The Jackson Herald

Facts.

The following report from the grand jury of the January term shows how bad we are in need of a court house and jail:

To the Honorable Circuit Judge:

We, the grand jurors of Cape Girardeau county, state of Missouri, having completed our labors, beg leave to submit the following report:

1st. That we have diligently inquired into all cases of violations of the law that have come before us and have returned three true bills of indictments and one not a true bill.

2nd. We have examined the county jail and find that the prisoners are as well kept and made as comfortable as the conditions of the jail will permit; and that no jailer could do better with the surroundings than the present incumbent. We beg leave, however, to submit that the jail is unsightly, is unsafe and its sanitary conditions are extremely bad. In our judgment the conditions are not only a menace to the health of the prisoners but to the citizens of the town. There is no ventilation, or comparatively none; there are no means of flooding or cleaning the jail from the impurities that necessarily accumulate; there is no provision for female prisoners, they being necessarily kept in a little cuddy-hole, having to use the ordinary vessels for their accommodations. We respectfully submit that said jail is wholly unsafe for the use to which it is applied; that it is a disgrace to the county and we recommend that some steps be taken at once to remedy this evil.

3rd. We further recommend and suggest that the court house is insufficient, both as to room and as to comfort, and is not in keeping with the wealth and general prosperity of the county, and suggest that not only the jail should be rebuilt and remodeled so as to be in keeping with the progress of the county, but that the court house itself should have like attention and that delays in doing these things reflect, in our judgment, discredit on the people of the county. In examination of the poor house and the poor farm we find that the farm department is in excellent shape all the way through; the inmates of the poor farm are well cared for and receive the best of treatment.

4th. In examination of the records of this county we find them to be correct and kept in business like manner.

5th. We, the grand jury, desire to express our gratitude to his honor, Judge Riley, to the sheriff and his deputies, the prosecuting attorney, as also to the clerk of the court, for their courteous treatment during this term of court.

Respectfully submitted,

J. M. MILLER, Foreman,

R. A. PRIEST, Clerk.