The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1946-10-17
Citizens Asked To Come
Before Grand Jury Monday

Citizens of Holmes county are
Urged to come before the Grand
Monday morning at nine
to report violations of the
prohibition and gambling laws in
his county.
In a singing indictment of Sheriff
W. L. Murtagh, the Grand Jury said
t found that the Sheriff has wholly
failed and neglected. to perform
MS sworn duty"
1t further declared: eve are salts
fled that should the Sheriff perform
faithfully the duties of his office
that there now and always has re-
sided in him sufficient authority to
combat these evils"
The Grand Jury requested Judge
Davis to let it be recessed until Mon
day October 2lst, at which time il
desired to be recalled and urged the
of Holmes county to come
before the Grand Jury and give
information 80 that we might 70.
turn indictments for the violation
of prohibition and gambling laws
of our county. believing where the
Sheriff of Holmes County hos
wholly foiled to perform his duty.
that the people of Holmes county.
through their Grund Jury. will bring
to justice those who flograntly.
openly. VIGOROUSLY. ind with oppm-
ent immunity flout the laws of our
state in the face of the people In
this county"
The Grand Jury further said in
its report:
TT has come to the attention 81
your Grand Jury that the preceding
Grand Jury of six months ago made
a thorough investigation of alleged
violation of the prohibition and
gambling laws of this County, ret
urning at said term of court fifty.
two indictments for violation of the
prohibition ard gambling laws. We
have been advised that at said term
Of Court, Sheriff Walter L. Murtagh
appeared before the aforesaid Grand
Jury, at which time he stated that
in the future he intended to exercise
all of the lawful authority vested in
him to rigidly enforce the prohibit
ion and gambling laws of the State.
and that in the future the people OF
Holmes County would have no COM
plants. We find six months later
that the Sheriff has wholly failed
and neglected to perform his sworn
duty in that there now f1ourishes
and has continued to flourish in
Holmes county throughout the ten-
ure of the present Sheriff open
notorious, fragrant, violation of the
prohibition and gambling laws. We
are satisfied that should the Sheriff
perform faithfully the duties Of his
office that there now and then and
always has resided in him sufficient
authority to combat these evils.
We have been advised that before
this body can return an indictment
sufficient information must be pre-
scented to this Grand Jury before
such an indictment can be returned.
We have been in session two days
and have had only three persons
from the entire county of Holmes.
to come before this body and make
any complaint about violation Of
prohibition laws and gambling laws
in our County. We, therefore, ara
requesting your Honor, to allow
Grand Jury to recess until 800
o'clock A.. M. on the third Monday
Of this term, which is October 2tst
1916, at which time we wish to now
urge the law abiding people of Hol-
mes county to come before our body
and that at such time give Us suftic.
lent information SO that we m ght
indictments for violation OF
the prohibition and gambling laws
our County, believing that whers
the Sheriff of Holmes County has
failed to perform his duty.
hat the people of Holmes county.
their Grand Jury, will
bring to justice those who SO flag
openly, VIGOROUSLY and with
apparent immunity flout the laws
# u State in the face Of the people
# this County"
Jurors Listed
Members ct the Grand Jury were:
C. Herbert, ,Tr foreman: J. n.
Clerk; j. A. Cade, Fred p.
". D. Xillelrew, Alton Fer
ell, Charles ". Duggan, c. Y. Bal
ey, J. J. Browning, c. W. Younger,
,. ]. Heinrich, F. Il. Skinner, Edward
7. Hodges, Roy Gelstor, .. S. Pettus,
ohm Jenkins, Vernon Hitchcock, J.
Dickerson, W. Q. Criswell, c. T.
,obb.
jury no. /
H. v. Brock, Wade Ray, Rob Roy
M. e. Grace, r. F. Austin, r.
v. Ware, J. E Yeager, George MI
hell, j. W. Roberts, Rogers nc
Bride, Joe Harthcock, w. o. Far.
Jury Nc
John Libcrto, Jesse Fiddle, Oscar
Otis Stephenson, Ed Powell,
loud Nose AISrod ue,-p r,~rc