Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-12-09
GRAND JURY
PRESENTMENTS

1917, of Sumter Superior court, re-
spectfully submit the following pre-
sentiments
The body was organized by electing
Mr.. Lee Allen foreman; T. F. Gate
wood, secretary; Frank Harold, as
sistant secretary, and j. L. Peek, bal
liz.
Matters having the attention of this
grand jury during its sittings have
been considered with a view to best
Interests of the county, and have been
dealt with in spirit of unprecedented
fairness where individuals have been
concerned. as well as where material
interests have been involved. TIL
moral interests Of the community hav1
come under review, and it has been
with much regret that we find fragrant
violations of law which are being in
dulged in by some and that without
any attempt at molestation by those
who are clothed with the proper au-
thority to deal with same. We refer
to the maintaining of lewd houses in
the city of Americas, the operating OF
gaming devices and the astonishing
amount of distillation of intoxicating
drink from the juice of the cane There
is evidence of the violation of existing
prohibition laws to an EXTENSIVE de-
gree, and it has been our endeavor, in
our inquiries, to discover the parties
guilty of such violations, with view
to having them brought before the
courts. We are persuaded that the
hindrances in our endeavors to ascer-
tain the facts have arisen from spe-
cies of joint understanding amount
ing in reality to a conspil acy to de-
cline to reveal facts which we have a
moral certainty are in their possess
ion. In addition, as representatives of
the county, we desire to express our
strong opposition, which we have
heard has been the practice, in some
DISTANCES, of courts permitting those
who have been detected in violating
these laws 20 enter pleas of guilty am
teing assessed a very small fine. Suc9
a procedure must meet the disappro-
val Of all law-ahiding citizens,
We find that there is a vacancy in
the office of justice of the peace of
the 1007th G. M. District, caused by
Il death OF Mr. w A. Webb, and we
recommend the appointment of Mr.. E.
r. Chappelle to fill the unexpired term.
We recommend that the pay for
grand, traverse and City court jurors
and bailiffs of these courts be $500
per day.
Our inquiries into the different Of
I Is and depar. ments Of tn county re-
eal a condition OF prosperity greater
than for many receding years, The
building of the Flint river bridge
'hich it is hope will be completed
thin the next sixty days, together
II material improvement of our
rost important highways, will add
materially to the value of properties,
We desire to express our apprecia-
iou Of the able charge of the presid-
ii.E judge, and especially for the pa
t otto utterances relative TO our be-
j. ed country's heart in the great
world war
We note with interest that our coun-
t commissioners are now publishing
2 detailed statement of their eXpendi-
tres each month in the account Of
;teir proceedings, in The TimesRe-
oorder. We heartily approve of thi!
nd wish to commend them for doing
SO We think it only fair and righ
L at the taxpayers should be regularly
i formed of how their money is be
ing spent and who it is being paid to
Ii they would adopt the request o.
several previous grand iuries and al
yertise each month for their supplies
for the following month, we think the
Cublic would be much better pleased
IN this manner each taxpayer in our
county who has anything to sell the
county would be given an opportunity
TO bid on it, This matter has been re
reatedly brought to the attention Of
tie county commissioners, but they
seem to have never taken favorable
consideration of it. We see from the
daily papers that this method is used
ia many other Georgia counties, and
we think it should be established here
We recommend that a bill be passe'
in our next session of the legislature
introducing such practice.
We desire to make once more rec
ommendations Of previous grand juries
relating to the better protection u
the invaluable documents and records
in the Offices of the clerk anr ordinary
the installment Of a steam heating
v,Iaut r. o. fforI "a r7~1y,ar 4o,,, y, a,.o n ~