Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-31
GRAND JURY HITS
-. At INCREASE IN
PENSIONERS
County Roads and Bridges and
Delays in Criminal Court Dock
cts Also Criticised.

i. A rap at the eVer-fncreaSlnS num-
Der of pensioners in Fulton County,
criticism of the condition of a num-
Der of bridges and roads and a de-
mand that some method be reached
| by which persons held in the county
Jail may be given early trials were
| the vital features In the present.
ments of the Grand Jury before Judge
Pendleton Friday.
Assurances that under the new ar
rangements for handling the criminal
docket Of the county by the appoint
ment of an additional Superior Court
| judge, more rapid progress would be
| made in the trying of persons on
| felony charges, was given by Judge
Pendleton when he thanked the jury
| fori is work
Il believe that it will not be impos-
sible for every person arrested to be
given a trial within a week by the
| new arrangement" said Judge Pen
dleton. With one branch of the
criminal court handling misdemean-
or and the other one felony cases,
, the crowded condition at the county
Jail which you complain Of undoubt-
| euly Will De eliminated.
Pension Rolls Heavy.
The Grand Jury's recommendations
regarding the regulation of pension
disbursements drew an Endorsement
from Judge Pendleton. The jury re-
ported:
We find there are 1900 persons on
Fulton County's pension roll. This
work is being handled by the Ordi-
| nary without pay, and we recommend
| that the handling of pensions be
placed in the hands of a special man,
who will have the time to make a
thorough investigation of each case. "
That the pension roll should have
more persons on it fifty years after
the war than it did ten years after
is a most remarkable thing, and |
daresay that 100 years from now the
roll will be even greater than it is
| now" remarked Judge Pendleton. at
is strange and most peculiar thing,
and | think heed should be given to
your recommendations
You gentlemen have undoubtedly
| investigated the matters coming be-
| fore you in a business-like manner,
and | think the county commissioners
should give heed to your reCommen-
dations regarding the county roads
and bridges, and at least investigate
them; then if they find the repairs
needed as you suggest and they have
the money, | think they should follow
| them
The report commended the officers
of the Reformatory and Juvenile
| Court for the manner in which their
work was being handled. This also
| drew comment from Judge Pendleton.
He urged a plan by which when a
| father, making a good salary, found
| ii necessary to turn an incorrigible
son over to the Juvenile Court, he
should be forced to pay for the care
| of the child.
Jail improvements Urged.
A total of 253 prisoners were found
in the Jail by the Grand Jury. 1--WE
| found the Jail in as good condition
as could be expected the conditions
surrounding some of the prisoners APP
petared to be better than among 9th =
ers, but we think this il due to the
| prisoners themselves.
I'VE recommend that a machine be
| Furnished for the handling of the
| prisoners from the Jail to the court
| house, rather than taking them
| through the streets handcuffed, as is
| now the case
| I'VE also recommend that a few
| padded cells be provided for the care
,, of insane persons"
The county hospitals the Grady
| and the Battle Hill tuberculosis San
| itarium, received the indorseemnt of
| the Grand Jury.
The bridges referred to in the re-
port AS being in bad shape were the
Roswell, Powers, Garrett and Mason
and Turner Ferry. Recommendations
| also were made that the Howell Mill
road be repaired.
A suggestion that a man be APP
pointed to look after boys after their
discharge from the .reformatory also
was made