The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-06-16
Grand Jury Makes
Recommendations

I
We, the grand jury, within and for
the county of st. Francois and the
State Of Missouri, at the May term,
1922, at the close of our work, certi-
fy that we have visited and inspected
1.-THE Court House, Jail and County In
firmary, and make the following re-
port and recommendations
We find everything in good condi-
tion at the county Jail, but recommend
that the Jail walls and the walls OF
the interior of the building be paint
ed, and the Sheriff should be provid-
ed with new mattresses for prisoners,
and that there should be installed
both upstairs and in the Jail baths,
suitable for the residence of the jail
or, and also one downstairs for the
prisoners, and we do further strongly
recommend that way be provided
for working convicts confined in jail,
either on the highways, or on a rock
pile.
We find the court house and the
county property in good condition and
kept in remarkably good condition
considering the congested condition Of
office rooms, and we recommend some
means of relieving the crowded condi-
tion of the office rooms, and we rec
ommend that the paper on the walls
of the county clerks office be repair
ed, or that the walls he repapered.
Pursuant to the courts instruc-
tions, we have made diligent in
quiry into the subject of all offens-
es against the laws Of the State, COM
mitted or triable in this county, of
which we had or could obtain legal ev-
idence.
Our investigation has developed ev-
idence of numerous violations of the
prohibition laws:
1t is the consensus of opinion of
this grand jury that, with the inflic-
tion of heavy fines, with long Jail
sentences added, violations of the pro-
hibition laws will be minimized; and
not until such sentences are regularly
meted to this class Of criminals will
Tie people of this county be relieved
cf the "white mule" or liquor scourge.
We have evidence that nearly all
pool halls and soft drink bars doing
business in this county are conducted
in violation of the laws of the State.
We, therefore, hereby recommend that
a license be not granted to any per-
son to conduct pool hall, or a soft
drink bar in this county, who has been
convicted, or is under charge Of any
violation of either the prohibition
laws or the laws against gambling.
We do further recommend that all
LII to If kI.n,
sale or possession of Intoxicating IL
Guor, and all places that are used for
the congregation of intoxicated per-
sons, and all places where drunken
ness or "rowdyism" is seen be at once
closed by injunction, and as long as
the law will permit, and that persons
who have or may hereafter violate
the courts closing orders be cited
and vigorously punished for contempt
of court.
i There is great deal of complaint
in the county as to the non-enforce-
noent of the prohibition laws. There
fore, we recommend that the Prose-
lcuting Attorney start an immediate
vigorous prosecution of all such cases
now on the docket of the court, and
that he start a rigid enforcement of
such laws, and that Jail sentences be
asked for in such cases; and that If
said prosecution and enforcement Of
law is not attended to by the Prose-
cutting Attorneys office, that the
Judge of the Circuit Court is hereby
requested to ask the assistance of the
Attorney Generals office in all such
cases.
We do hereby condemn the attitude
of many people in this county who
seem to lightly regard violations of
, the prohibition laws, and we recon-
mend that all good citizens be dill
gent and active ii giving the Prose
cutting Attorney and Sheriff evidence
of such violations, and we call upon
all City Councilmen, Aldermen and
Mayors to see to it that all the mar
shals of the cities enforce the ordi-
nances against drunkenness ON the
streets, and that in case of arrests to
seize all liquors found and turn the
same over to the Sheriff or Prosecut-
; ling Attorney with statement of the
facts so that chip pocket" cases, and
, LIQUOR possessors may be prosecuted
In conclusion we hereby commend
and express our gratitude to both the
Prosecuting Attorney and Sheriff OF
this county for their faithful efforts
and efficiency in enforcing the prohi-
bition laws, as we'll as all other laws
on our statute books, and the faithful
manner in which they have assisted
us in our investigation, and we urge
all persons to assist them in getting
legal evidence whereby offenders may
be brought to justice.
Respectfully submitted,
C. l. GARRETT, Foreman