The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-03-08

In murder we offer an indignity to
the image of God;;n we fail to recog-
nize the value of life to an immortal
being, accountable in another world
for the actions done here; and which
life ought for this very reason to be
particularly guarded, since death in
troduces man into changeless and
eternal relations, which were not in
tended by God to lie at the mercy OF
human passions. Consequently God
has time and again repeated His law
concerning the punishment for muir
der, and shown US his adherence OF
the crime of murder. We are told
that the land is detiled by blood, and
that the most sacred refuge cannot
shield the murderer. All nations
have held to the justice of this pen
atty. Where murderers have been
spared, crime has increased-the land
has been defiled by blood.
1t has been truly said that GOD
Himself has shown US the conse-
quence of sparing murderers. Dur
| ing the first sixteen and a half cen
turies it seems that capital punish
ment was not inflicted. a great ex-
pertinent was tried in the case Of
Cain God guarded his life. He be-
came a Fugitive and a vagabond in
the earth.'' Remorse prayed upon
his heart. God made him q living
warning of the torment endured by
the murderer, but this did not deter
others. Men went from bad to worse,
until finally the wickedness of the
world became so great that the flood
was sent upon the inhabitants of the
earth. Just as soon as Noah comes
out of the ark he receives the divine
command in reference to the pun
ishment for murder. Those coun-
tries departing from this law have
seen the bad effects; crime has
increased, and human life held less
sacred.
Let US bring this subject home to
US. 1t concerns your safety and
mine How is it in our State to-day?
Are we, as a people, obeying the
command, Thou shalt not kill?'' Is
the murderer, in accordance with
laws human and divine, brought to
jnstice?
Our life is our all; on it hang eter-
nal interests. Is it held sacred? Is
not our State defled with blood?
Let US look at some of the facts.
During the year 1897 there was a de-
crease in the crimes of burglary, ar
son, assault and battery, forgery,
highway robbery and some other Of
fences There was an increase In
murder.
The per cent. of convictions in bur-
glary cases was 20; in larceny, IS; IN
assault and battery, 70; in dispensary
cases, GO; in homicide cases about q.
Of the convictions for all crimes, only
six were sentenced to death.
There were 225 homicide cases IN
this State in 1897, of which there
were 81 no bills, 120 not guilty and
n guilty. There has been a gradual
increase OF homicide cases disposed
of in the State each year since 1888.
In 1888 there were 107. and in 1897
there were 225 cases of homicide-,an
increase of over 100 per cent. in ten
years. And yet only six sentenced to-
death for all crimes.
Think on this for moment. There
were 225 homicides. in 1897. This
means that during each week of the
year more than four of our citizens
were placed in bloody graves.
DR.. Carlisle has very truly pointed
out that in the deeper view of this
subject we must make no distinction
between malicious murder and kill
ing in self-defense. II A killed B IN
self-defense, then B was trying to
kill A, so that in every case Of homl-
- lo OF
in heart.
have not yet been able to obtain
the statistical statement Of the hom-
icides in our State in 1898, but feel
confident that it is worse even than
in 1897.
There is an exceedingly bad show
ing, so far, for this year. Within the
last few days several of our citizens.
in various parts of the State, have
been murdered in cold blood. One Of
these. in particular, cries out to us
for justice-an inoffensive woman
shot down in her own home by AN
'sofhcer of the law" and her husband
seriously wounded. We most heart:
lily indorse the following from the
Southern Christian Advocate:
ave demand the speediest punishment
of the criminal The resistance to search
gave the officer no reason for his violence
in word and deed. His violence led to
strife and his aim destroyed life. A wo-
mans blood cries ont for justice, and the
courts must render it. Legal delays and
technicalities must neither postpone nor
prevent punishment The citizens Of Col
umbia behaved with great self-restralnt and
prudence, and left the outrage to the law.
Now, the law must not fail. 1t has disap-
pointed Us before, but it must not IN this
instance. Tie coroners jury has found
verdict of murder against Crawford and.
his felow-constables. Let the court with
out delay carry forward the issue.
There have been a larger number
of criminals on trial at the present
term of court in Clarendon county
than at any one term for a.. number
of years. We were glad to notice,
however, that the juries showed
desire to get at the facts in each case
and a determination to render their
verdict in strict accord with these
facts. Consequently there were more
convictions.
Looking over the facts, we are
forced to the conclusion that human
life is very cheap in our State today.
This sad state of affairs is due to a
variety of causes. The carrying OF
concealed weapons has much to 90
with the increase of homicides: In
every community in our State. there
are many who are never found with
out firearms on their person. Not
only do the lower class carry them,
but men high in authority. Even
the little boys, in a great many IN
stances, have fire arms about their
person. The law against carrying
these weapons is mere dead-letter.
1t were better to repeal the law than
for it not to be enforced.
Another cause of the frequency OF
homicides is that so few suffer the
penalty of the law. 1t is almost I'M
possible to hang white man in South
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