The Pulaskian., 1915-07-16
Grand Jury Scores Gambling
 and Immortality in Argenta


 3 Judge R. ]. Lea, judge of the First Division of the Circuit Court, is as follows:
 "The grand jury for the March term of the circuit court begs leave to make this its following report:
 We have been in session a to- tai of forty-seven days, have in quired into a total of 197 cases, examined 374 witnesses in addi- ton to many voluntary witnesses who appeared before this body, have returned 18o indictments and dismissed twenty-three cases.
 The regular committees for the inspection of the county jail hospital and convict camps, coun- ty roads and bridges, justices of the peace and constables' records and the accounts of the county officers were appointed and their several reports are attached as a part of this report. The recom- mendations are unanimously con- cured in by this grand jury.
 "This is the first session of the grand jury held since the inaugu- ration of the municipal courts in this county, and we desire to ex- press our entire and hearty ap- proval of this innovation and to record our firm belief in the great good to be accomplished by the new system. We desire to espe- eially recommend the county judge for maintaining a stenog- rapher for the purpose of taking testimony, which is submitted to the grand jury with the transcript of each case. This enables the grand jury to subpoena only ma terial witnesses, and, as in many cases, only one witness Is neces- sary for a clear presentation of the case, hundreds of dollars can thereby be saved the county dur ing each session. It Is the opin- ion of the grand jury that some uniform system of keeping ae- counts and records should be adopted by the municipal courts, and we suggest that the county judge have the offices checked up by an expert accountant and a system installed that will permit of check at any time in the fu- ture that may be desired.
 During the early days of the session of the grand jury we had occasion to inquire into 9 number of delinquency cases that showed a deplorable condition of affairs, both in Little Rock and in Ar genta. A number of indictments was returned, resulting in some convictions, with other cases yet to be tried. It seems that some chauffeurs operating public auto mobiles were making a speciality of using their vehicles and knowl- edge in assisting in carrying on a business calculated to ruin many young girls. We found that a number of girls from thirteen to sixteen years of age had started on their downward career in this way.
 During the last ten or fifteen days of our session we have de- voted our time almost exclusively to gambling in Little Rock and Argenta, and were greatly sur prised that many places were run practically wide open in utter dis regard of law It would seem that the class of men who make 1 1t business to live off the gullible public in this manner soon com municate the fact to the re- mainder of their fraternity when lit IS discovered that the officers have ceased their diligence and that games may be run freely.  son of MT. and Mrs. James C. We discovered early in our inves- tigation that a number of o1d-time gamblers had returned to Little Rock and Argenta as if in re- sponse to an invitation and as- surance that they could ply their old trade without interference.
 Young men are invited ,,, a,,I Iaor., tt,a,~ E~-+ 1oo.1.. =.