Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-03-26
Report OF The Grand Jury.
To the Honorable the Judges of the Circuit,
Court for Montgomery county:

To the Honorable the Judges of the Circuit
Court for Montgomery county:
We, the Grand Jury for the March Term
of said Court, respectively submit the fol-
lowing report:
We have examined one hundred and
thirty-six witnesses. including deputy sher-
ifs and constables, of this county. in ref
erence to their knowledge of violations Of
the law.
The sheriff has not been before us. due
to very unfortunate circumstances, from
which we hope his recovery will be rapid
and permanent. tEt
We have investigated, without fear or
favor, all matters brought to our attention,
and in such cases as the evidence war
ranted have found indictments amounting
to twenty-five In number; and have ex-
amined numerous witnesses in other cases
in which, in our judgment the evidence
was not sufficient to warrant an indict-
ment.
We have had before US several cases re-
garding violations of the local option law.
but in no case have found sufficient evil
dence for indictment.
Wehave been forcibly impressed with the
fact that in the majority of cases the
deputy sheriffs and constables who have
appeared before us have known of no vio-
lation Of law and apparently have only a
vague idea of the duties of their office. We
are, therefore, of the opinion that when
given the oath of Office said deputies and
constables should have their duties more
explicitly placed before them, and that the
time-worn custom of having all deputies
and constables summoned before the grand
jury for Interrogation as to violation of the
law is obsolete and should be abandoned.
and that only those having evidence or
information to impart to the grand jury
should be summoned before that body.
In our inspection of the Court House and
grounds, we find the general condition
good, but make the following recommen-
dations: That the accumulation of trash
under the front steps and back Of the
building be removed. Wash basin similar
to the one in the Clerk of the Courts Office
be installed in the States Attorneys Office
and Police Court room. Grand Jury room.
Petit Jury room and Office of Supervisors
of Elections. also that a hydrant be placed
in the Court Room for the benefit of the
Court and assembly
In the Register of Wills office there is a
leak in the ceiling which should be repaired
The floors of the Police Court and Super
visor of Elections rooms should be repaired.
We further recommend that an assis-
tant be given the Janitor. 1t is the opinion
of this jury that the duties of the JanitOr
are too strenuous for him to keep the
building in perfectly clean and sanitary
condition.
We visited the Jail and found twenty
prisoners. eight white males and twelve
cOlored males, all in good condition. The
interior Of the building is clean and well
kept.
Among the prisoners there is white
man who claims to be from Denmark. COM
mitted on the charge of vagrancy. We
recommend that the proper authorities
communicate with the Danish Legation at
Washington, d. c., to enable them to make
disposition of his case.
The iron in the doors of the jail yard
has rusted out and should be replaced
with new irons. Spouting on the entire
building should be repaired. The roof of
the building leaks badly and should be
repaired at once. The platform of the
well is in dangerous condition. We rec
ommend that the well be filled up. The
posts supporting the porch are in rotting
condition and should be replaced. We
recommend that a new fence be put around
the garden and jail building. There is a
limb of a locust tree damaging the roof on
the west side of the building, which should
be cut off before further damage is done. A
new roof should be put on the COW stable
We visited the County Poor Farm and
found a well-ordered. well-managed and
productive establishment. under the care
of a most capable superintendent.
The chief crops for the season of 1914
were represented to us as amounting to
one thousand bushels of wheat, one hun
dred and seventy-fve barrels OF corn and
one hundred and fifty bushels of potatoes
Sufficient corn and potatoes to last until
the new crop remain on hand.
The live stock on the place belonging to
Montgomery county are four horses, two
2-year old colts. fifteen hogs. ten shoats,
one SOW and eight pigs. one boar, five
cows and one calf. three hefers and one
bull. There is an ample flock of domestic
fowls, chickens and keats. sufficient agr-
cultural implements. and the farm pro-
duces provender in abundance.
The inmates of the Home are seventeen,
ten whites and seven colored. in our judy
ment, by poverty and physical or mental
decrepitude wholly dependent upon public
charity.
The policy Of outside pensioners in the
happiness of the individual and economy
to the county is most wise; but 1t is not
clear to us that we have reached the wisest
solution Of the care of interned paupers.
The county has a plant worth twenty-five
thousand dollars and appropriates annually
twenty-five hundred dollars for mainte-
nance. All its products are consumed and
all its energy expended in feeding, hous.
ing and clothing from fifteen to twenty
inmates annually, which. notwithstanding
its successful MANAGEMENT and its pros
porous material affairs. seems expensive
and continues to add to our insane asy-
lums as II a progressive dementia were an
added blight to interned pauperism.
Thanking your Honorable Court for the
many courtesies extended to us. feeling an