Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-04-08
GRAND JURY BREAKS
THE RECORD FOR
INDICTMENTS
RETURNS 1856 TRUE BILLS
DURING t6 DAYS SESSION
County Jail in Fine Condition
But City Jail Is in Serious
Need of a Cleaning Up, Says
Report,

The Berna'3llo county grand inN
made its final report yesterday aftet-
noon and was discharged 10y Judge
Abbott after having been in session six
teen days. The jury broke the record
for indictments during inc same
length of time, having returned $50
true bins during that time, examined
80 witnesses and found 10 no true
bills.
The most important recommends
tions OF the jury are for repairs to
the court house offices and Rrounds
and n strong recommendation tina,
the present unsanitary condition of
the city Jail be remedied At onCe. The
text of the report follows
In the District court of the County
County of Bernalillo, Territory of
New Mexico. March Term 1910.
In Re Final Report of the Grand Jury
Sitting at the March Term, 1910;
To the District Court of the County
of B%ernalillo:
The grand jury respectfully report
to the court that our instructions were
received March u. 1910, and We have
been in session in each secular day
since such date. We have had before
us 272 witnesses and have investigat-
ed 1SS cases. We have found true
bills in 1876 cases. ana twelve eases in
which parties were held to await the
action of the grand jury we have
found no true bills: This does not in
cludc previous reports made by us.
We have investigated the public Of
fees in the court house ana have also
received suggestions from the county
officers as TO improvements to be
made on changes desired. We have also.
the county court house building and
also the county Jail and upon inde-
pendent volition Of the grand Jury We
sent q committee to investigate the
city jail. our recommendation is as
follows.
We recommend that hat racks be
provided for the grand iury, and al
so that suitable chairs for the CON
v%cnicnce of the jury lac placed there
in. the room is small but with chairs
in the room we are sure that the
space could be much more convenient
We would also recommend that the
floors Of the jury room be- swept each
day ana that the cuspidors be cleaned
each day. W. would alsc recommend
that during the session of the court
towels be kept in the toilet room.
In the treasurers office we ascer-
tanned thai the office needs a combi-
nation cash drawer, convenience and
safety requires this. The office other
Af.. e,a.. -, ,r,A.I .apJttftt
The assessors office we also visit
cd and the general appearance Of the
office is excellent. The assessor earn
cstly urges HAT tho vault IN the room
adjoining to the main assessors OF
lice be fitted SO that the same can DE
by him. The assessor has very
valuable papers to preserve and thr
loss of his would cause very great
Inconvenience, and we earnestly urg
that what tho assessor desires in tn
matter OF this vault viii be speedily
attended to
An inspection Of the record hooks in
the office OF the probate clerk and q
consultation with that official dis
to us that the general indies
books number 4 ana 8 are in a dilap-
condition, due TO the fact that
they were bound in patent flat open
style. These index books are in
valuable and are referred to by the
public during every minute that the
probate clerks office is open from day
TO day. We believe that index hooks
referred to should be transferred and
placed in loose leaf binders for th
preservation OF the index rec
ord and book.
In the district clerks office we
found that the public records are not
vel protected against the danger OF
ire. The consequent loss that would
by the destruction of such rec
cannot be estimated. The pres
mt vault in tho district clerks office
S inadequate, aud a new vault of am
be dimensions should be installed.
There are other repairs necessary in
he district clerks office and we would
especially recommend that the dis
riot clerk confer with the county
commissioners as to such repairs and
hat such repairs be ordered at once.
We would recommend that the
.ourt house in general should be kept
u a more clearly condition.
The fences and gates surrounding
court house should be repaired.
nd we recommend "a cement walk be
nadc from the front gate 10 the main
.ntrancc. We also recommend that q
place Do set apart at which
.orscs and team may be tied. so that
fence viii not Doe further injured
nd damaged. This would incur hut
cry small expense. and would make
space for the hitching of teams very
more convcnicnt aud adequate.
We found the county jail in Inc
ondition. aud apparently well kept
he Jail is clean add the inmates have
% complaint 10 in,i before ms. a com
visited tho Icity iail of Albu-
ana report that there should
e. a safe supplied of sufficient size
, securely keep aueh money and vail
as may Ice taAen from prisoners
|ho arc a%pprchcudel and held FOR i'm
.stisation- The jail is iva very
can condition. and there should bc
ore ventilation provided for the male
risoners. There Should also be addl-
onal sleeping facilities provided in
le male prisoners ward.
Having concluded our iabors we re-
,ectfnlly ask 10 ia discharged
,signedt HARRY LiTHGoW.
Foreman
JAMES pEvfNE =