Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-01
YEARS CRIMINAL RECORD
Statistical Ugh on the Dark side of
Twentieth Century i'm Ciyili-
nation.

-
In 1901 1852 homicides we're reported.
In 1902 that total was exceeded by nearly
1,CO0. II is difficult, says the Chicago
Tribune, to establish any relation between
the ratio Of crime to the increase Of pop
~ulation, for there are periods of time when
the crime Of homicide seems to sweep over
the country in a swelling wave and then
the wave subsidies for a time. There was
such a period between 1894 and 1891. when
the record exceeded that OF 1902 and 1901.
Then there came a lull, but during the
last three years the wave has advanced
again. But there is one feature Of the
record OF 1902 which should attract the at
tention Of police authorities and that is
the dangerous Increase Of homicides occa-
stoned by highwaymen, thieves and bur
glars. The number Of murders chargable
TO them in 1902 IS 1888, as compared with
1913 in 1901, and is the largest total ever
recorded. The increase shows the largest
percentage of any cause in the list.
Counting suicide as a crime, and in many
states it is held as such, it is discouraging
10 note an increase Of 1000 in round num-
bers over 1901, when the total was
7.245. Is usual, two-thirds Of the victims
have killed themselves either with the pis-
tol or with poison. the latter being the
agency used in the majority OF cases, owing
to the ease with which carbolic acid can
be procured, for that poison is employed
nearly always. As to the census OF sui
eide. dependency OF an aggravated nature,
often bordering on insanity. is the pre-
vailing cause. There is but one cheerful
item in these statistics and that is the fact
that but siXty-seven out Of over 5000
cases are attributable TO business losses.
showing that men bear up bravely and
hopefully under such circumstances II is
discouraging TO note a large increase in
suicides growing out Of disappointed love
among youths and an equally large increase
growing out OF domestic infelicity among
married persons. The most curious and
startling feature in suicide statistics for
the year. however, is the remarkable in.
crease in the number OF female victims.
For a long series Of years past the record
las shown a ratio OF about three times as
many women have committed suicide as
last year, the exact figures being: Males,
5,O32; females. 5000. What is the explana-
tion?
Public executions have kept pretty even
pace with the increase OF crime, the num-
Der OF hangings for 1902 being IA,
as compared with us for 1901. The no
ticeable feature OF these hangings is the
great Increase III tue sguAltln nAaNNof "AANA
have seventeen more than l9Ol-while
the north has but seven more-and OF the
total humble eighty-eight have been ne
groes. There is some significance in this
as bearing upon the question Of growing
respect for the law in the south. In Mis-
sissippi alone, which Cor many years had
the worst lynching record, twenty-siX
negroes last year have been legally con-
victed and hanged. all Of whom a few years
ago would have been lynched. Nearly two
thirds Of the total number in the south
have been hanged In Mississippi, Alabama,
Georgia, Texas. Arkansas and Louisiana,
the six states which so long have had the
worst lynching records. Meanwhile lynch
ings show a gratifying decrease Of twenty
one over 1901. which IS satisfactorily
explained BY the increase OF legal eXecu-
tions in the south. II is not encouraging
TO note in this connection that there have
been nine l~ynchings in the north, one each
10 South Dakota. Colorado. Wyoming. Mich
igan. oregon. Indiana and Kansas. and that
Illinois stands at the head Of the northern
black list With two.