The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-06-20
GRAND JURY REPORT WITHOUT FEATURE Number of RecOmmenda- tiOns to Judge Greene AGREE WITH OATES County Jail Should Be Improved. Would Extend Jurisdiction of Court
 of Common Pleas to Relieve
 the Criminal Court

The final report of rthe grand jury for the April term was made yesterday to Judge S. E. Greene in the first division of the criminal court and according to the officials of the courthouse it was one of the most business1ike reports that has been handed in in sometime. There was nothing sensational in the report, the grand jury confining itself to a review of the cases that had come before it and to certain recommendations that In It's opinion were necessary for the well fare of the county.
 Among the most important of the rec concentrations is that of extending the jurisdiction of the court of common pleas presided over by Judge H. B. Abernsthy and Judge I. H. Benners giving them jurisdiction over all misdemeanors. The grand jury expresses the opinion that this would facilitate the work of the criminal court by eliminating the trials for petty offenses and that this class of prisoners would not be confined for long periods in the county jail at great expense to the state.
 The report also indorses the recom- mendation of Dr. Oates in reference to the county jail by stating the present jail is inadequate for the number of pris- oners confined there and that the sani- tary conditions are bad. In reference to the county courthouse the grand jury calls attention to the insanitary and un- tidy condition in which it ia kept The other county institutions are highly com mended.
 The grand jury was in session fl days ar,6 ff4xro float faI ,r,iv,o witnesses, found 436 true bills and 15S no bills. and continued eight cases for the next grand jury. The report was made to Judge Samuel E. Greene, who compli- mented the grand jury for the efficient and conscientious manner in which they had performed their duties and discharged them with the thanks of the court.
 The report in full is as follows:
 Report in Detail
 ''To the Hon. Samuel D. Greene, Judge of the Criminal Court of Jefferson We, the grand jury of Jefferson county, empaneled for tho April, 1914 term, hav- ing finished deliberations, beg leave to report:
 We have been in session fl days; have investigated 562 cases; have examined 1737 witnesses; have found 436 true bills and 15S no bills, and have continued eight cases for the consideration of the next grand jury.
 Gambling
 'tWe have investigated very few cases of gaming, and these we could make very little out of because witnesses would not testify
 Murders and Assaults
 There seep,s to be an unusual amount of this class of crime result of the great number of ex-convicts, vagrants and worthless class that infest our city and county; and with the small number of city and county officers it seems almost impossible to rid the community of this class. We are satisfied that Birmingham and Jefferson county have as good of- fcers as can be found in any city and county, but by reason of the very large territory they have to cover it is hard for them to accomplish the results they strive to achieve in the interest of our citizenship.
 Fire Arms
 We would recommend to our legislators the passage of laws preventing the sale of pistols knucks, etc., to a certain class of vicious and undesirable people. This in a large measure would prevent crime. with intent to murder an investigation
 Burglary and Theft
 This character of crime seems to be confined to negroes and vagrant white people, in most instances the value of the stolen property being small, and the items