The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-05-14
ROBBER|ES, DOPE,
JAIL MENTIONED
IN Jury REPORT
Z Training School Given Clean
Bill of observation-disclosures
Found To Be Out Of Date.
New Jail Needed. ~

u The startling increase in robberies,
both IN the city and county, the alarm
ing advance in the use of morphine
ana other dope" and the archaic con-
dltlon or the county Jail are the three
outstanding features of the final re-
port OF the Shelby county grand jury
Tor the January term of criminal court.
which ends Saturday. The report was
handed to Judge j. Ed Richards, OF
FIRST criminal court at noon Friday.
A clean bill of health was given to
lhe Boys Industrial and Training school
at Bartlett over which so much fuss
was raised a few months ago, when
publicity first was given to the prac-
lice OF farming out" boys on parole.
Minor changes are suggested, but the
present administration of the institu-
ton is commended highly for the man.
ner it is conducting the school,
For goodness sake, give us new
county Jail is the plea of the grand
Jury, in its written report, in the par
ticular section which deals with its
inspection of the Civil war bastile.
The grand jurors reported decided
Improvement in the enforcement of the
prohibition laws during their tenure of
office, which began four months ago,
The dope situation in Shelby coun-
~ Is most alarming, the grand jurors
reported, and they suggest that the
narcotic laws are not being properly
enforced, and ask special effort along
this line.
An increase in the amount of money
Sheliff Perry is allowed daily on which
to feed each prisoner in the county
Jail is asked The sheriff now gets rs
cents a day for feeding each prisoner.
The great number of robberies, both
III the city and county, Is most regret
table, the grand jurors reported. They
add that almost nightly yeggs rob a
store or bank. They suggest that Sher.
if Perry and his force could add an
other page too their splendid history IL
the Gobberies could be stopped and the
rnerators run to earth.
White Fiends Exceed Black.
In their inspection of the workhouse.
which they found to be old and out of
date but kept in a. clean, sanitary
condition, with good food supplied the
prisoners, the grand jurors found q
white women dope fiends, and 90 white
male dope fiends, This was n greater
number than the negro race furnished.
The grand jurors tour of final in
spection included the courthouse build
ing, police station six department
stores and three five and ten-cert
stores, the pest house, workhouse and
workhouse road camps Old Mems home,
county jail, Home for Aged and In
firm, pellagra hospital, General (city)
hospital, and the Industrial school.
Clean bills of health are given to
the courthouse. city prison; department
and other stores inspected. Old Mems
home. workhouse road camps Industrial
school and the General hospital. This
last named institution probably comes
in for higher degree of praise than
any other. 1T is wonderfully well kept
and in our opinion is the only class A
hospital in the entire South" the prob
ers reported. N.
Conditions at the pest house are sat
isfactory under the circumstances, and
with the equipment on hand. The work
house is properly conducted, but old
end out of date. The Home for Aged
and Infirm needs new paper on the
walls and more room. The grand jur-
prs found ia prisoners at the work.
house
The county Jail is spenddly man
aged by Sheriff Perry and Jailer George
Reeves, and is kept in a sanitary con-
dition, the grand jury found, The
probers RETAINED from making any
special requests for the jail, saying
that former requests by other grand
juries had gone for naught. Then they
entered 4 plea for a new jail
Increases have been shown recently
in boXcar robberies and safe blowing
in addition to narcotic violations and
store robberies, the probers found.
The grand jury for it's term consid-
cred 3S2 bills. of which 800 were re-
turned as true bills and SO as not true
bills.
The report is signed by the u mem
bers of the grand jury and John f.
Thomas, foreman. 1t was read in court
by j. G. Dean, secretary.
Judge Richards complmented the
outgoing grand jury on its faithful
and efficient work. and expressed
wish that he might retain the twelve
members for Il twO-year period, as he
does the foreman.