The sun., 1900-11-26
CRIME DECREASING Nv LONDON.
Rowdytsm Has Spread. but Life and Property
Are Safer Than In Previous Team.

LONDON, Nov. n-Social reformers, dis
tressed at the undoubted spread Of ''Hooligan'
rowdyism. are confronted by the fact that act
ual crime In London Is on the decrease. While
the peaceful citizen Is more subject TO wanton,
purpoeelcs annoyance, particularly at ames
OF public celebration. his home and property
suffer less from the depre edations Of criminals.
This latter consolation Is the purport Of the
Chief Commissioner Of Police's annual report
Issued this week 1t shows that London b
singularly free from burglary and from un-
detscted murders. In London there were
twenty -one murders during ispe and capital
sentences were passed in nine oasee In one
case the murderer committed suicide; In another
the homicide was found insane upon arraien-
neut; in third he was sent TO q criminal luna
ito asylum before trial: and the fourth was
acquitted on trial In only four cases no one
was made amenable.
The first OF these the report ssye. .wns
OF an extraordinary character A child named
Bertha Russ. aged six years. disappeared from
her home at East Ham on Sunday afternoon
In February. More than q fortnight after
ward her body was found In a cupboard In an
unfinished house In the neighborhood. The
death had been due TO sunocsIon without
violence, probably to pressing soft pillow
on the face. There were no bruises or marks.
nothing TO e,iggest that she was the victim
of a sexual or homicidal maniac. There was
no conceivable motive. and tho child's age
vetoed the idea OF suicide. No clue has ever
been found. This is really the only unsolved
murder mystery Of the year The other cases
were OF persons found destitute in the street
and who said they had been assaulted. They
were crimes Of the purposeless Hoolgan order.
The total strength Of the London police
force last year was 1888, and they cost the
country fi.2s7. .sas. The total OF criminal cases
returned for the year was i7.70i as compared
with 1855 recorded the previous year. The
proportion Of crimes against property Ia as
TO each thousand Of the population. which 10
lower than any previous year since the police
force was organized. The estimated value OF
the property stolen was Giii.s7, as compared
with fl4e.iso Tho return shows that the
number Of licensed drinking saloons In London
last year was 4,2sO, The managers OF twenty
seven Of these we're convicted Of ceiling during
prohibited hours. Of thirty-nine for selling
drink to drunken people. and Of ffty-flv for
permitting betting and gambling on their
premises. Tor London these figures are really
credltable. The conclusions TO be drawn
from the report are quite consistent with the
belief that HoolC anlsm Is q thing apart from
the hitherto recognized criminal disposition.
II has synohronized with period Of high wages.
light work andl universal rudimentary educa-
ton. none Of these things having apparently
had the effect OF elevatins character among
the social strata who combine energy leisure,
and wages with coarse tastes and no ambition"
A very interesting summary OF the century's
changes In English criminal law is given in
a lecture by Sir Harry Poland. long senior
Crown prosecutor In England. TO the Law stu
dents in Iincoln's Inn. He shows that q num-