The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-30
CRIME OF MURDER
IS INCREASING
Three Times More Than Twenty
Years Ago
ONE A DAY IN NEW YORK
In the Years From 1885 to 1905 Total
of 13f,e51 Murders Were Com.
mitted in the United
States.
ONE A DAY IN NEW YORK
From the Boston Globe.

GIOfh llle DpSlbH oAObt-
Statistics of crime are not pleasant
reading, yet for the authorities to ignore
their dreadful import and to make no eff
fort to improve public safety in Amerl-
can communities would, of course, be
dangerous. The crime of murder is in
creasing TO an alarming extent in this
country, and it is the grave duty of fed
eral, state and city authorities to SEC
that this increase is not owing to insult
ficient laws or the non-enforcement Of
existing statutes.
For number of years the Chicago Til
bune has been compiling data in regard
to capital crimes in the United States,
and in considering the single crime of
murder finds that during the year 1904
there were more than three times as
many murders in this country per million
population as there were 20 years ago.
During the 20 years from 1885 to l90J
there were 1871 ,951 murders and homieides
in the United States, a number far ex
ceeding the losses in several wars. and
far in excess of the population of many
cities.
During the last nine months the data
shows that New York had one murder in
10 days. During the last year Chicago
had similar record, and in the same Il
months San Francisco had one murder in
four days, Philadelphia and st. Louis one
In five days: New Orleans, Louisville and
Kansas City one in seven days; Cincin-
natl one in eight days, Baltimore one In
nine days, Cleveland one in II days New
ark one in 10 days, Boston one In % days,
Columbus one in 40 days, Milwaukee one
in GO days, and St Paul one in 81 days.
In a table giving the arrests on various
charges in u months, the figures for Bos-
ton are: Assault, 1876; disorderly corr
duct, S2,29S; gambling, Ill; larceny. 262l'
murder, S; mansaughter, S; robbery, Iii,
vagraney PIG. These figures are said 10
be supplied by the police authorities.
Figures Are Alarming.
The federal government has no bureau
of criminal statistics, hence the data
carefully compiled by newspapers may
contain some inaccuracies. But on the
whole, the figures in regard to murders
are so nearly correct, and indicate such
terrible prevalence of this CRIME, as ~
call for earnest consideration by the au-
thorities everywhere.
If the homicides in this country arc
compared with those In Germany. it liz
found that the number in the United
States in the year 1904 was 104 per NIL
lion, whereas in Germany for the same
period there We're per Million and In
Canada per million. In citing Germa-
ny's figures the writer undoubtedly be-
lieves that intemperance has considera-
BILE to do with the commission of capital
crimes for he observes
In Berlin there are no saloons In the
American sense, but wine and beer arc
sold at the restaurants and eating house.s
There are no secret drinking places or
dens behind closed doors. The German
people are not addicted to strong spirits,
and whisky Is sold as a rule only at the
places patronized by Americans aud
Englishmen, and these places usually arc
designated as American bars"
Germany Has More Convictions.
The convictions for the crime of mur-
der are more numerous in Germany than
here Murder and mansaughter in the
German Empire for 1908, with 6O,O00o0O
population. totalled 321 and in the
United States, with 100000. totalled
1916. Percentage of trials In which con-
yictions were had was 95.15 per cent for
Germany. The percentage of homicides
in the United States in which convictions
were had was 1.3 per cent. One person
In every Y charged with homicide in the
year 1903, or only 124 of the 1876, were ex-
ecuted. In 1904 there were 1882 homicides
and 116 executions, or one execution 20
every Is homicides
Is it strange that this difference in pc
lice and court methods leads the compiler
to assert that I'VE neither catch nor con-
Wet our criminals. The modern, reaso1e.
ably cautious, Goth century murderer or
robber is practically immune from pun
ishment in the United States
The remedy for much of this increase
OF crime in this country Is in the hands
of authorities. Improved legal procedure
can stop some of it, and better police
forces can prevent much of 1t.