The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-18
PRISONERS ILL FED
 AND JAIL UNCLEAN
 SAYS GRAND JURY County Camps in Good Con- dition-Excellent Work by
 Convicts on the Roads
HIGH PRAISE FOR
 CORONER SPAIN
Too Many Witnesses Summoned Be- fore Grand Jury Since Payment for Attendance Went Into Effect
 Many Other Matters Noted

The grand jury reported to Judge liar rington P. Heflin, in the criminal court yesterday at noon, after having been in session 19 days, having investigated 374 cases, examined 1263 witnesses, found 193 true bills, returned no bills in 173 cases and passed eight cases over to the next grand jury.
 Tie grand jury in it's report highly comments Coroner Charles L. Spain for his earnestness, industry and efficiency, and recommend that the county pay his travelling expenses. The condition of the county jail was criticized and recom mendations for improvements made. The body claims that the jail is not kept clean, and the food furnished the pris- oners not sufficient. Only two meals day have been given the prisoners and the jury recommends three meals each day. The board visited the Hillman hos pital, the county convict camps and in spected some of the county roads, all of which they report favorably on. The report recommends the dismissal of A. H. Thrasher, who was formerly employ convict camp. for abuse of convicts.
 lHo Jury lHNeSIlSdteu lHe mat ter of all railroad locomotives running irto the city, being supplied wfrn power headlights and found that all railroads having trunk lines running into Bir1ning ham used the power headlight except one, and bill was returned against this com pany
 After the report was submitted the jury was discharged, having returned 52 in- dictments at this setting. J. A. LaRue was foreman.
 ITO the Honorable Harrington P Heflin,
 Judge of the Criminal Court of Jeffer-
 son County, Alabama
 We, the grand jury, impaneled on Jan uary ], beg to submit our report. We have been in session 19 days, have in- vestigated 374 cases, examined 1263 wit nesses, found 199 true bills, returned no bills in 173 cases, and have passed eight eases to the next grand jury on account of our inability to obtain evidence to complete same
 'sWe have visited the county jail, the almshouse the fIillman hospital various convict camps and have inspected some of the county roads
 ".rhe county poor farm we find to be in excellent condition. The food is of good quality and well prepared. The home is clean and well kept in every way, and shows the effects of careful and painstaking attention on the part of those in charge of it. The patients brought there sick and helpless are being re- stored to health. The inmates seem to be as contented as could well be in an institution of this nature st
 "The Hillman hospital is well equipped and very efficiently conducted, and in our opinion could hardly be improved upon in these respects. We consider it an i'm stitution of which the county should be proud, both in it's appointments and in fIAr s.,x ,s.aI, T I
 CONVICT CAMPS
 '''rhe convict camps, which we visited. We find to be in good condition. The food appears to be of good quality and ample in quantity and well cooked. The treatment of the prisoners by the off cers at these camps appears to be good, and we find no complaint made by prison CTS at their treatment The permanent convict camp at Mount Pinson we espe- cially commend for the splendid equip- ment installed there. A modern steam laundry has been installed at that camp in which women prisoners do the laun- dering for the Hillman hospital and thus save the county thousands of dol lars per year in laundry bills, and that, too, with scarcely any additional expense for operation
 we find that the use of convicts on the public roads is enabling the county IO improve the rOadS much more rapidly than perhaps could be done with free labor New and permanent roads are being constructed in various parts of the county, grades are being improved, con- crete bridges are being constructed. SO that roads heretofore impossible in the winter are now being made passable for every day in the year We find that the members of the board of revenue are giving these matters great deal of their personal attention and time.
 COUNTY JAIL
 'srhe county jail is not kept as clean as this body believes it should be. We believe that the provision of $1s0 per month made by the board of revenue for the janitor service in the county jail would, if wisely expended be ample to keep the jail in thoroughly sanitary condition. We find that little, if any, janitor work is done in the county jail, except such as is done by prisoners con- fined there. The bedding and blankets are apparently not cleaned except at long intervals. We believe that free labor should be used in the county jail if necessary in order to keep same clean and sanitary.
 The food served to the prisoners in the jail is apparently of good qual- ity, but not sufficient in variety. The custom of feeding the prisoners only twice daily, at ' o'clock in the morning and
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