The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1941-10-16
IS Witnesses Are
Examined; Report
To Judge Given

To The Honorable s. F. Davis, Judge
Of the Fourth Circuit Court D's-
trict of Missssippi:-
We, your Grand Jury, 'luiy elect
ed, empanelled. sworn AMI charged
at the regular October I941 Term of
the Circuit Court of Holmes County,
Mississippi, beg leave TO submit this
our report of the facts and proceed
ings had, done and taken by our
said body:
We have been in session 2 days,
and during said time, pursuant to
your instructive charge, have made
the various inspections and examina-
tons required of US and have exam
ined 65 witnesses, and from our in
vestigations and examinations, have
found Is "No Bills" and have found,
and now return into open court and
present to Your Honor, 20 "True
Bills.
Through committees appointed
from and by our said body, We in
spected the County Jail, and the
County Records and the County
Farm and Poorhouse and the State
Farm at Belmont.
The County Jail was ascertained
to be sanitarily kept and maintained,
and we found that the bedding fac
ilities and food furnished the prison.
ers were adequate. The County Re-
cords were found to be, from our
necessarily limited examination, to
be correstly and neatly and properly
kept and posted.
The County Farm and P%oorhouse
we examined and inspected, and from
such inspection, we want to commend
Mr.. Henry C. Brock, the Manager,
who we find is doing a splendid job
of managing the properties and op-
erations. Substantial food vas in ev-
idence, most Of which had been pro-
duced on the property. The prisoners
and inmates were properly housed
and clothed, and the premises were
kept in good sanitary condition. We,
however. recommend to the Board of
Supervisors that a COW barn and tool
shed be erected and furnished for
this investment Of the county, as they
sorely need the same. Further, we
recommend that the old, delapidated
building standing nea the quarters
of the prisoners be either removed
or dismantled as the same constitutes
a definite fire hazard to the safety
Of the lives Of the prisoners and of
the other property and buildings. At
the present, this building is being US
cd to house oil and gas, which ad-
~ditionally make said building hazard
Gus.
AS to the State Farm at Belmont.
our committee found the same to be
sanitarily kept, the prem ,es in good
condition as 20 cleanliness, the pri-
one well cared for, but we found
that the sewerage disposal system
needs correction. We believe it adj
visable 70 rthe Health Officer Of this
county should submit his findings to
the State P~enitentiary officials
looking toward the remedy Of this
serious fault. We further found that
practically all Of the out-buildings
need new roofs. or, more. practically
speaking. that these buildings should
be replaced with substantial struc-
lures. as the present ones have long
since served their day Of 'usefulnss.
And now having submitted this re-
port, we beg to discharged, subject,
Of course, to the further orders of
Court at this term. In closing, how
ever. we wish to express our appre-
citation to Your Honor for his instruc-
tive and strong charge to US on the
opening day thereof, to the County
Prosecuting Attorney, Mr.. Pat NJ.
Barrett, and to the Sheriff, Mr.. w. A.
Ramsey, and his force for their
thorough preparation and p~resenta-
ton Of cases brought to our atten-
ton, and to said County Attorney
and to the District Attorney for their
advices and courtesies to us in our
deliberations. Respectfully submitted,
G. v. MAXWELL, Foreman
Of the Grand Jury.
ATTEST:
S. +. HENRY, Clerk of
the Grand Jury.x
Members of the Grand Jury were:
Albert Presley, J. C. Herrin, E. E.
O'Reilley, D. B. Cox, ]. r, Melton,
William Ray, j. M. Bedwell, T. v.
Blaylock, L. P. Hand, C. v. Maxwell.
II. C. Waterer, Raiford McNeer, Var
daman Ellington, R. c. Spencer, Ad-
mois Rutledge, w. A. Fritz, T. P.
Johnson, Leon Mcbride. G. W. Ellison
and S. E. Henry.