The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-07-17
GRAND JURY
MAKES REPORT
Reports Action On All Indict-
ments Placed in Their Hands
RECOMMENDS REPAIRS
ON Aims HOUSE
Results of Investigation of
Court House and Schools

Hon. John S. Wilson, Presiding Judge.
All indictments placed in our hands
by the solicitor have ben duly consid-
cred and returned to the court with
our findings endorsed thereon. The
Grand Jury presents herewith such
other matters as appear to be Of public
importance and in accordance with the
instructions of the Presiding Judge.
The Committee appointed to inspect
the county Jail, court house and Aims
house have reported to the following
effect; The Jail now i'm use has been
condemned time and again as unsafe
and unsanitary and the lapse of time
finds no Improvement of permanent
nature. Mr.. ID. w. Owens, the jailer,
is an efficient, faithful and humane
lofficer. He does the best he can
| under the circumstances. Sumter
county needs a new Jail constructed
| in accordance with modern ideas Of
hygiene and safety. The funds avail
| able at this time are inadequate for
such building as is necessary to
meet reasonable requirements We did
urge upon our legislature to pass an
act providing the necessary funds to
| build new Jail, and they failed to do
SO. -
Tlr, aims house, collection of small
houses used by the inmates are all i'm
need of repairs as is also the case with
the uperintendent's cottage. There
are some leaks htat should be stopped
in order to- prevent rapid deteriora-
ton, to say nothing of tine heath and
comfort Of the people occupying them.
Liberal use Of whtewash inside and
| outside is recommended The steps
OF some Of the houses arerotting down
the chimneys are in bad condition. the
fences need repair, in fact, there ia
much work that should be done with
out delay. There is an annual appro-
priation of $500 for this purpose and
only $2S62.27 was spent, leaving a bal
ance of $2637.73 from 1919 appropria-
ton. 1t was recommended that this
work should have been done last year
and unles it is done at once, the entire
building will rot.
We investigated the court house and
found it in the same condition as in
our last report We are informed that
| the county board has employed an
architect to make an estimate Of the
needed repairs to the court house.
The report of the committee on ru-
| raj schools is so complete and of ne
! ceSslty so lengthy. having gone into all
| details We are attaching II hereto as a
part of this presentment. On account
or the Importance attached by the
grand jury to this document and with
the hope that publicity will tend to i'm
prove conditions, the grand jury re-
commend that this report be published
In fuil In all the papers of the county.
Ihe committees on finance and
roads was duly appointed at the
spring term of court, but are not yet
ready to make their report and have
been continued until the next term OF
court.
1t Is known fact that the speed
. laws OIL the county and state are being
violated with impunity by motor We
hlcies daily. The records show that
within the past six months only five
arrests ave been made by the rural
police for speeding, four of these in
the past thirty days and the fifth on
the first Of May. That this violation
OF the law is dangerous to lives of the.
citizens, and to property and all vio-
| iatlons of the speed law should be
prosecuted.
The four rural policemen are en-
ployed at an expense of over $1,000 per
annum to the county. We find that
these policemen are under the direc-
tion of the county board The grand
Jury feels that better results will be
lootained (without reflection upon any
one) IL these officers were under the
direct control and orders of the sheriff
of the county, and the grand jury so
recommends We feel that all the
law enforcement officers deputy
sheriffs and rural policemen) If COM
bined under one head could and would
produce better results.
In closing, we wish to express our
appreciation of the courtesies and as
sistance rendered us by your Honor
and all the officers Of the court.