The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-09
WHAT'S THIS i?
Is Massachusetts the Third
Wickedest State

| tF'rom the n. Y. Herald, Jan So
The wickest commonwealth in the
United States,
Such is the distinction enjoyed by
| Arizona. No other territory or state
in the Union can touch the criminal ra-
ito of this sparsely settled, Indian
haunted geographical division, almost
at the southwest extremity of the re-
| public, "where there amt no ten COM
mandments and a man can raise a
thirst" Arizona is far in the lead in
point of crime, for her $50 prisoners out
of the $500 inhabitants credited 10 her
at the last estimating, give her the sur
prising ratio of 4193 lawbreakers on the
| basis of 100000 inhabitants.
| Two other states stand out conspic-
| uously as centres of criminal culture.
| One of them is in the western division
The other isn't. Nevada is the noun
! tain district that runs Arizona closest
| in point of laWlessness.
And Massachusetts, the proud old
! Bay State, the home of culture, criti-
cism and conventionality, is third high
est in the calendar of crimek
Nevada is credited with a population
which entities her to ratio of 1922
criminals in every million of inhabit-
|
Massachusetts there are 1885 persons
who have no more regard for the law
OF the land than a potato bug has for
the life of the vine upon which it
feeds.
Contrary to the general belief. the
east isn't the region where the least
crime is to be encountered. The north
central division comes boldly and some
what unexpectedly to the front as the
successful candidate for the blue ribbon
of peace, law and order. Kansas has
more men than any other state in this
division. and it only figures a ratio of
1851 at that. The average ratio for
the division shows that only 1888 per
sons cut of every million take the law
into their own hands.
Washington is a pretty tough city.
Congress meets there once year.
There may be no connection between
the two statements. However, they are
facts. Were it not for Washington
ratio of 2153, the average of the south
Atlantic division, which is 1888, would
be greatly reduced and the good people
of Virginia and Whereabouts might
point with PRIDE to the fact that
they lived in the most law abiding
section that ever the American sun
shone on. But Washington spoils the
peaceful picture, and the south Az
lantics have to take second place.
A trifle wickeder is the south CEN
trail division, which has an average ra-
ito of 1866 criminals to every million of
population. 1t isn't the fault of Texas
that the figure isn't higher. The Lone
Star state is hard" AS some of it's
representatives would tell you, Texas
is so bad she's askeered OF herself"
She swagggers into line with a record
of 2123 prisoners out of every million
persons living there.
The people are pretty bad up north.
Whenever you get a million New Eng
landers together you will Gud that you
have 1924, on an average, who so on
the principle that the law and the ante
election promises of politicians were
created for similar purposss-to be
broken, Massachusetts does much to
make this ratio a notable one
But for downright wickedness winter
and summer, in season and out of sea-
son, the western division downs all
competitors. The people out there work
overtime being bad. The section shows
up with a ration of 2221, and doesn't
care who knows it. Arizona and Ne
vada have the high honor of being at
the top of Nhe heap.
Way out in North Dakota, where the
wheat and the corn climb skyward and
the SNOWFALL sits up nights flirting
with the diffident iccle, man is not so
vile as he is elsewhere. Here is the
state with the smallest percentage Of
criminals claiming it as a residence. II |
it had million Of inhabitants, which |
1t hasn't, the ration would be only 53l. |
Happy North Dakota!
A man is eleven times as bad as a |
woman, That is, such was the case in |
these United States at the last official |
observance. Then there were S2,32s
prisoners enjoying the questionable
hospitality of the government, made up
Of 1884 men and 6405 women. The
white persons numbered $3.50, while
there were 25,019 representatives of the
race of colored men and brothers and
oolored women and sisters whose disre-
gard for the conventional secured for
them the attention of the police.
TO return a minute to the three
star states in the armament of out
lawry, The position of Massachusetts
S perhaps the most remarkable of them
all. Men have come TO associate deeds
Of recklessness with the wild and