The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-05-14
GENERAL PRESENTMENT
OF THE GRAND JURY
Ocala Ella Nav

4 OCdId, TId, May Ia, IS40.
To the Hon. w. S. Bullock, Judge OF
the Fifth Judicial Circuit, OF
Florida:
We, the grand jurors sworn and
empaneled at this spring term of the
circuit court in and for Marion coun-
ty, having completed our labors, beg
| to submit this, our final presentment
We have carefully examined into
all matters brought to our attention
and have found true bills only il
those cases where we thought the evi-
dence would justify conviction.
We are glad to say that there has
been very little business for US to in
vestigate, and this is a splendid show
ing for our county, and more espec-
tally in view of the fact that there
was no term of this court held at the
time for the regular term and the
business disposed of by US was an ac-
fcumulation for one year.
We have examined the jail and find
it neat and sanitary and all the pris-
cners well cared for. We notice,
however, that the plastering is fall
ing from the ceiling, and we call this
,, to the attention of the board of coun-
ty commissioners with the request
that the matter be given their atten-
| tion.
In the matter of the courthouse
tuilding we find that the court room
ol auditorium is used for the meet
ing of the people of the county for
the purpose of assembling to discuss
all matters affecting the public well
fare, and it is their right to so meet
and use this room. We find that the
arrangement of the rooms upstairs is
most unfortunate. There is much
waste space and the convenience OF
the courtroom in no manner COM
Pares with other court houses in the
| state, even with the small counties in
the fifth circuit.
We find that by reason of the bend
or semi-circular wall behind the
| judges stand in the court room the
Office now used by the judge as his
office for the transaction of business
at chambers is of no practical value
as place to hold court, and when il
becomes necessary for the public te
use the courtroom or auditorium we
find that the judge on many occasions
is obliged to resort to the use of pri
vate offices of attorneys in the city
We recognize that this may be easily
remedied by a re-arrangement of the
rooms upstairs, and save the large
cost and expense of a change of the
| interior of the court room, at least fol
the present, for we are of the opinion
that at no very remote date possibly
another story will have to be added tt
this courthouse building and possibly
large and extensive changes made
and it would not be advisable, in oul
Judgment, to incur too much expens,
IN the re-arrangement of the cour
room for the present.
i We find that the grand jury is il
session scarcely over one week at an,
one term, and that one of the larg
petit jury rooms would accommodate
that body reasonably comfortably fo
that space of time, and the presen
J grand jury room might answer al
practical purposes for the circui
judge In trying his cases at chambers
J We find that the judges room a
now used is so small that no table ca
be put in there and three persons ca
not comfortably appear before th
: court at any one time, and it become
necessary for the judge then to resor
TO the public or large auditorium, an
at times frequently when the publ
desires to use the same auditorium
We therefore recommend to the cour
ty commissioners that the roo1
! known as the grand jury room b
+ used as the circuit court room for th
judge in the transaction of the bus
ness of the court at chambers, an
that the little narrow judges rool
now in use be simply retained as
{ consultation room during the sc:
sions of the court. We do not fave