Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-05-01
Tuesday, May l, 1905.
A sLooo.srAlNsp STATE.
Serious Indictments Against South
Carolina.

Serious indictments Against Sos"
Carolina.
Some time ago. says the ColumDla
correspondent OF the News ana Cour-
Ter, when Bishop Capers took occasion
to comment on the fearful number OF
murders committed In this state there
were some who protested on the ground
that while this may be so, there was no
special use to talk about 1t.
1t Is very we'll to remember tnat
publicity is about the only thing that
will arouse public sentiment I'm this
respect. Conditions are no better now
than they were some time ago, when
the last published statement was made
In the News and Courier.
A comparative statement, as gath
cred from the records, has been pre-
pared by an observant student OF such
matters and this comparison has been
given the press for such effect as 1t
may have.
The study of the records is as fol-
lows:
The report from authenticated OFF,
cial sources shows that In the city OF
Chicago there were 143 murders during
the last year. Q905.) This statement
has received wide circulation and elic-
tied the gravest comment of the press
as showing that In that great city vio-
lence Is dominant and human life Is
cheaper than in any other like centre
of population on the earth.
Comparison Is made between Chica-
go, with its murders and New
York, with Its 72: Philadelphia, 13;
London, "a. and Paris Is murders for
the same period, and II would seem to
justify the conclusion that Chicago
holds the unenviable worlds record
for murders.
But what must be said Of the horri-
flying fact that during the same period,
according to the report OF the attor-
ney general, made to the legislatureof
South Carolina, 25s homicide cases
were disposed. of In the criminal coUfts
Of the several counties, not counting
the cases of murder and lynchlngs
which have not found their way to the
records Of the courts.
The people Of the state have become
to some extent aroused to the exist
ence OF spirit Of crime which Is ram
pant, but very few have given more
than a passing thought to its real ex-
tent. and the local public sentiment has
been satisfied by giving expression to
the indignation temporarily excited by
the occurrence OF some revolving mur-
der committed In their midst
Is 1t not high time to face the stern
realities disclosed by the record ana
give grave consideration to the causes
of this appalling condition and the
remedies for its correction?
Now as TO these facts: Chicago, with
population Of 1.69S.575, had one mur-
der to each 1861 OF population, while
in South Carolina with 100000, there
was one to each 5.769 OF population. or
more than twice the proporti0nate
number of Chicago.
The record as to other centres OF
population stands as follows:
New York populations 3.4S7,202. az
murders. one to each 47,739.
Philadelphia, population l.2sS,6s7, IL
murders, one to each s9,5f6.
London population $3.50 GIG, "a
murders, one TO each 274,l92.
Paris. population 2,714,06s. Is MUIR
ders. one to each 1S0.93S.
Taking the record OF several or the
counties OF this state. the showing Is
still more appalling:
Aiken county, with 81 murders.
shows one murder to each 1853 OF pop
ulation.
Greenville county. with % murders.
shows one murder to each 2431 OF
population.
shows one murder to each 1855 OF
Laurens county, with 13 murders,
shows one. murder to each 2,721 OF
population.
orangeburg county, with 1s murders.
shows one murder to each 4,sS5 OF
population.
Chesterfield county, with murders,
shows one murder 10 each 2,sl4 OF
population.
Anderson county, with z murders,
shows one murder to each 1851 OF
ponulation.
II will be noted that in each of the
counties of Aiken. Greenville and
Charleston the murders exceed those
OF Philadelphia and Paris, while PHIL
Iadclphia's population Is % times great
ar than Aiken 80 times greater than
Charleston. and the population OF Paris
doubles these proportions for each of
these counties.
The murders In Orangeburg and
Laurens each equalled those Of Phiia-
delphia, and nearly equalled those or
Paris, with about the same population
as the other counties.
II is to be noted that all cases which
go to trial In the court house are
classed as homicides, The total OF 2b9
includes all cases OF homicide for q
year, whether justifable homicide, ac-
cidental homicides or yerdicts OF ac-
quittal. The number represents the
cases actually brought 10 trial. where
there has been a loss OF life and an in
dictment for murder has been given
out. It does not. OF course. include the
number OF cases In which no arrests
were made and In which no trial en-
sued.