The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-30
A Crime Not Checked bv Law

Statistics show that in New York the
law making the attempt to commit suicide
crime punishable by imprisonment in the
penitentiary does not cause decrease in
the number who take their own lives The
law as been in force about ton years, and
during ttat time there has been an alarm
ing increase in the number of suicides.
In 1881 the number of suicides in New
York city was 1856, and in 1890 it was 239.
There was slight decrease in the number
in 1890, the number in 1889 being pa, and
in the previous year 248. II looks, how
ever. as if the number this year would be
much greater than In any previous year.
Recorder Smyth, before whom those in
dicted for attempted suicide are brought
for trial, expresses the opinion that the law
has no effect in deterring persons from try
ing to destroy their lives. He regards such
persons as insane. He believes, however,
that good many of those who attempt to
drown themselves would not make the at
tempt il they did not believe they would be
rescued. He Is, therefore, inclined to think
that law making it an offense to rescue
any one seeking death by drowning would
do more to lessen the mber of suicides
than the law making an attempt at suicide
a crime.
AZ many as 107 persons have been indicted
in New York for attempted suicide within
the last seven years. Nearly all of them
pleaded guilty, and were set free under a
suspension of sentence There has never
been a regular trial OF person indicted
under the law. Recently there have been
great many offenders. and the question
whether the law is Of any benefit has been
the subject of considerable discussion. The
conclusion seems to BE that it is a useless
law.
Some of the Massachusetts, college girls
ere rapturously saying that dear old
Wellesley has had a rush"-just a little one.
| As soon as the freshmen had elected Miss
Helen James their chairman the president
Of the sophomores according to custom tap
ped at the door and presented huge bunch
Of white flowers to the class Upon her
| exit a few OF the members of the sophomore
class stood outside aud were serenaded.
Meanwhile the majority OF the '94s had
visi ed the no )ms of the absent freshmen
and dressed in sheets aud pillow c1ses had
crept silently up the stairs and crouched
behind the serenaders. Whea the music
was all over the s1specting freshmen made O
dive TO the door from the inside. 1t had been
partially opened to hear the sounds.
At the same time all the sophomores
made dash aud tried to force
their way in Then a lively scramble
ensued. Finally the sophotnores went in.
They were warmly welcomed by the fresh
men. Not knowing that they destroyed
their own sheets the treshies quickly tore
the cloth while they wondered perhaps why
the sophomores made 50 weak an attempt
to rescue the articles. Order was finally
restored with the exception Of the sheets.
Spoiled gowns, broken eyeglasses and tor
toise hairpins and torn sheets will soon be
forgotten.
Notwithstai ding that the French court OF
appeals has fined the Archbishop of AK
3 100 francs for alleged interference with
the civil authority. the French government
has sent to the pope a bland note affably
declaring that the government "has no de-
sire to reopen the conflict with the clergy :"
Possibly that is intended as a gentle inttma-
ton that the vatican is not expected to
make any complaint about the ruling Of the
French court