The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-01-14

CT criminal cases disposed Of each year
| In the State, which indicates that there
has been no marked increase in crime
! during this period.
The crime Of assault with intent to
Nkil! and aggravated assault and bat
.ery sec ms to have been predominant,
there being G7i cases, about 20 per
cent. OF all the criminal cases disposed
OF IN The State. There was only one case
, u! the kindred crime of carving con-
| roalcd weapons in the State, and this
vas ignore d by tho grand jury, which
bows that this law is not enforced.
he next most important crime seems
to have been violations of the dispen-
AIRY law, thcrc being G27 cases. Tho
| crime Of burglary fOots up 278 cases,
'nd larceny 1913 cases. Homicide cases
| nave also necn larger, the number dis
| posed OF being POI cases. The per cent.
OF convictions in cases disposed of dur
E'ng the last fourteen months is about
80 no bills and discontinuances about
per cent The per cent. Of convictions
IN homicide cases is 25 in burglary
about SO; in larceny SO; in assault and
| battery 81; and in dspensary cases
| about 25.
Ot the convictions for the last four
| te' u months there were five sentences
- death and twenty nine to the pcni-
cntiary for life Gil to terms in the
pcnltentiary and AT to Jail and chain
gangs.
by way of comparison, it is found
that in 1891, 2,3O3 cases were disposcd
"f in the State. or these S35 were dis
continued and no bills, there were 9S2
convictions and 4SG acquittals. In 1895
I.u'i' cases were disposed Of. or these
10 cases were no bills and discontin-
uanccs, and in S97 cases there we're con-
Vlctions and in 365 cases acQuittals. 1t
VIII Ihus nc seen that the proportion
OF convictions has been maintained and
| thrrc has been some increase.
From the consolidated statements II
| Will DC seen that during the last four
| Teen months there was the vcry largo,
number l,3ll no bills and discOntinu-
anccs In the criminal cases in the State.
which was about 10 per cent This
should be rcmcdiCd in some way AZ tho
expense usclessly cntailcd on the courts
Is very large. Something should be
donc IN the way OF Legislation to pre-
vent this evil.
~ appears further that during the
period covered by this report there
we're 20' homicide cases in the State.
Oi these, In 81 eases there were CON
victiohs, IN 10 acquittals and in As no
DliIs and discontinuances. In 1889
mere were Ill cases of homicide dis
posed OF In the State. In 27 cases there
were convictions, in IS acauittals and
IN . mistrials and II disc0ntinuancea
ana no bills. The per cent of convic-
tions was "a.
IN lS0o there were 205 homicide cases
disposed Of. In rs cases there were no
ollls ana dlscontinuances, in G6 cases
convictions and ll3 acquittas The
per cent. OF convictions was 49,
By comparing 1896 with these wears
u Will be seen that there is no increase
OF the cases OF homicide or decrease IN
the number Of convictions.
During tho last fourteen months
there were only II cases of rape dis
posed OF IN the courts. OF this number
there were convictions and 3 acouit-
tails and q no bills. There has been
commcndable decrease in the number
OF cases of burglary and larceny during
the last ten years. There we're 4i
cases or highway robbery. 80 of forgerv>
"a OF perjury and 30 of obtaining goods
uhdcr lalse prctenses, which shows q
cohsldcrable Increase in these crimes.
~ wlil be observed that in the consol-
ldated statement it does not appoar
that IN the fourth circuit any person
convicted was sentenced to jail. I pre-
snlhe ali those convicted we're sem
fenced to the chain gangs. the solicitnr
has not included in his report snch
sentences.
IRON information received from all
the circuits the law authorizing iudoes
TO sentence to the county chain gang
has hcon productive of great good in
deterring from the commission Of crime
and in improving the public highways
During tho last fourteen months
there were 18 criminal cases brought tn
the Supreme Court by appeals. 81 this
NUMBER nine were affirmed, in six cases
ne" Trials we're granted and three
o''ses nave not yet been heard. !;