The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-17
The Increase of Crime.

prominent Georgian. who loves his
/ state and respects the law, an interest ting
/ letter upon a matter of vital interest 10
! the commonwealth. His words of wisdom
/ are worthy OF and arc commended to the
/ earnest consideration of every good citi-
/ zen. He writes:
/ 1 wish TO call your attention TO a mat
| ter of vital importance TO every citizen Of
/ Georgia, viz: the increase Of crime, par
ticularly Of murder, in this state, and the
increasing number Of acquittals when
/ these takers of human life arespub on trial
There can be only one result from this
/ condition of affairs-the increase of crime
in general and the crime of murder in
particular. So frequent have acquittals
become that no one now looks for a con-
viction in any murder trial. 1t has. come
10 be saying that you may convict
man for carrying concealed weapons, but
you cannot convict for murder
Under our present system tof trial by
jury when a murder has been committed,
the murderer and his friends begin a sys-
TEN of feeling the jurynen of the
county. a certain number Of jurors IAN
always be found who are personally favor
able to the defendant; and the counsel
for the defense always makes sure of
certain number of men selected for the
trial of the case who are either known to
be favorable TO the interests of the de-
PENDANT or noted for their record of ac-
quittals in former like cases.
There are in every community a certain
number OF men VINO have no fear of God;
and it can hardly be said now that they
have any fear of the law. In many cases,
no matter how heinous the offense COM
mitted, they give themselves up without
resistance or trouble so confident arc they
of acquttaL
It has come to. the pass in the state Of
Georgia that when a man thinks his life
is threatened he must act quickly in self
defense, for he knows full well that no
fear of the law acts to restrain his
would-be slayer. and that If he is slain
his murderer will not suffer any penalty
Of law for his crime.
Not our Juries only, but our courts, and
our laws reviewing case, are also AT
fault If a man Is perchance convicted
on his first arragnment he can count,
almost to a certainty, on securing a new
trial. with all the chances for acquittal
in his favor.
If man tried for murder is unfairly
acquitted through the error or bias of the
judge ia his charge or in admitting or
refusing TO admit certain testimony, or
otherwise, he cannot be put on trial again,
even though additional and incontrovert-
able evidence be procured against him.
This letter, the statements and conclu.
sions Of which are unqhestionably cor
rect is precisely upon the line which the
Morning News has followed for years We
have urged the absolute necessity of pun
ishment under the law-speedy and severe
punishment-for crimes of violence We
have inveighed against the wiles Of
shrewd attorneys to defeat the ends Of
justice, and the complasance of courts
in granting postponements, delays, etc,
upon limsy techncalities. We have call
ed attention to the contempt in which the
law Is held by the lawless element and
the growing tendency to commit crimes Of
violence upon slight provocation, or with
out any provocaton whatever We have
traced the growth of lynch law, and point
ed out that one great factor in its pro.
motion has been. and is, the opinion held
to a considerable degree by the public
that the machinery of the courts cannot
be depended upon to punish crime and vim
dictate the law. The people have seen so
many murderers-perpetra of cold
blooded butcheries-go unwhipped by GUS
tice, that their faith has been shaken. II
thrown around the criminal, and none
around society, for the safety of which
the laws were enacted. VenaI and pro-
fessional jurors pervert court rooms
from temples of justice to temples of in
justice, under the manipulation of smart
lawyers and the coincidence of obligng
judges.
This kind Of thing cannot be suffered to
continue. An awakened public sentiment
must put an end to it. The legal machin-
cry must be required to grind its legiti-
mate grist, and not take the time accord
ed to "the mills of the gods in which to
do it. Otherwise stated. there must be
convictions and hangings for murder And
the hangings must not be solely of IN
known and degenerate negroes. White
murderers, as well as black. must be
brought to tho gallows. The safety of So
ciety demands it.