Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-05-16
GRAND JURY REPORT
SCORES CITY POLICE
Anne Arundel Force and County
Sheriff Charged With NAL
feasance in Office.
SUNDAY LAWS VIOLATED.
Exhaustive Investiga ton Conducted by
Grand lnquest---No Specific In
stances---No Technical Evil

Judge Brashears has warmly COM
mended the Grand Jury upon its eff
fecive work. and it's report submitted
with recommendations. The Judge
said that the inquest would be recall
ed on June II for further inquiry into
alleged dereliction of the county police
| officials.
Charging that the Sheriff and police
| officials of the county, as well as of
Annapolis, are in effect guilty of NAL
feasance in office. the April grand jury
of Anne Arundel county which has
been in session for nearly amonth filed
a scathing report with Judge James
X. Brashears yesterday afternoon.
The jury. of which William X. Bos-
well, of the Second district, was fore
man, conducted an exhaustive investi-
CATION, particularly of reported viola
ton of the liquor ami gambling laws
at Brooklyn, Curtis Bay and other sec
tions of the Fifth district contiguous to
Baltimore city, certain sections of the
Fourth and and Third districts and in
Annapolis, and il is held that the DO
lice officials from the Sheriff down, are
guilty of reprehensible conduct, in the
face of the fact that their attention has
been repeatedly drawn to the alleged
condition of affairs.
The report is one of the most point
ed that has been fled by a grand jury
of this county in recent years. It
virtually charges that the police Off
cials. though aware of the existing sit
uation, wink at offenses. No specific
instances are mentioned, but it is stat
ed that number of witnesses have
told of much selling of liquor on Sun
days in the sections mentioned, as well
as other fragrant violations of the law.
Commenting upon the alleged dere-
LECTION of the officials the jury says it
| is nothing short of malfeasance. but
that the jury is without technical evi-
| dence to sustain a charge" While the
report scores the Annapolis police Off
cials, yet in measure il excuses them
as it is stated that the several officials
furnished evidence that they have been
unable to prevent the alleged viola
tions by reason of the fact that in
structions were given to proprietors of
certain places that if they wished to
! sell on Sundays, they would have to
pull down blinds. The jury does not
give the source OF such instructions.
The report highly praises the gen
eral conditions at the State Hospital
! for Negro Insane at Brownsville. this
county, declaring it is an institution of
/ which the State should feel proud /;
! but the County Home on South river is
/ severely criticised the conditions there
: being described as most deplorable ,es-
| pecally as regards the financial man
agement. 1t is recommended that this
| property be sold and that a new coun-
ty home be erected on a site more
convenient to a railway line.
The jury also recommends that the
expenses for the county Jail; that is
the board for prisoners, salaries of
deputies and other contingent outlay
be paid direct by the County Commits
soners instead of by an omnibus re-
quisitionr presented by the Sheriff OF
the county as heretofore.
No reflection was cast upon any par
ticular Sheriff, and Sheriff John r.
Sullivan, of this city. who assumed Of
flee a few months ago, together with
his corps of assistants, will be placed
on their mettle as to enforcement OF
the laws.