The chronicle-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1920-1941, 1921-02-25
final REPORT OF
THE GRAND JURY
Believes Building of New Court
House Unwise Venture at
This Time.

4 After having listened with pleasure
and profit to your able charge to sht
grand jurors, we retired to the room
allotted to us for that purpose ant
proceeded with the examination so1
many witnesses from all parts of the
county, and we now beg leave to re.
port as follows:
We have carefully considered that
portion of your Honor's supplements
charge with reference to the erection
OF new court house and Jail for the
county, and have ascertained as hest
we could the sentiment of the citizens
and taxpayers about the matter. We
find that in view of the present un-
settled conditions of affairs in gen
eral, the present high cost of mate
rials and labor, the already high bond
ed indebtedness of our county, the
fact that there is no certainty of an
early increase of the assessed valua-
tion of property in the county, ard
the already extremely heavy burden
OF taxation on the shoulders of our
taxpayers, and the further fact thar
the present structure is in good con
dion and ample for the needs of the
county at present, that it would be
unwise at this time to construct new
cour house or to make any extensive
or expensive repairs or alterations IN
or to, the present structure.
We are aware that some may ac
cuse us of lack of progress, but our
endorsement of good roads and
cheerfully voting to tax ourselves for
that purpose, is, we think, sufficient
answer to this charge.
We have examined the offices of
the various county officials and find
them we'll kept and orderly. We
have in the past six days examined
witnesses to the number Of 90 and
have returned to your Honorable
Court true bills to the number of / q.
Except in one instance reported to US
by the State Board of Health, we
find that the physicians and druggists
OF the county are complying with
the laws in reference to veneral dis
eases. We did not think it advisable
to burden the court woth an indict
ment in the case excepted, believing
other means would remedy the situa-
tion and that the offence was not
wilful.
We desire to call the attention of
the justices of The peace so offending
to their failure to comply with the
law in reference to the proper filing
OF misdemeanor and felony appeal
cases, and we request that they here
after do so.
We desire to not further that in
the course of our investigations, it
has become apparent that the whole
sale burning of the woods and depre-
dations committed by hunters are
two matters htat require some atten-
tion and regulation. We wish to rec
ommend that where any law has been
violated in these respects that the
proper officials should take the me-
cessary action to correct the evils,
and furher if it be possible for the
board of supervisors to enact other
and further necessary laws for the
of these matters and things
that the same be done.
We would also call the attention OF
,he various county Officers to the
of the Sunday Law" We
are advised that in some parts of the
county, there is some hunting and
fishing on Sunday and perhaps fruit
stands, ETC., are sometimes kept open
IN Sunday. These things are in vio-
alton of the law and the law ought to
,e enforced. We therefore suggest
hat the proper officials shall give [
he attention necessary to correct this
vii. $
w "S 'Sis ehdu " ItpoIt d
marked decrease in crime in this |
county, and we attribute it to. the {
enforcement of the prohibition laws. S
We commend our sheriff and all I
,ut one of his deputies in trying 70 I
ring to justice all law violators, es- 9
'ecially blind tigers. The various S
county officials have been helpful
md courteous to lis nour investiga- j
ions, and we desire to make proper t
acknowledgement in the matter by 7
'ubliely thanking them. =
And now, having fully reported, we o
'eg to be discharged from further c
uty at this term. s
Respectfully submitted. I
GEORGE W. O'NEILL, I