Drunks That Cost $2,800

A Necessary Expense To The County

251 Drunks This Year

Our of a total 628 Prisoners-Inspectors Make Report.

The poor commissioners, the judge of probate and the county commissioner made a jail inspection today and found that the past six months 278 prisoners have been confined under Sheriff Gillen's rear roof.

This includes 163 drunks, four of whom were íernale; 23 for larceny, 3 of whom were female; 30 vags; 10 insane; 11 for boarding moving trains; 6 for assault and battery ; 5 for disorderly ; 4 for disturbing the peace. The best were for other offenses.

During the six months preceeding there were 320 prisoners confined in the jail including 188 drunks, 5 vags and 31 disorderlies.

Not taking into account the fact that drunks are often arrested as vags and disorderlies, there has been confined in the jail a total of 351 drunks.

There are drunks and there are drunks. There are many who get drunk who do not need to be taken care of. There are 315 who had to be taken charge of.

Although it is expense to the county, it is necessary that they should be incarcerated.

To give some idea as to the cost to the county (which does not include those who pay fine) it is estimated that each one of the 351 drunk served an average of a seven day's sentence:

Justice of peace fees $2.75

Officers fees 1.55

Turnkey's fees .70 

Sheriff's fees, 44 cents per day for seven days 3.08

Total $8.08

Taking an average of 8 for each man, the 351 drunks have cost the county over $2. 800.

The jail examiners today reported the following: Bedding, fair; cells, fair; halls, good; closets, poor; no distinction in treatment of prisoners; jail building is too small.''

"I know what the state secretary of the board of corrections and charities will say when he reads that report," said County Agent Lehman. "He will send down a postal card which will read: 'Your favor of Sept. 21, received for which please accept our thanks. I notice that you say the jail building is too small. If you did not have so many drunks, the building would probably be large enough. 

'Respectfully yours, etc.'"