The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-12-22
CRIME IN THE STATE


homicides committed 10 this state dur
iog the present year. The report was
made up By counties. and 10 this tabula
ton of bloodshed Charleston headed
tho lis. With eighteen. followed by
Aiken With sixteen and then Saluds
aud Sumter With fourteen homicides
each. The total number of homieide'
in the State during the year is placed
al something more than two HUNDRED.
The record is terrible and is snfdcieo
to appall the man who seriously COZ
sideres the conditions that make such
record possible We are beld respon'
sible By the world at large for this
blood guiltiness. and By ace the white
people Of the State are referred to and
not the negroes. The negroes who COO
stitute majority Of the population and
commit a. least seveDty-6se per cent Of
the crimes are not considered at oil
when the self.righteous critics of other
sections sssail the South for the preva-
lence of bloodshed, violence and law.
lessnees. The white people are de-
pounced just asif they committed the
criimee recorded against the South, aud
as if they enjoyed aud gloried in the
prevalence Of cr;minality that it is. their
misfortune to be surrounded with. We
do NO. assert shas the white people OF
South Csrolina are blameless, for they
kill too readily and hold human life far
too ebeaply. but We protest against the
svseping and uojoss ceDsure that they
receive for the crimes Of the ignoran.
aud vicious among the negroes The
lot Of the Southern whites is not an
anvisble one, and It is. we know. im :
possible for onr critics 70 give rs even =
need Of justice, without . fuller aud
more intelligent conception Of our CIR
cumssaoees snd environments but We
think that tho generality Of criticisms
are inspired BY malice. .inc.ufed 9Th
venom and permeased through and
by ignorance. rather than IN
.elligence aud the charity that hopes for
better things.
The News and Courier 10 compiling
the repor. Of homioides in she State fell
short Of i.s opportunity aud far short Of
its duty % the people i represents. This
repors4o Of murder and hsmicides should
have been, 10 boz far as possible.
! complete aud reliable exhibis
of she grimes, showing 10 each
sase whether the slayer vas
White or : negro, whether the killing
vas iusti6sble OF not. and the penalty
imposed By the courts. in every To-
stance that trial had been held.
Such an exhibit would have furnished
no ground for 9 vholesale dsnunciation
it the people Of South Carolina, but
would have given our envenomed critics
food for reflection. and might have
opened the eyes Of few of them to
. partial realization OF the con-
sitioDs that We contend agaips;
AS ao iliussrssios les ne take the
nounioide record Of Sumter County
Grant Davis, colored, vas killed 10
free 6ghs at az Emancipation ceiebra-
Ion by Simon Cooper, colored.
Benjamin Wilson. Wesley WilsOo
and Mrs Wesley Wilson, sill white.
killed BY Simon Cooper, colored Mo.
tive supposed TO have been robbery aod
a desire to escape feom officers who bad
been pursuing .lim for the murder Of
Grans Davis.
Pres,on Smith, colored, killed by
Simon Cooper. colored. while escaping
from she scere Of the Wilson murder.
Simon Cooper, colored. lyOched by
= mob Of white people
Henry Cooper, colored, killed by
John W. Mccoy. white Verdict OF
o0rooers jury. justi6sble homicide. as
Cooper attacked Mccoy after having
made shreate Oh several occasions to kill
1KN III - .Loo. noooo.