can find no evi
dence that would warrant a convic
ton of so called bucket shops in lie
fore county.
We have been in session clever
days investigating crimes that hav,
been committed in the last two years
We have exam d the jail and fin'
same kept in good order, prisoner
, praise the sheriff and jaiIor for tn
1 good treatment.
4 We report a total Of seventeen
prisoners, two lunatics.
We recommend that the out-sid
jail windows to cage room be covered
!. with heavy gauze wire, small mesh
:. so that parties from out side canno
!. deliver through windows tools an
: other things that cou d be used b
' prisoners in making their escape.
r We desire to extend our thanks t
all officers connected with the Cour
:. House of Leflore County, for thei
g courteous treatment and efficient sci
vice to the Grand Jury the 1908 jar
d uary Term OF Court. We especial
extend thanks to Nr. J. B. Humpf
: re, 8, Champ Taylor, $. 2. Prophe
We also extend thanks to our Bailif
Mr.. Moore, who has also given I
" faithful service. In fact the servie
" given by all the respective Officer
has been first class.
7 In extending our thanks we cannt
Z except our geni ! District Attorne