The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1892-05-04
AN APPALLING RECORD.
A United States District Judge Draws a
Bloody Picture Of the Alarming
Prevalence Of Murder in
the United States.
Glasgow rimes.l

Glasgow Times
In a recent charge to Fort Smith
grand jury, United States District
Judge Isaac G. Parker draws a bloody
picture of the alarming prevalence of
murder, and fortified his statements
with statistics we'll calculated to cause
any peaceable, law-abiding citizen to
stand aghast. Judge Parker gives the
number of murders known to have been
committed in 1880 as 1868. In 1890 the
murder-rate rose to 4, 200, and in 1891,
the Judge forcibly says, "The devil
seems to have fully gotten in his work,
and the list of murders rose to 5,906."
Judge Parker estimates the undecided
murders at half as many more, which
places the killings for the year 1891 at
the appalling figures of nearly 1900. A
CHASTITY and ghostly army of slain, cred
liable to crimson battlefield! Judge
Parker also takes occasion to call atten-
ton to the fact that the percentage of
increase in murder from year to year
far exceeds the percentage of it in pop
ulation.
But Judge Parker goes farther, and
makes matters even worse for humani-
ty. For the 1890 murders committed
in 1890 only 1902 murderers we're execut-
ed by law, and 1877 we're lynched, while
for the $500 persons slain in 1891 but
1913 murderers were hanged aud 1876 we're
lynched. For the 10, 1876 killings in 80,
80 and 81, only 552 were hanged at all,
and nearly two-thirds of this number
we're executed by mobs. If there is
any excuse for lynchlaw at all, it can
be found in these bloody figures.
Judge Parker attributes this alarming
condition of affairs to five causes:
First.-The indifference and incom-
petence of courts.
Second. prevalence of perjury,
which is so often employed to cheat
justice.
Third.-The direct and indirect use
of corrupting agencies, such as money,
social power, or other influences equal
ly as strong and corrnpting.
Fourth. sickly sentimentality
existing in favor of the man who red
dens his hands in human blood, and
which loses sight of the innocent victim.
Fifth.-The indifference of the peo-
pie themselves to the terrible crimes
menacing the peace of every household
in the land
The indictment drawn by Judge
Parker is all the more lamentable in
that it is true. Crime, and especially
crime involving the shedding of human
blood, is frightfully on the increase.
For every day of the year 1891, between
twenty-five and thirty murders were
committed in the United States, and it
can be safely predicted that, unless
there is wonderful revulsion of public
sentiment, the record for 1899 will be
even larger and bloodier. The remedy
for this alarming condition of affairs,
as with every other evil with which hui
manity is beset, lies with the people
themselves Let competent judges be
elected; let the laws be strictly enforc-
ed, and above all, let the sympathy and
support of public sentiment be on the
side of law officers, and not law break
ers. Otherwise, Judge Lynch will as
suredly take the place of Judge on the
Bench, and law will be as much in con-
tempt as it is now in disregard. The
fault is with the people. The remedy
is with the people.