The Washington herald., 1906-11-26

An important special StauStcal lhNesu-
CATION has been undertaken by the Cen
sus Bureau. It is concerning deaths re-
suIting from suicide and homicide in the
United States, as well as criminal Of
feuses dealt with by the different classes
Of criminal courts during the period OF
one year. The fact that statistics on
lynchings will also be included lends ad-
ditional interest to the investigation
During the past summer Director North
asked a number Of Southern Congress-
men if they saw any objection to taking
lynching statistics. None Of them, so far
as can be learned, did, so the Director
also concluded to embrace this subject IN
the work The word '1ynching," how
ever, viii not appear; It comes under the
head of death inflicted by organized
groups under leadership"
Heretofore census statistics Of crime
have been based on enumerations Of pris-
oners incarcerated in the various prisons
! throughout the country on a given day.
! This method, while developing much infOT-
nation Of great interest and value con-
cerning the individual criminal, threw no
/ light on the character and extent Of Grim
/ inal juulcial proceedings, or on the guam
/ tity Of crime committed in the country
during a fixed period of time. This meth
| cd was useless as an index for determin-
/ ing the quantity Of criminality, and It
I was impossible. therefore, to compute a
crime rate with which 70 make inteTna-
tionaI comparisons or with which 10 de-
/ termine. in our own country, the increase
/ or decrease Of crime.
Director Has Authority.
/ Congress. during it's last session, amend
ed section Of the permanent census act
so as to give the Director authority 70
collect statistics Of crime from the rec
ords Of criminal courts, and special agents
vii. be sent to all parts Of the United
States for the purpose Of canvassing the
records Of all courts which try felOnies
and the higher grades Of misdemeanors
/ At the same time, other Official records
viii be examined for the statistics OF
deaths by homicide and suicide, and the
statistics Of such phenomena viii subse-
ouentlv be verified by the published ac-
/ counts contained in the files Of newspa-
! pers throughout the country The word
I homicide" As used in the investigation
includes murders and manslaughters
inflicted by organized groups under lead
elship QynChing)-
The time 20 be covered by the investi'
CATION is the calendar year 1906, and tht
resulting statistics will probably be pub
Hshed within two years.
VIII Report on LynchinE.
The report on "'ynching'' viii be pre-
pared by Alfred Holt Stone, Of Green
Vile. Miss. a well-known student Of social
and racial questions The report on sui
eide. as well as a chapter on criminal law,
and criminal procedure in the several
States. will be written by John H. Gar
Der, OF the Census Bureau here. John
Koren. OF Boston. viii write the report or
felonies and rnisdemeanors, murders, and
manslaughters.
The Census Bureau agents are not only
directed 20 give a personal description
Of the deceased. in cases where the
homicide was through an organized
group, as. for example age, sex, race
conjugal condition, but also the relative
time Of homicide by organized groul
Qyuching) under the subjOined subdi
visions: First before legal arrest; sec
0ud. after arrest. but before incarcera
ton; third, after Incarceration, but be
fore trial; fourth, after trial. but pend
ing an appeal; hfth, after acquittaL