The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-02-10

ed over to Judge H. F. Rice Tues
day afternoon by thc present grand
jury is one Of the most unusual docu-
ments which has been issued by any
grand jury in great many years
, 1t Is interesting from start to finish
and will probably be read with atten-
ton by the citizens Of Sumter coun-
ty who are interested in the welfare
OF their county. OF such an inter-
esting nature Is the presentment that
1t is wherewith published in full.
Presentment of Grand Jury-Spring
Term. 1912.
TO the Honorable H. F. Rice, Pre-
siding Judge, Spring term, 1912,
Court of General Sessions for said
County
! We, Your Grand Jury beg leave to
submit this, our first presentment for
the year 1912. We have passed up
on all bills Of indictment handed us
by the Solicitor and made proper re-
turns on same.
! We have committees examine the
jail, Poor Farm and County Chain
Gang and we recommend the follow
ing:
| We find the County Chain Gang
with good warm clothing and that
they receive good and wholesome
food, but we find the cage in which
the convicts sleep at night in a filthy
condition, the blankets are extreme
ly filthy. We recommend the pur-
chase Of new blankets for the cage.
there not being a sufficient supply on
hand to enable the guards to have
the proper laundering done.
We find the Aims House in good
condition, the invalids confined there
are we'll cared for. We commend Mr..
Mitchell, the Superintendent, for the
creditable manner in which this insti-
tuition is run and for his interest in
|
We find the Jail clean and well
Kept and We desire at this point to
congratulate the Sheriff in securing
the services Of Mr.. Owens as jailor
We do not see that the condition Of
this institution can be improved up
on with its present equipment. We
q
find the plumbing in the Jail in out Of
repair. We recommend that the Su-
pervisor have this attended to at
once. We also recommend that the
bath tub now in use for white pris-
oners be transferred to the depart
ment in which negroes are kept and
that new bath tub be purchased for
the use of white prisoners there be-
ing no facilities at present for the me-
gro inmates to bathe.
After consideration your Grand
Jury have thought It best to defer
the examination of the various Coun-
ty offices until the recess so that the
work can be more thoroughly done.
And in order to carry out the wishes
Of the Grand Jury your Foreman has
appointed the following committee
to pursue the work and make its re-
port to the jury at the next term of
the court, viz: B. f. Estridge, Chair
man, w. l.. Boyle. P. S. Finn, w. A.
Bryan, d. r. McCallum, Jr. And we
would ask that the court empower
this sub-committe with authority to
employ the services of an expert ac-
countant to conduct this examination
of the various county offices, if they
deem it necessary. We ask that the
court order the several magistrates
in this county to upon notice. deposit
their dockets in the office of county
therein for examination by the court.
II has been brought to our attcn-
ton that certain Magistrates in the
| county have been in the habit Of
| drawing up articles of separation be-
| tween man and wife among the col
ored people, thereby deceiving these
ignorant people, they being under the
| impression that the said paper is a
divorce and that they are at liberty
to contract marriage again. We want
to serve notice on all persons accus-
toned to engage in this practice that
II ii is not stopped the Grand Jury
Will report the matter regularly to
the court and ask the Solicitor TO in
stitute proceedings against such per
sons.
We recommend that the County
Board of Commissioners defray the
actual expenses incurred by the Cor
oner in summOning juries Of inquest.
The reason for this recommendation
/. that IL nt ha q