The St. Johns herald., 1892-03-10
Startling Increase Of Crime.

OLdICo DIoIIlCG uuSC lOI thO " Oo1
 ern District of Arkansas, is recog
 nized as one of the ablest men ol
 the bench, ,and is noted tor the clear
 ness and force of his judicial utter ances. Hence, what he says of tht increase of crime and the miscar riages of justice in this country
 should possess a peculiar interest In his charge to the grand jury al Fort Smith on the first of February which is reproduced in the Fort Smith Times, he dwells at some length upon these subjects, and presents some statistics that are truly startling, The number of murders known to have been com- mitted in 1889, he gives at 3,56S. In 1890 the number had increased to 4.290. In 1891, "the devil seem- ed fully to get into his work" says the Judge, and the number ot mur- ders had increased to 5,906, nearly double the number committed in 18S9l
 To these figures add the undis- covered crimes of the same kind, which Judge Parker reckons at half as many more, ,and we have in round numbers at least 5000 murders committed in the United States last year,the percentage of increase from year to year far exceeding the per centage of increase of population. It is an appalling record indeed, but there is another startling fact supplementary to this-that of 4290 murderers credited to the year 1890, only 102 were executed pursuant to law, while 127 were lynched, and of the 5,906 murderers of 1891, there were executed but 12S, while 195 were lynched. It is a strange com mentary upon the administration of justice ill this country, that of the 10,196 murderers here mentioned only 552 paid the penalty of their crimes with death, lawfully or oth- erwise, and that in both years the number of lynchings exceeded the number of legal executions. As to the causes which have brought about this shocking condition of affairs, plainly showing that life is very cheap, and that mans most sa- cred possession is in constant dan ger of violent extinction, Judge Parker submits the following:
 l.. The indifference and incompe- tence of courts, both trial and ap- pellate. 2. The general prevalence of perjury which is so often in voked to cheat justice. 3. The di- rect and indirect use of corrupting influence, such as money, social power, or other agencies equally as strong and corrupting. 4. The sick ly sentimentality which exists in favor of the man who has reddened his hands with innocent human blood, so that persons possessing it waste all their power and influence for the guilty in covering up his crime, or shielding him from merit ed punishment. ,. And above all, the indifference of the people them selves 10 the terrible crimes which menace the peace of every house hold in the land.
 There is world of truth and i'm pressive significance in these prop ositions, though the criticism of the courts may not be of universal ap- plication. It is the indiffer ence of the people and the sentimental sympathy with criminals that con- stitute most of the mischief, though perjury and influence" are potent factors in the defeat of justice. How all these things work together for a common end we have more than once seen in the District of Colum- bia, and so long as the same condi- tions exist the same results will follow, human life become constant ly less secure, and the tendency of o,,K,,11 Al