Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-09-21
GRAND JURYMEN
RAP CONDITION
Of COUNTY JAIL
Gold Commissioners Re-
sponsib|e for Situation;
Sixteen True Bills Are
Returned to Court.

THE county Jail Of Bernalillo
county in its present condition is a
disgrace to any civilized communi-
ty."
The present county commits
sioners In charge of the finances
and business of the county should
land they are by us held RESPONSE
Bile for this Jail condition as we
find it and we submit that this
body should either improve COndi-
tons Immediately or resign or be
removed from office and let some
one have charge who can do the
work and remedy these deplorable
conditions"
These are the two outstanding
sentences in the formal report Of
| the Bernalillo county grand jury
which completed it's investigation
into criminal cases and county
buildings conditions yesterday at
ternoon.
Commenting upon the condition
OF the county Jail the grand jury
reported as follows:
I'VE have inspected the county
Jtlll anu lilt various COuuNy blllNtF'
and desire to state that the Jail is
being cared for and conducted in
as efficient and sanitary a manner
as appears to be possible under the
present conditions and with the
facilities that are available for use
and the building. We want to bring
out, however, and say that we can
not emphasize too strongly the
fact that the county Jail Of Berna e
| lilo county in its present condt-
ton Is a disgrace to any civilized
community. We find that it IS i'm
possible to have and keep sanitary
conditions in this place. called a
jail, without changes and repairs
| in plumbing, with inclosed laVora o.
tories and toilets where there will
be privacy for men and women
prisoners new bedding to take the
place Of the filthy and wholly in
sufficient bedding now In use. The
| jail needs new beds or hunks,
floors repaired and new bars for
all windows, plastering repairing,
inside painting and kalsomining
and installation Of a bath-tub, An
estimate Of this probable expense
convinces us that this work can be
done at the cost of the county, not
to exceed one thousand dollars.
Heating System Good.
I'VE find that the change made
last year in the heating arrange
ment had proved quite satisfactory
from every standpoint, and this VIC
find to be the only commendable
thing about the jail situation. Tho
sheriff's office and the jailer are
not to be condemned and are not
to be responsible for this situation
and condition at the Jail And we
particularly want to state further
that it IS our opinion that the
present county commissioners in
charge of the finances and bust
ness of the county should and they
are by us held responsible for this
! Jail condition as we find it and we
submit that this body should either
improve conditions Immediately or
resign or be removed from office
and let some one have charge who
can do the work and remedy these
! deplorable conditions. Less polt-
| tics and moro business with the
board of county commissioners APP
pears to this jury as the thing most
needed at this time"
Praise Peace Officers.
Commenting the work of the
sheriffs and the district attorneys
offices, the grand jury embodied
the following in its formal report:
1--WE wish to thank the sheriff S
office for the assistance rendered
us during our deliberations and
also tho district attorneys office
for assistance given and for the
dispatch with which matters were
presented for our consideration.
1--WE further observe and wish to
remark upon the few crimes of n
serious nature, which have been
committed in this county within
the last two years. This we think
speaks well for all the law enforce
ment officers Of the county and we
commend them for this record.
Out Of thirty cases investigated
during which forty-two witnesses
were examined, the grand jury re-
turned sixteen true bills and four
teen no bills. Among others, true
bills were returned against Curtis
Johnson, charged with Jail break
ing, and John f. Greeir charged
with stealing a car from a local
driverless Ford company
Mrs. Asquith's diary, which Gre
ated such worldwide interest, has