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THE DEMOCRAT.
By John M. Brown;
OFFICIAL GAZETTE OF SHERIFF
ORDINARY, CLERK SUPERIOR
COURT AND COUNTY COMMIS
SIONERS.
Entered kb second class mail matter
at Bainbridge, Ga., postoflice.
Baiubridtfc, Ga., Nov. 26, 1968
An important discovery has just
been made, and that is that the boll
weevil can be killed by pouring
kerosene oil down its throat. We
never did see anything like the
way that oil trust tries to monopo
lize everything.
•■sT “
There’s no use to try to tempor
ize Atlanta’s municipal election—
on the 2nd of December. It is a
battle of right against wrong, @f a
class that decency should not tolh-
erate for a mcment even in a semi
civilized community—much less in
Georgia’s Capitoi City. If Atlanta
respects herself she will not honor
a man of the Woodward stripe or
life.
The eyes of all Georgians are on
Atlanta’s next Municipal election
on the 2nd of December—for it
will determine whether the virtue,
intelligence, civic, purity and hon
orable citizenship, or their anti
podes dominate Atlantas civic life
whether a man, who is a high-ton
ed honorable Christian gentleman,
standing for everything thats pure
and clean and upright, or a drunk
en bum and debauchee shall be
Mayor of Georgia’s Caoitol City.
W r e do not go outside tne admis
sions of the bum and debauchee to
characterize him ; an d his election
to Atlanta’s Mayoralty will be a
public disgrace not only to Atlan
ta hut to Georgia, because Atlanta
is Georgias Capitol City.
Shame on Atlanta.
Jim sVoodward who seems to be
abl e to secure enough votes to elect
him Mayor of Atlanta whenever he
desires tne position,has again been
pulled trom a disreputable resort
and arrested while drunk. If there
is not enough manhood among the
people *f Georgia’s Capital to re
pudiate such a character, we great
ly misjudge them. The courts
even protect children from the
abuses of a parent, why not aid a
great city in throwing off this stig
ma? The Democrat is glad that
the Atlanta papers have the cour*
age and manliness to demand pro
tection from such a political and
moral prostitute, and it will be a
public disgrace 10 all Georgia gen
erally and Atlanta specifically
should she not bury him out of
sight forever.
Official
6R/ND JURY PRESENTMENTS
GEORGIA—Decatur County:
To the Honorable W. N. Spenoe,
>udge Saperior Court.
We the Grand Jury impauneled
and sworn for November Term,1908,
beg to make Obe following report:—
Alter organization we uroceeded
to investigate all cases on the Dock
et, and wherever there was suffi*
cient evidence we found true bill,
otherwise “no bill.” We have als
most entirely disposed of the old
docket and all new presentments
made to us daring this session.
Our Committee appointed to ex
amine the County Records and
check the accounts of the County
Officers, beg leave to report that
they have spent two days in check
ing the Treasurer’s account and the
County Commissioners books, and
in these, have so far found suffic:ent
errors and discrepancies in our
judgement to warrant an Expert
Accountant checking them up thors
oughly. We therefore have ap
pointed U. C. Brown as an Expert
to do this work at a compensation
of t>5.0o per day, the work to be
completed within thirty days. This
work is to include the books oi the
County Tax Collecto the Books of
the County Treasarer, the County
School Commissioner, and the books
of the Board of County Commission,
ers, the Auditing of same to cover
back accounts and records for two
years.
We further beg t© report that we
have examined the records of the
Clerk’s Office, Sheriff’s Office and
tlie Tax Receiver’s office, and find
in the limited time we had, to do
this work, all the records in appar
ent perfect order and well kept.
We specially commend the efficient
work of our Tax Assessor in holding
| up the taxable property of the Coun-
: ty to practically the same figure of
last year, not withstanding the pre
vailing financial_depression.
We have als© examined the dock
ets of the various J ustices of the
Peace and Notaries Public and find
them reasonably well kept and as-
enrate. We find from the records ot
the Ordiuary the following vacan
cies in the office ot Notary Public
and reccommend the following ap'
pointments: for the
1392 nd District
Present-
Those Bililous
menth.
In fairness and justice to Sheriff
and jail master, Patterson, touching
the strictures made of the jail and
its sanitary condition in their gener.
al presentments by the last grand
jury. The Demoerat believes that
Decatur’s jail will bear comparison,
in the main, with that of any coun
try jail in Georgia; for let it be re
membered that the capacity ot the
criminal departments of Decatur’s
jail is only 24 inmates while for three
months past there have been con’
stantly confined therein, despite the
courts several sessions the Sheriff
informs us of from 4o to 60 inmates,
awaiting trial, and with that many
boar negroes, ( or 95 per cent have
been negroes) confined in a space in
tended for one third that number,
no sanitary method or process will
prevent malodorous smells, and con*
ditions,
.Respecting heating aparatus, a
coal stove, which the grand jury’s
committee must have stumbled over
in the hall way in cold weather,
makes things about as comfortable
as the average “coon” is accustomed
tom hs own cabin-and besides,
jails are not expected or intended to
have parlor accomodations.
The major part of the graud jury’s
presentments may be right and
proper, outside the jail matter—we
don’t know the tacts out side common
report—but why, in heaven’s name
do their committee make such a to-
do over this when the immoral con
ditions threatening the very integri
ty oftbe city’s immoral life—espec*
ially that ot the incoming generation
on account of the Pear Orchard con
tingent, and other similar moral
■stenches that make this city notor
ious by reason of toleration by con-
sutnted civic life, are ignored and
winked at by non-aefien? Ought
not the Grand Jury the oommon
peoples only prosecutors cast the
beam from their
Spring Creek
Attapulgus
Climax
Rock Pond
Brinson
We also find a
I, L. Willis
C. N. Nichols
W. E. i*mith
S. T. McTyre
J. J. Adams
J. D. Talbert
vacancy on the
Board of Education in Faceville
District and recommend the ap
pointment of D. R, Bower of that
place to fill this vacancy.
Throngh our Committee, appoint
ed to inspect the County Roads,
Bridges and Ferries wish to make
the following report:
After inspecting the County
Roads, Bridges and Ferries for two
days we find them in fair condition
wilh the followiug exceptions.
The Road know as the River Road
running to Baker Countv has not
been worked, nor has part of the
Road leading from Donalsonville to
Chattahoochee River known as the
enough for teams to pass.
All of the roads in the North Eist
part of the county are needing work
badly; some of which have not been
worked since the new system has
been put into effect. We recom>
mend that these roads be worked as
• oon as practicable.
It has cou.e to our notice that the
Public Road6 have beee obstructed
and otherwise made unsafe for trav-
©’ by debris left by Saw Mill and
Turpentine people either m the road
or in ditches of said roads and also
by Automobilists leaving their ma
chines in and near the road. For
the benefit of such as have trepasped
in this manner, and for the safety ot
the travel in general, we call atten
tion to Article 518 Vol. • 1, ot the
Political Code of Georgia, which
reads as follows:
“If any person shall obstruct any
road, registered as aforesaid, by
building a fence or felling a tree, or
cuttiug a ditch in or across any part
of it, or shall make a any road
across any registered road, or a part
thereof, any obstruction of any kind
which renders the use of said road
unsafe or inconvenient, or shall dig
or plow up the surface of any regis'>
tered Public Road or remove any
dirt of rock from the same, or shall
fill with dirt or obstruct any side
ditch or drain of any Public Road,
such person shall be guilty of mis
demeanor, provided that this sectiou
shall not prohi bit the duty authoriz.
ed acts of the Public Officers of the
County.”
The Hoard ot County Commission
ers presented to us the plan of bny -
ing and equipping a County Farm
for the purposes ot growing feed for
the County stock and convicts.
After due consideration we recom
mend the purchase of a farm consist*
ing ot not less than five hundred
acres :;ndnot more than ten hundred
acres, of as good land as is avail-
ble, and as centrally located as pos.
sible, and in a healthy locality.
Through our committee appointed
to inspect the Public Buildings, we
have received and approved the fol
lowing report which we append
hereto in full, and we recommend
that the t uggestion contained there
in be put into effect, and such rules
adopted as will bring about a com
plete reformation in the keeping of
the jail and jail yard.
We tender our thanks to his
Honor Judge W. N. Spence, presid-
ng, And our able Solicitor General
W. E. Wooten for their courtesy
and valuable services rendered onr
body.
We recommend that these present
mentsbe published m the official
organ of the county.
Very respectfully submitted,
D. R. Bower J. T. Lane
Secretary. Foreman.
GEORGIA—Decatur County:
Report of Grand Jury Committee
on Public Buildings.
POOR HOUSE.
The Committee on visiting the
Poor House found five inmates of
whom, three were white women, one
white man, and one negro man. The
three women were cleanly and com
fortable cloth jd, and seem satisfied
Gibson Road. The Tax Payers cn j with their treatmemt and food,
these roads are complaining and we • Their apartments and beds were
found in clean condition, and suffi
cient bed clothing for comfort in
recommend that they be worked as
soon as possible. The Flat at
Hutchinson Ferry is unsafe, and a
new one should be put in at once.
Some ot the Stringers under the
Iron Bridge over Spring Creak
seemed rotten and unsafe, and we
reccommend that thorough examis
nation be made of same. Some of
the various small bridges overditen
es are breaking in and should be
looked after and repaired. We un
spected the Convict Camp at Lela
and various Road Camps, and the
ConviGts seemed well cared for and
in good healthy condition: the only
complaint was that the camp Car
at Salem was infested with cninches.
We find that the Public Bridge
over the G. F. & A. Railroad, near
Fowlstown, in bad condition and
recommend that it be repaired at
once. We also find that said Rail
road has no danger signal at public
crossings and a-k that they be put
up.
W« also recommend that the
Turn-p ; ke on the Donalsonville and
own eyes, so that T ... , ,
they might the bet-.er see to pa n Don City Road, at a point known as
that from the eye ©f their brother. I the Cordell fish Pond, be built up
But ©f this more anon. j at least two feet higher, and wide
cold weather. The white man,
John Strong, who is in a very bad
condition physically, has lacked
medical attention.
We think the county commission
ers have imposed npon the County in
allowing this man a birth in the poor
hoase, as he is really in such a con
dition, thfit he should be in a hospi
tal. We iecommeud that they take
steps to have this man removed at
once to a hospital for treatment.
We also fiud that the old negro man
was sent to the farm about one year
ago. His arm had been nearly
burned off. He suffered for months
without medical treatment. ‘ We
understand that Drs. Chason &
Chason heard of his condition, and
for humanity sake, went out to see
him and performed the operation of
amputating his arm at their own ex
pense. The said negro to all ap
pearances is now in good physical
condition, and we understand the
county’s Physician has recommend
ed bis release from the Poor House.
We second his recommendation and
think that he should oe gotten rid
COURT HOUSE.
We find «m P oking over the Coun.
House, that same is not kept in h
cleanly condition by the Janit
that the halls and various rooms e
in a dnsty and littered conditio •,
such as will tend to breed disea-e
as well as l e unpleasant to t -»e
sight. I be Balcony does not ^p
pear to have been cleaned np since
its incipiency. The glass in the
doors of the offices of Ordinary and
School Commissioner are broken out-.
The glass window tn the prisoneis
cell is broken out, eight chairs
have been damaged, the closets and
clo»et stalls are in a filthy and un
sanitary condition, being littered
with dust and trash, also the stools
are broken to pieces. We recoin
mend that the janitor be forced to
do his duty in keeping the Court
House in cleanly condition, and
that on failure at any time to do so,
that he be displaced, and another be
put in'his position who will keep
the court house and grounds clean.
We further recommend that glasses
be put in the two office doors, and
tht window oftbe prison cell in the
court house. We still further re^
commend the removal oi the old
plunder on v c grounds ot the court
house, which so detracs from the
back view of same.
JAIL
The committee on visiting the
county jail, received a shock to their
sense of cleanliness which surpasses
all bounds ot the imagination. The
sickly odor of filth which pex vaded
th<5 atmosphere on entry of the corns
mittee into the jail yard, gave them
a feeling ot nausea and weakness,
robust though they are. The yard
was littered with trash, cans and all
manner of filth. Two of the win
dows of the jail keeper- rooms were
filled with slops pour ng over the
sills and down the walls under the
windows like some great monsters
vomiting filth. The coHditien
of the interior of the jail, kept pace
in uncleacliness with its exterior.
The corners were full of trash and
stale, sour smelling refuse. The
floor of cement, which could so
easily be kept clean,was everywhere
reeking with filth; and one does not
need an imagination to know that
the whole place is absolutely alive
with vermin and disease germs. The
clammy coldness of the whole buildi
ing reminded the committee of tales
oi the horrors of ancient prisons.
There was no sign of any artificial
heating, though the weather was ex
ceedingly cold. Fresh cold air in
plenty, as a broken pane m a North
window allowed the freezing north
wind full play on the cage, m which
there were 16 inmates. There were
very few swinging bunks and a great
part of the prisoners had to sleep on
blankets on the cold cement floor.
The bed clothing they had seemed
to be very dirty and insufficient to
protect them from the cold. The
committee found three sick inmates
whose sickness could well he due to
the unsanitary condition of the jail
and lack of medical treatment.
Alter due investigation of the con
ditions existing at the two public
houses of detention, viz: the jail and
poor house, the committee wishes to
recommend that the county Physi
cian be dismissed from his office,
for failure to fulfillthe
duties ot same, the committee bes
lieving from the reports of those
in charge of these two
houses of detention, that he has
done no part ot the service for which
he contracted with the county. Ho
has only visited the poor house
about two or three times in eight
months, when he should have visit
ed same twice each week. We have
reason to believe that Strong,the sick
inmate of the poor house, would
have been in much better condition
bad he received any medical atten~
tion. We understand that the coun
ty Physician hasnot visited the jail
more than twice m the last several
months. That there are three siek
inmates in said jail who have needed
attention, and we consider it his
duty to have looked after the
jail and to have seen that it was
kept in a more sanitary cendition.
Respectfully Submitted,
H. J. Maddox Chairman
D. R. Bower
R. O. Collins
Committee
A true extract from the minutes
©t Decatur Saperior Court*
C. W. WIMBERLEY, Clerk.
A BIG HARD TIMES SALE
AT
NEW YORK RACKET
Commencing Sat Nov.2is t for 15 days
times are hard, and money is scares
and everyboby knows it.
The New York Racket Store throws their entire
the market at panic prices. Every thing must go
a few H ARD TIME PRICES.
io yards of good calico Hard Time Prices only
io yards good Ginghams Hard Time Prices only
stock on
Here are
49C
io yards of yard wide homespun Hard Time Prices only 4^
10 yards of fine shambry Hard Time Prices only
10 yards fancy diess gingt-ams Hard Time Prices only Z
Ladies 150 shoes only 1.19, Mens 2.00 shoes only ,
Clothing jackets and pants at nearly nothing, come and ° '
for yourself, dont miss the opportunity to get
goods cheap.
your
see
winter
J. M. FLOYD
J.M. L A I N G.
t It is custom every year to spend a month in
New York and Baltimore, watching the markets for all
the newest goods, I did this this season and while there
secured an up to date line of very stylish
Fall and Winter Goods,
-^11 New Til ss Seasons Goods,
and at prices in keeping with the times. There are lots
of merchants not buying a dollar’s worth of new goods
on account of so hailed “hard times”. I, however, con
cluded that if I didn’t buy Icouldn’t sell them; so I hot
A Full Line of Good, Glean
Merchandise.
That I feel sure wiill appeal to you. and therefore in
vite an inspection of the same. Regarding prices, I
WILL Sell Them For LESS,
As 1 pay Cash and Sell for
Cash and my expenses small,
These expense items cut a big Figure in the
price of goods.
Remember I handle a General lineofG oods,
consisting ot,
Dress-Goods, Notions,Men
and Boys’ Clothing, Hats,
Caps, Ladies Long Coats
Skirts and Underwear.
Shoes Our Specialty•
All Prices suit the Times,
Will appreciate an inspection of our Goods
VO VOS TO L
J. HI. L/UNG,
Phnn©
■“—OUR MOTTO
/io# how Cheap,
ButhOW GOOD.
V
T. I. THOMASON & SON
PHONE ;o
craaau'm" >*