The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-12-05
ATTORNEY GENERAL MAKES HIS REPORT 13,616 Criminal Cases Disposed
 of in Two Years 7954 WERE CONVICTIONS Only 1861 Were Acquittals, 2s28 Were Mol Pressed and s73 Abated or
 Withdrawn-Extrac
 From Report.

Montgomery December 4.-(Special. )- Tn his annual report to the governor for the years 1905 and 1906, Attorney General Massey Wilson makes some interesting showings. For the time specified there were 136l6 criminal cases disposed of, as compared to 11,574 for the two years pre- vious. Of the last-named sum there were 6S54 convictions, 1744 aequittals, 25S0 nolle pressed and 446 abated or withdrawn. For the last two years there were 1854 eonvic- tions 196l acquittals. 2S2S nolle pressed and S73 abated or withdrawn
 The report continues:
 "Of the 6s54 convictions during the two years ending September 30, 1904, there were 42 sentences to death; 1914 to the penitentiary; 1928 to hard labor for the county; 15S to jail and s727 fines imposed or secured. There were three commit tals to the insane hospital and one to the state reformatory.
 Homicides.
 During the two years ending Septem- Der 30, 1906. of the 1854 convictions there were 36 sentences to death; 1915 to the penitentiary; 1403 to hard labor; 13i0 to jail, and 564 fines paid or secured.
 "An examination of the preceding re- ports submitted from this office shows that during the two years ending Septem- Der 90, 1906, a larger number of criminal cases were disposed of than at any time since the system of reporting to the at torney general was begun. The nearest approach to the figures mentioned ap- pears from the report submitted for the two years ending September 30, 1902, by my predecessor, Hon. Charles G. Brown. That report shows 13,3SS cases disposed Of during that period of time.
 During the two years ending Septem- Der 30, 1904, there were 33S cases of hom- icide disposed of in the state; of this number there were 146 convictions for murder in the first degree; 101 for mur- der in the second degree; 65 for man slaughter in the first degree, and 32 for manslaughter in the second degree
 During the two years ending Septem- Der 30, 1906 it apepars that there were 669 cases of homicide disposed of in the state; of this number there were 1S4 con- victions for murder in the first degree IA for murder in the second degree; 127 for manslaughter in the first degree and 47 for manslaughter in the second degree.
 "The number of cases of homicide dis posed of during the two years ending September 30, 1906, is almost double the number disposed of during the preceding two years. I am unable to account for this astounding increase Certainly a problem Is presented which calls for the most thoughtful consideration of the peo- pie of this state, and more especially of the executive officers.
 Noo,a,Iad MJa.nons
 During the two years ending Septem- Der 30, 1904, the offense of concealed weapons appears to have been predoml- nant, there being 1893 cases disposed of; of this number there were 6S5 convictions. During the same time there were 603 cases of assault and battery with weap- ons disposed of and A convictions. Dur ing the two years ending September 90, 1906, the offense of assault and battery with weapon appears to have been pre- dominant. There were 1197 cases disposed of and 7S0 convictions. During the same time there were 113S offenses of con cealed weapons disposed of and 69S con- victions. The offense of assault and bat tery with weapon belongs to the same class with the offense of carrying con- cealed weapon with the additional ele- ment of assault and battery. Both of lenses seem to increase from year to year, and I am inclined to think that in- adequate punishment is meted out to such offenders The statutes (code sections 4344 and APO provide for those offenses pun ishments which, if imposed, would go far toward lessening If not curing the evil. After the jury has found a defendant guilty of assault and battery with a weapon or carrying a concealed weapon. the court may impose additional punish ment of hard labor for not more than twelve months in the former case and for not more than six months in the latter. Of the 157S convictions of these offenses during the two years last past there were 376 sentences to hard labor-about 24 per cent From my experience In prosecut-