The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-01-10
TRACE CRIME TO LIQUOR.
Illinois Jurists Say LawIessness and
Increase in Div"rce Can Be
Traced to Drink.

Much of the crime of the day and
the growing evil of divorces are trace
able, Illinois judges declare, to the
drink evil, says the Chicago Tribune.
Some jurists say that in their opinion
half the divorce cases and more than
that percentage of criminal cases are
caused by the use of alcoholic drinks.
These statements are made in re-
Spouse to inquiries made recently by
prohibition leaders whose intention is
to use the evidence thus gathered in
a renewed war on the saloons.
Justice Jacob w. WilIin, of the
state supreme court, refers to and
adopts as his own a statement of the
supreme court of the United States
in the case of Mugler VS.. Kansas 1877
U. s., which is as follows:
1--WE cannot shut out of view the
fact, within the knowledge of all, that
the public safety may be in danger
by the general use of Intoxicating
liquors, nor the fact, established by
statistics accessible to everyone, that
the idIeness, disorder, pauperism and
crime existing in the country are, in
some degree at least, traceable to this
evil"
Replies from the judges of the cir
cult courts of TIE state are in part
as follows:
A. n. Waterman, Chicago-The use of in
toxicating liquors causes many divorces.
What proportion it is impossible to tell.
y. a1a
ment of robbery, are frequently caused by
intoxicants, my observance being that one
half of all fights, murders, and assaults,
where no robbery or theft is intended, re-
suit from this cause. Temperance would
tend to lessen crime.
Edward p. Vail, Decatur-While my state
ment is indefinite, 1 would say that have
general notion that large proportion
of both crimes and divorces can be directly
traced to the use of liquor.
o. A. Harker. Carbondale-That the
liquor habit has caused many divorces, in
creased court expenses and sent many to
the penitentiary and pOorhouse every man
who has been circuit court judge in Illinois
must admit
A. X. Vickers, Vienna-I have no doubt
that a large percentage of crime is trace
able directly or indirectly to the excessive
use of intoXicants.
John d. Crabtree, Dixon-Probably half
of the divorce suits that come into the cir
cult courts are traceable to the drink evil.
1t is the most fruitful source of pauperism,
crime, riot, disorder, insanity and death
known of.
jefferson Orr, Pittsfield-My experience
has been that the drink habit causes di-
vorces, family differences, drawings, pow
erty, idleness, insanity and murder. AT
least one-third of our court expenses is due
to this cause.
George W. Herdman, Jerseyville-The
use of intoxicating liquors is the curse of
curses. During a period of 10 years on the
| bench have observed that at least half the
crime and half the divorces are directly OF
| indirectly traceable to the drink habit. The
| habit is the mother of crime.
| j. r. Roberts, Cairo-MOst prisoners who
| confess their crimes charge the cause of il
| to intoXcation.
John c. Carver, Rockford-No one ques-
| lions the evil of the drink habit.
James Shaw, Mount Carroll-Divorces are
| particularly traceable to the drink habit.
! Thomas F. Upton, Bloomington have
sent $50 men to the penitentiary, and it is
my judgment that all of them committed
the crime directly or indirectly on account
! of drink.