Item
St. Andrews Sandard, April 21, 1836Report of the County Charlotte Grand Jury
The Grand Jury have made some remarks on the Gaoler's account expressive of their surprise at the extraordinary nature of these charges to which they would particularly call the attention of the Court, particularly a charge of carrying bread from the baker to the prison, which actually amounts to more than the cost of the bread. The Grand Jury on view of the Prison would remark that it appears sufficiently strong for any thing where strength alone is required, but on the principle that imprisonment should not be torture and death (which must ensue if Prisoners are put into the cells during winter), the Jury would remark that it appears totally unfit for the purpose for which it was intended to serve. There is a certain want of cleanliness about the Prison which should be immediately looked into by the authorities; heaps of soot and ashes are to be seen about the lobbies and small stores of the debtor's rooms; the cellar is also very unfit for the purpose intended, the gaoler having lost great part of his vegetable during last winter. It appears to the Grand Jury absolutely necessary that something be done in the way of a drain or sewer to carry off the filth accumulating bout such an establishment, and to save the monstrous expense of removing it in the manner in which it is now done, as well as to prevent the generating of dangerous diseases during the hot months of summer.