The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-12
FINAL REPORT OF GRAND JURY MADE
 TO JUDGE w. E. FORT
6oontinued from Page Five,

system of bookkeeping should be insti- tuted, showing the cost and the amount
 of work done. This need not be compli- cated, but should be complete enough to furnish accurate results
 The cost of maintaining the prisoners
 and live stock shows considerable variance
 In the different camps This may be due
 in large measure to the capacity of the several forenen, but more uniformity is
 desirable. As the supplies necessary for
 these camps are now costing large sum we favor that the bond of the superin- tendent of convicts be larger than that now required by law, and that each fore man be required to furnish adequate bond.
 The minute book does not show a rec ord of how the votes were cast. We con ] slider it important that this record be
 kept except when the vote is unanimous, in which case it should be so stated In our opinion the board has erred in hav- ing let recent large contract, without
 first having secured bids. or having ob- tained an estimate from the county engi- neer. We strongly recommend that bids be obtained on all contracts where the cost amounts to sum Of any signifi- canoe.
 Witnesses
 We strongly favor that witnesses be- -OAS efC idtib Juiy bt pau dt once, Dy the treasurer, out of the general fund The present system works severe hard ship on untold numbers. as in most cases the witnesses are often in needy cir cumstances and caffnot afford to pay even street car fare.
 Solicitors Office "A special detective, or more, when necessary, should be allowed the solici- tor. Owing to criminals knowing all the regular officers of the law, it is ire quently impossible. through this channel, to obtain evidence which could be se-
 cured. We have had to find no bills in several serious cases, in which it seemed possible, and highly probable that enough information to indict could otherwise have been obtained. Three of these cases were for the crime of mur- der.
 Duties of the Grand Jury "The laws relating to the grand jury are almost entirely inapplicable to this county. It should not be required to in vestigate certain classes of cases which 1 must now come before it. Relief should in some way be given, either by grant, ing greater jurisdiction to the court of common pleas or otherwise, for under present conditions, even continuous session for the entire year would not permit it to accomplish the duties inn posed upon it.
 Tt is a manifest impossibility for it to check with any degree of accuracy the accounts of the county officials. and it is entirely useless to give 1t power to investigate certain matters, where spe- cial information Is necessary, without providing means to obtain that informa- ton. fund should be available where by special agents might be employed when necessary.
 We believe that the law does not in- tend that any citizen should be compelled to neglect his own business for a period of from 10 to 12 weeks. yet this is what is now required of those who compose a grand jury, while the compensation is in- sufficient to maintain those with families whose income Is dependent on their phy- sical labors- No man should be required to make such sacrifices; the law should be changed to fit present conditions. ''We extend our thanks to all those
 with whom we have been associated dur ing this term, especially to the solici- tors, the bailiff, Messrs. Lambert and
 Allen, and Deputies Hartsfield and Me- Duff, on whom we have called for many
 special services. Respectfully submitted, R. E. COTTON, Foreman September. 1914. Grand Jury"