The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-21
SHOULD DESIGNATE RACE.
Indictments DO Not Show whether
the Party Is White or COiored.

indictments DO NOT snow Whether
the Party Is White or COlOred.
The absence of any provision for indi-
eating the color of a party to a proceed
ing in court, especially upon a criminal
indictment, has led to some confusion in
many instances, and is liable to do so ut
any time.
Legally, of course, the color of a crlmi-
nal makes no difference, since the law
makes no discrimination; but it is desira-
bic in many instances. if not in all, to have
the court record in the case of indictments
show whether the defendant is white or
coored.
There is no law on the statute books re-
curing court officials to show upon in
dictments whether the party indicted is
white or colored, nor is there any law
against It, 1t would be a comparatively
easy matter, for instance, to put a small
(c), in parenthesis, next to the name of
the party indicted in case he is colored,
so that the race might be known to
party seeking information from the court
records. This could be done without max
ing any allegation In the Indictment that
the person is or is not a person of color
which might not be desired.
day or two ago an account was given
in the Morning News of about twenty in
dctments for various misdemeanors,
found by the City Court grand jury. 1T was
impossible TO tell by an examination of the
indictments whether the parties indicted
were white or colored, and therefore it was
not stated. This led to an inquiry from
stranger in Savannah, who wanted to
know why the race was not designated,
since, he said. any stranger might be led
to believe that all Of those indicted were
white people. In making notes of his trav-
els this matter happened to attract his at
tention.
As matter of fact out of the nineteen
or twenty indictments found, only three of
the parties indicted were white, and all
the others colored. This is true in both
of the courts, it being impossible TO tell
from the indictment or any of the court
records whether the parties are white or
colored.
Confusion is Hkely to result from this
state of affairs in other ways. There are
many negroes who are found among the
criminal class, who have the same names
as well known white people. 1t would be
impossible TO tell from the court record
whether the party indicted is John Smith,
white, or John Smith, colored, and in
some cases John Smith, white, is liable 70
get the credit for IL with those who do not
make careful investigation of such mat
tiers.
There would be no difficulty, it would
seem, with the officers Of the court in
making this distinction in the manner in
dicated, on the face of an Indictment. IL
would furnish a court record which would
serve Two purposes. II would furnish a
record which would show the percentage
of crime as between the races, and it
would serve in part as a means of iden-
tiheation 1t is suggested thot the mat
ter oh nd further
any legislation on the subject ever be
adopted. The record might show the race,
nationality. and age of the party indicted.
which would serve TO furnish a more COM
plete idea in connection with the soclolog-
ical problems involved.