The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1915-02-19
CIRCUIT COURT.

4
some of the justices of the peace for
reducing fines prescribed by the law.
For some time rumors have been
alioat that some of the magistrates OF
the city and county have not been I'M
posing sentences as prescribed by the
law, but have in some cases reduced
the fines as fixed by the law.
The failure of some of the magis-
trates to give at least the minimum
sentence has caused some dissension
among the constabulary force of the
city and the county.
Justices of the peace, according to
| the grand jury, have been lax in the
performance OF their duties and have
iailed in some medicines to return
recognizances to the clerk of the cir
cult court and to keep in touch with
the States attorney relative to lnfor-
nation in State cases.
Ii was recommended to the court
by the garnd jury on Saturday after
noon that the fee system in Frederick
county should be abolished and that
the public officers should be placed
on salary basis. The jury made no
| comment in regard to this recommen-
dation However, officers have been
| known to quarrel over the fees in
case. These quarrels seldom result
in a serious breach.
The use and sale of intoxicating
| liquors in the county was scored. The
| grand jury reported that large per-
| centage OF the cases brought to the
| Jury are directly or indirectly the re-
suit of the use of intoxicating liquors.
The sheriff reports that nearly hun
bred per cent. of the prisoners in the
| Frederick Jail are there because OF
| the use of Intoxicating liquor.
Montevue is not home for ineb-
rates. The grand jury scores the
practice Of sending inebriates to Mon
ment," and recommends that such
men be committed to the Frederick
jail. The county commissioners since
taking charge of the institution have
to a large extent eliminated this prac-
lice Only short time ago one of
| the commissioners said that the coun-
| TVS charity institution was not a
home for the "drunks" of this and
| other counties.
The report of the grand jury made
at about o'clock on Saturday even
ing follows:
To the Honorable, the Judges of the
Circuit Court for Frederick Coun-
ty, Maryland.
The grand jurors of the February
term, 1915, having performed their
duty to the best of their ability beg to
submit the following report:
We have been in session twelve
| days, have considered 121 cases, eX-
amined 24S witnesses, found 4S pre-
sentiments and IS indictments and dis
missed 70 cases.
We find many instances of laxity on
the part of justices of the peace in the
! performance OF their duties in failing
| to return recognizances to the clerk
Of the Circuit Court and i'll keeping in
touch with States attorney in regard
to giving him information concerning
| State cases. We also find a great
many instances in which the public
| has concealed evidence which would
have been of material benefit to the
| grand jury and also that some justices
Of the peace have in some cases re-
| duced the sentence fines prescribed by
| Law. The work of the grand jury has
| been prolonged and hampered by the
fact that evidence in many cases has
not come to our attention until al
most time for adjournment, thereby
making it practically impossible to
| set at the bottom of such cases.
We find large percentage of the
cases brought to the attention of this
body are either directly or indirectly
the result OF the use of intoxicating Ii
| quors and information from the sher-
| iii of the county reveals the fact that
about SO per cent. of the prisoners
| confined in the Jail are there as re-
| suit OF the same.
| Although nothing has been reported
this body, we find that gambling in a
minor form exists to some extent
| throughout the county and exists in a
much larger form at our agricultural
fair. We feel we should not present
the small offender while the greater
| offender is permitted to go free.
We would suggest that the laws Of
Frederick county be amended so as
to place the financial system on cash
basis, thus placing official RESPONSE
bility where it belongs.
| We believe the fee system SHOULD
be abolished and public officers placed
upon a salary basis.
We have visited Montevue Hospital
and find that institution in we'll
kept and sanitary condition under the
able management of Superintendent
Rice, except the building used as
laundry, which we find in a condition
totally unfit for the purpose.
We herewith attach report of the
| superintendent of this institution.
which we have examined and found
correct. 1t is our opinion that the
capacity Of Monteyue is far in excess
OF the needs of the county for such
an institution, and believe that little
money should be spent in repairs un-
til final disposition is made of this
property. We protest against the COM
mitment of inebriates to Montevue for
medical treatment and recommend