The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-03-03
awful RECORD.
Nearly One Homicide Each Day
in South Carolina.
DURIN ! LAST YEAR.

The Rev. Louis J. Bristow Presents
Some Interesting Figures Compiled
by Him from the Reports Made to
the Attorney General by the Solici-
tors of the Various Circuits in this
State.
A recent letter to the press Of the
State, in which 1 gave the nuhber of
homicides committed in South Caro-
lima during the last six months of
1907, caused a number Of papers
both in this state and others to ask
for record of the convictions for
murder during the same time A
careful study of the report of the
Attorney General reveals tn follow
ing facts:
There were in South Carolina in
1907 BAG cases in which the defend
ants were charged with murder Of
these, ten defendants were convict
ed of the charge and sentenced to
death; 80 were convicted, but were
recommended to the mercy of the
Court, which under the statute, re-
duced the penalty to a life term in
the penitenti tiary; A were convicted
of man-slaughter and given short
terms in the Penitentiary or on the
county chain gangs. Besides these
there were Is convictions reported
from the I'd judicial circuit wherein
no record of degree of guilt or of
sentence was given, and in Chero-
kee, and 8 in Union. The total num-
ber of convictions thus was 10.
There were no murder trials in
Pickens or Oconee counties. In other
counties they were as follows:
First Circuit-Berkeley, 8; George
town, 5; Dorchester, 20; Orangeburg,
Is; total 4S. Death penalty, George
town, 1; Orangeburg, l; Dorchester,
l. l. Life term, Georgetown, /; Or
angeburg, 2. Short terms, Berkeley,
2; Dorchester, 7; Orangeburg, 6.
Total convictions, 21.
Second Circuit-Aiken, IA; Bam-
berg, 12; Barnwell, -; Hampton, 2;
total, 40. Convictions, Is, but no re-
cord of sentence.
Third Circuit-Clarendon, 4; Flor.
ence, 8 (1 manslaughter;) Lee, 6;
Sumter, 3; Williamsburg, oman.
slaughter total, 18. Death penalty
none. Life term, Sumter, 1; Will
llamsburg, 2; Clarendon 1. Short
terms, Lee, l; Clarendon, 3; Sum
ter, l. Total convictions, 9.
Fourth Circuit-Chesterfield, 2;
Darlington, 2; Horny, l; Marlboro
s; Marion, 4; total, II. Death pen
atty, l in Marlboro. Life term, Marl'
boro, /. Short terms, Chesterfield
2; Marlboro, 2; Marion, 1. Total
convictions, 7.
Fifth Circuit-Edgefield, 10 G
manslaughterO Kershaw 6, e man
slaughter;) Lexington, 7 Il man,
slaughter;) Richland, II 6 man
slaughter;) total, "a. Death pen
atty, none. Life term, Richland
Il; Edgefield, /. Short terms, Edge
field, /; Kershaw, 2. Total convic'
tions, 5 (and in Richland County
in which new trials were granted by
trial Judge.)
Sixth Circuit-Chester, II; Fair
field, q: Lancaster, 6; York. 9; to-
tai. 80. Death penalty, Chester, 2;
Fairfield, /. Life term, Chester, 3
Short terms, Chester, 5; Lancaster
3; Fairfield, /; York, 2. Total con
yictions, II. ut is worthy of note
here that of Chester's IL cases there
were 10 convictions.
Seventh Circuit-Cherokee, g
Spartanburg, s; Union, s; total "
Death penalty, none. Life term
spartanburg, 2. Short terms, Spar
tanburg, 8. Total, 5. (There are M
records for Cherokee and Union.)
Eighth Circuit-Abbeville, 7 {.
manslaughter; Greenwood, 4; Lau
rens, 80 G. manslaughte-;) Newber
ry, II a manslaugh'er;) Saluda, 1