New-York tribune., 1907-08-15
PRISONERS IN Z. S.
Negroes and Foreigners Furnish
More than Their Share.

Washington, Aug 14.-A report given out oy
the Census Bureau to-day on the prisoners III
the United States in 1904 says in part;
Exclusive of the juvenile delnquents in spec'ai
institutions for that class and exclusive of persons
imprisoned for the non-payment of fines a'1Z sane
persons at least five years Of age serving SEN
tences in civil prisons on SO 1904 Out Of every
million persons in the estimated population OF tha
date 1905 were prisoners On June l. 1890 the total
number of prisoners was only $685. but the hulOei
In each million Of the population was 1857
Possibly the greater Ieniency in the present treat
ment of the criminal affects the female Offenders
more than the male. for the proportion OF women
among prisoners has constantly decreased In 1871
women formed SIS per cent of the prisoners IN 1884,
IS per cent. and in 1904. 55 cent The decrease
between 1890 and 1904 Is common to all sections OF
the country.
Negroes were more common among the prisoners
on June 30, 1904. they June l. 1880 IN
1904 the percentage of colored 326. while IN 1881
It was 30 This increase in the proportion OF negro
prisoners is shown by all the geographic DIVISIONS
OF the country except the South Atlantic and the
Western. 1t was particularly notable in the Nortn
Central States where 142 cent Of the prisoners
enumerated in 1880 were negroes, as contrasteo WIN
205 per cent in 1904.
The foreign horn whites, unlike the colored, ap-
pear TO be Of decreasing importance among prfs-
oners. 1890 the immigrant class formed 2os per
cent Of all white prisoners Of known nativity oup
by 1904 this percentage had decreased to 237 The
native whites on the other hand show In
creased proportion, forming 1853 per cent OF the
total number OF white prisoners in 1904 and only
71S per cent IN 1890. This change. moreover is not
confined TO any section OF the country. out is
common TO all.
The figures given above are Of interest show
ing the changes that have taken place in the four
teen-year period between the censuses. An IDEA
Of existing conditions may be better obtained how
| ever. By considering the figures for the commit
rnents during the calendar year 1904
Exclusive OF the Juvenile delnquents in special
institutions and the persons imprisoned for the
non-payrnent OF fines 1851 persons at least
FIVE years OF age sentenced 10 civil insttu-
tons during that year. In each million Of the
estimated population 1sil committed TO serve
a sentence.
The North Atlantic division has the highest
ratio OF prisoners &c population. while the South
Central has the lowest In the former division
persons guilty Of drunkenness. dsorderiy conduct
and vagrancy formed 6s9 per cent of all prisoners
committed, while In the latter they formed oat
l7.e per cent
IN the country as a whole 3t75s persons were
sentenced for drunkenness q 3S9 for vagrancy ard
Il 264 for diso-derly conduct In ether words more
/ than one-half Of the total number OF prisoners
committed during the year We're sentenced ior some
/ one these three closely allied offences no less
than . og prisoners 16s per cent Of the total num-
her were sentenced for larceny; i08Il. or '.S per
/ cent for assaults. and 7lsl. or 4S per cent ior
! burglary OF the remaining offences homicide
showed the larges, number-2.4H. or le per cent OF
| the total.
| or the los persons committed to prison under
death sentence 90 had been convicted OF homicloe
/ of assault of rape. and OF double crime InuF-
| der being OF them. Two women P1iU ZIG
! death penalty for homicide.
| Lie sentences We're imposed upon go prisoners
Of whom 5ss were convicted OF homicide. & OF rape,
y OF burglary Of robbery. of larceny. OF arson
! of assault l Of the crime against nature. OF
,erturv OF an unclassihed crime against property.
| and of a crime not stated. Twenty women were
| committed during 1se4 a life sentence.
| Among the 149691 prisoners committed during
1904 12 Oss were white and 24598 colored. OF whom
| 1ss were Mongol!ans and III Indians. In other
xords 1914 per cent of the total number or prison
erg committed during the year Were colored- of
the general population in 1900 the colored formed
| only l21 per cent
OF the white prisoners OF known nativity S'uso'
| or q per cent, foreign born. The percent
| age Of foreign born IN the general white popula-
ton fifteen years OF age and over at the census OF
| 1900 l9.
| or the total number Of prisoners of known age.
committed during 1904. s02 per cent were between
| the ages of twenty and forty years The negro
| prisoners however, were very much younger than
| the white for Of the negroes III per cent were
under thirty years OF age as contrasted with 3ss
| per cent Of the whites
OF the total number Of prisoners. 1850. or 126
! per cent were unable to read and white.
WOMEN TRY TO RESCUE PRISONERS.