The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-12-21
GRAND jury
POOR farm
QUIZ URGED
County Commissioners Ask
Collins to Take Action
at Once.
FOOD LACK INTIMATE0
Investigators Also Advise
Cleaner Quarters for
Inmates.

County commissioners today sent
demand" to Criminal Judge
James A. Collins that he imme-
diately impanel a special grand
Jury, with instruction to make =
complete investigation Of the county
poor farm.
This followed filing Of the final
report of the present grand jury,
which, stating it had not had time
to go into the poor farm thor
oughly, recommended a sweeping
investigation by the next regular
grand jury jury, which will starr
work in January.
The jury charged in the report
today that better and cleaner quar-
ters should be provided at the farm
and then said it had information
which leads us to believe that all
food products raised on the farm
do not find their way to the table,
as they should"
Soup Main Dish
\ Upon information from poor farm
inmates, The indianapolis Times in
vestigated several months ago and
found that the principal item OF
the poor farm menu was a species
of soup and that the menu which OF
| ficialS of the institution themselves
( submitted showed no great quantity
of fresh vegetables and dairy prod
ucts, although the county operates
farm on the property.
County commissioners declared
that incomplete report of the grand
jury contained Serious insinua-
tions" and it "is due" the super
intendent, J. v. Carter, that thor
ough inquiry be made.
The jury, which was discharged
after making the report, declared
: it's information about the poor farm
food was received too late for action.
Commissioners George Snider and
Charles o. Sutton, after long con-
ference with Carter, prepared this
demand to the court:
after reading the grand jury's
report on the various institutions,
we have investigated some of the
things and find the report is not
complete.
Urges Jury Probe
"At the county poor farm, the
grand jury went into a very few of
the departments. They have made
some insinuations that we feel are
very serious and we demand that
the criminal court Immediately iIn.
panel grand jury to find out the
facts.
I'VE feel that this is due MIR.
Carter, superintendent of the poor
farm, and the county commissioners,
responsible for his appointment"
The commissioners and Carter
had planned this morning to pre-
/ sent to the court a list of questions
about other departments at the poor
farm for the grand jury to answer,
but while they were comforting, the
jury brought in the final report and
this move failed. 1t was understood
that Carter's questions we're de-
signed to bring out facts about those
department which are in good con-
dition and thereby lessen the force
Of the unfavorable insinuations.
The jury was emphatic in It's
praise Of Deputy Prosecutor William
H. Sheaffer, who has served eight
grand juries as prosecutor.
Would Move Library
A suggestion was made that the
county law library be moved from
its present quarters on the third
floor of the Courthouse to the fourth
floor to shift the grand jury room to
the present library quarters, and es-
tablish the prosecutors Office in the
present grand jury room was made.
The jury recommended that the
small county garage back of the jail
be razed and a modern garage be
erected. The detention home was
branded inadequate and unsafe"
and a new structure was recon-
mended.
All other county institutions were
reported in good condition and their
managements praised.
Hans Clausen, county mainte-
nance superintendent, was lauded
for his work in renovating the
Courthouse.
Judge Collins declared the county
jail should be sold to the city for a
/ police headquarters and a wing
housing the county Jail be added to
the Courthouse.