Smyrna times., 1860-01-12
REPDlsT
Of the Committee Of Kent County on
Crime and Pau4erism.
Appointed by the last Annual Temperance
GonvpnfiOn

Appointed by the last Annual Temperance
Convention.
! The Committee to whom was referred the
resolution respecting crime and pouperism, in
Kent County, as connected with Temperance,
respectfully report:
That in discharging the duties assigned them
they have experienced greater difficulties in ar
irving at the facts in the case than they at first
expected. In compiling the statistics that we
give below we have had to examine large TO-
lloS, carefully, page by page, ard such of the
annual reports of the Trustees of the Poor as
could be found in that Institution. Your com
mtlee are of opinion, from the examination of
such documents as they have been able to OBJ
tain, that there was less paupcrisrn dependent
on the county for support between the years
1913 and 1852 than any like period to which
we can refer. This, we think, was in part at
trIbutable to the general Temperance seati-
mcnt that prevailed at that time, and, perhaps,
in part to the charities of the institution of the
Sons of Temperance.
Your Committee find that there were relev-
ed by t1e Trustees Of the Poor in the two years
l6J0-jG, 352 at cost OF $G737.76. This was
when the Prohibltory Law was in operation.--
In the years lS57.5S, 3Sj persons, at a cost Of
$70l2.G9. This was Immediately after the re.
peal OF the Prohibitory Law, and shows an in
crease of 33 persons, and additional cost of
S715.9l. How many ofthese persons were re-.
duced by intemperance your Committee have
no means of ascerainiug, but the Overseer Of
The Institution pointed out some to US who came
there from mania. a.pOtu and other results Of
whiskcy. Some of these were known person.
ally wao, if whiskey could have been out of
their reach, could have earned from seven to
nine dollars per week but now their labor is
lost to community, and the county taxed for
their support. We find, by reference to an old
document, that the average number relieved oy
the Institution in each of the years 1885 80
and ~ was l67. in population of about 49,
600 inhabitants; and in the year 1919 there
were relieved l34, in a population Of about
$4,000. Here we find an increased population
OF near four thousand and decrease Of paupers
OF 33 persons. To what shall we ascribe these
!
temperance sentiment that then prevailed.
Your Committee would further report, That
they find that the several officers have received
from tie State, on account Of expenses incurred
IN prosecutions for crimes, the following
amounts:
AT. Gen. W. salisbury, State fees, S279 40
" q. p. Fisher, 1866. 70
OF this last amount but 800 was incurred IN lie
i uh a., D..
Law wa sobserved to considerable extent.
We also fluid that Sheriff Taylor reclved for
prisoners board aud Stale fees, $1G4 co
Sheriff Jas. Green and Deputy, 754.47
Kersey, 1863 II
" Pratt, 1868 l6
Reynolds and Deputy. Ass 30
John Green, 244:}.25
or this last amount $l0S4 Sc was for prisoners
LOard alone for less than one gear
! Your Committee would further report, That
/ they have examined the criminal calendar, aud
find that The indictments tor crime of the o rade
OF felony were as follows:
/ lSJl-52 2S
1858 "a, while the District Law was in op-
erutIon Is
1855 Sc while the PrOhibitOry Law was in
operation, 81
/ pA"A'"S' !" '"0 uSSieSdle, lOT SIX years. -
or al average OF less than IL each year. In
the year le55, the only time in which The Pro-
hbtory Law was efectual, there were but II
indictments during the year; aud at the Octo-
ber term of So, and April, '56-the only courts
10 which tbs Law could show It's favorable
wOrklngs-there were but four, (and but two
indicted for felony) and the jail cells without
an occupant; and ii out of the whole number
were for selling liquor and keeping dsorderly
houses In 1856 there were 154 indictments
Tor msdemcanors; 1873 of these were for sell.
ing liquor, (and II for assaults and batteries.
the natural result of such liquor -seling,) but
yet, Notwithstanding these numerous prosecu.
uons, the opponents of the Law said it was
"dead letter that its friends would not aid
in its enforcement, aud that no such law could
be executed. We only regret that it could nos
have fair trial before it was repealed.
AS a contrast to the above we find that the
three years following the repeal of the Law
there were 9l indictments for felony, as fol-