Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-11-25
GRAND JURY Is
DISCHARGED BY
JUDGE HOPKINS
After Laboring Fifteen Days Body Reports
il Investigated II6 Cases, Returned al
True Bills for FeIonies and 81 True Bills
for Misdemeanors.
GREAT PORTION OF TIME WAS
GIVEN TO PISTOL "T0TiNG"
Body Finds that Concealed Weapon Law
is FIagrantly Violated and Calls Upon
County and City Officers to Cooperate to
Stop the Practice.

One hundred and sixteen eases were in
vc~tigatcd, and II true hill~ Of Indictment
for f~clpnir~ and - true bill- VI indictment
for mi<dcmcanur~ were returned TN the
grand Jury. which was discharged hy Judge
w. H.. hopkins this morning after having
been al work for fifteen days. Twenty
one eases were ignored by reason Of the
fact that there was not sufficient evidence
~ warrant indictments.
The report of the grand Jury. which wa~
read to the court. stated that the great
portion of the time was consumed in in
vestigating the unlawful carrying of
weapons in Brownsville and Cameron
county. In this connection the grand jury
stated that il had found that IL had be
come q custom for many attending the
"baile~' and public dances 10 arm them
selves either with pistols or other danger
ous weapons, bringing the weapons into
play upon the slightest provocation.
The grand Jury, the report said. was con
WINGED that the condition exists from u
Iaxity on the part II the constabulary Of
the city and the county IN failing to main
tain proper vigilance at these dances. The
grand iurv urged that the officers Of the
city of Brownsville and Cameron county
cooperate 10 the best advantage in putting
IA stop "a these unlawful practices. The
report declared that many Of the saloons
on the outskirts Of the city. together with
MANY Of the dance halls. are hotbcd~ of
nightly violence and bloodShed.
The alleged unwalful selling of intoyicat-
ing liquors. by dealers after the legal clos
ing hours and bv persons who have no
liquor licenses. was assigned the cause bv
the grand jury of much of the pistol
"totine" throughout the county. the report
declaring that they were "a~sociated.'
Another matter of Importance. especially
to the stock r~aisers of Cameron county.
that wa~ investigated by the grand jury.
wa~ the violation Of the butchers laws. A
number If indictments were returned nv
the grand Jury on such violations, and the
body called the especial attention of the
board of county commissioner To the mat
ter Of seeing that the butchers laws were
complied with.
The theft Of live stock in the county.
which was declared last spring "a hc
widely prevalent. and occasional reports
~ which have since been made. was
charged a. being largely due to the failure
of butchers Ia comply with the law requir-
ing that due reports be made To the county
Of MI animals slaughtered.
During their Investigations into crime the
grand jury paid u visit ~ the Cameron
county jail. The county ha-tile the body
declared to hc in such condition that better
mcnt j. required. The attention of the
board of county commissioners was direct
ed TO the cooking and preparation of food
IN the bindings. which the report declared
a. b. such a. 10 demand attention. and the
general sanitary condition ~ the iail was
reported ~ bad. The grand Jury also
recommended that better accommodations
for the care Of female prisoners be made
in the county Jail.
Investigation of the allegations that the
county funds were being mi~handlcd was
made. and a. u result az it, inquiry the
grand Jury reported that there wa~ ab-o-
lutcly no foundation for the reported
charges.
The Jury was thanked by Judge Hopkins
and dismissed.
The members were 4. J. Hood. foreman:
I'D. X. Mason. Saunders Gregg. ri. y. Ne
Neil. Raw :. Wait. r. r.. Foley. 4. 4. Per
kin~. J. N. MrDavitt. CLYDE Tandv. n. La
Roche Jr. George J. Head and j. j. Cooke.