Imperial Valley press., 1928-07-10
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jury were seated when the report
was submitted by +. d. Poore, fore
man.
Three indictments were returned
and the court ordered that bench
warrants be issued.
Two of these warrants were turn
ed over to Coroner b. +. Lemons,
the coroner being the only man in
the county with authority to arrest
the sheriff. The third was submit
ted to a deputy sheriff for ser,
vice.
The coroner Immediately carried
out his duties and the arraignment
of the sheriff before Judge Jennings
was held.
The court then dismissed the
members of the jury. thanking them
for their labors and District Attor-
ncy Head in turn thanked the men
for their efforts.
The general report submitted to
the court and the indictments
against the sheriff were made
matter of court record.
Report Is Extensive
1hc general report contained more
than a hundred pages of type writ
ten copy and goes into detail rela-
tive to the investigations conduct
ed by the jury. 1t also has rs
"'rtion of it, a typewriter boob
It l4S pages covering the audit
made by Los Angeles firm of the
sheriff 5 office.
The general report starts with the
investigation conducted into the jail
situation. 1t opens by declaring
that the county Jail is in dcplorable
condition both as to its management
and in repair. 1t describes an over
crowded condition, saying that rs
high as ls0 prisoners have been con
fined in the jail although its ac-
cOmmodations are fitted to provide
for not more than 50 persons. 1t
further holds that prisoners afflict-
ed with diseases are kept with other
prisoners allowing Il spread of the
disease and recommends that i'm
mediate steps to remedy this con
dition be taken. 1t also recommends
that the north tank in the upper
floor be completed to hclp relieve
the present crowded condition.
The matter of food is then taken
up. The report charges that the
prisoners are given poor food,
handled in most unsanitary condi
tion and that it is prepared by
TRUSTEES. It recommends that the
.,
vision Of the kitchen. 1t charges
here that the sheriff has made tens
of thousands of dollars profit from
the feeding of prisoners.
Criticize Womens s Prison
The report holds that the women
confined at the Jail are all kept
in one room. The women and girls,
held only for investigation are
kept in the same room with thos"
Ecld for criminal convictions and
that white women share the same
raom' with MeXicans and colored
ncrsonS. 1t further states that
there is no matron on duty between
the hours of > p. m. and $3.50 a. m.
aud that the officers at the jail
are iilOWtu 10 enter llllS iObHl 'tl
all hours of the day and night.
The report recommends that
matron be placed on duty at all
times when there are women prison
crS at the jail and that she be given
he KEY to the women S ward; that
no officer be allowed to enter un-
less attended by matron.
The report further recommends
that an inspection of the Jail by
health officers and by county
authorities be conducted twice 4
month under the supervision of the
county board of supervisors.
The report charges that the sys
tenn of keeping books and records
now employed at the jail is wholly
Inadequate and should be rcmedicd
Immediately.
1t further suggests the organiza
tion of chain gang, providing for
the employment of prisoners in do
ing work for both the county and
the irrigation district. 1t suggests
the. organization of rock pile for
the purpose of producing supplies to
be used in road building.
In the report and the book sub
mitted by the auditors the follow
ing allegations against the sheriff
are brought out. That the sheriff
has collected $46,603.2l since tax
ing office in January, 1923, to