The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1908-01-15
Rev. Mir. sristow Writes of Muir.
ders in This State in
THELAST SIX MONTHS.
Since July Last There Has Been One
Hundred and Fifty-Mght Murders
in South Carolina, OF Which Eigh.
ty-Two Were Committed in Pro-
hbitioa Counties and Seventy-Six
La Dispensacy Counties.

la Dispensary Counties.
Rev. Louis J. Bristov, q young
Baptist preacher and a strong pro-
hibitionist. has been keeping the re-
cord of the murders committed in
this State in the last six months, and
gives out the following on the sub
ject for publication:
"The appalling frequency Of homi-
cides in South Carolina is a matter
which should give the officers of the
law and all law-abiding people cause
for serious consideration. ,Legisla-
tive, executive and judicial officers
are confronted with a situation
which. if tolerated much longer,
will result in untold evil to the
state. If necessary, drastic measures
should bo adopted TO put stop to
the reign of riot that is rampant in
South Carolina.
Fer long time I have been CIV
ing attention to the matter, and !
herewith append figures covering re-
ports in the daily papers for the past
six months, from July / to December
81, inclusive.
"Homicides. 1853; Of the dead,
whites 7e; negroes, 7s; os the slay-
ers, whites 70. negroes IS, unknown
Is. It will thus be seen that the
number of deaths is and the men
who did the killings were almost
equally divided also. I have often
heard it said IN answer to argument
against killing that the large major
ity OF the homicides in South Caro-
lima were ordinary tnigger killings.
The reports in the daily papers for
the last six months are a complete re-
futation of the claim.
"As to the manner Of death I find
that 121 Of the dead were killed By
guns and pistol shots; 1S by blows
from rocks, brick and pieces of
wood; II by knife cuts, and two by
blows from axes. Here, too is ter
rible Indictment against our people;
the deadly weapon-the pistols
carried by far too many men and
boys. Pistols are made and carried
for the purpose of shooting men, and
that person who habitually carries a
pistol is in his heart already a
murderer, with the possible excep-
ton of certain officers Of the law,
who are supposed to go armed. ]
believe it is true that an indictment
| for murder In this state carries with
charge of carrying concealed Wea-
pons; but I have never heard of a
! case where the accused was convicted
Of the charge, or count, relating
thereto.
Another matter, and one which
leave to others to account for:
"Of the 158 killings since July l
81 were committed in prohibition
counties and 76 in counties in which
there are dispensaries. Since Octo
Der 20, killings have been reported
! in prohibition counties as follows:
York, Saluda, Oconee, Union, Pick
ems, Marlboro, Cherokee and Spar
tanburg, one each; Greenville, New
berry, Darlington, two each; Edge
field and Marion, three each, Ian
caster, four, and Anderson. eleven.
tIn prohibition counties. Hamp
ton, williamsburg, Georgetown ant
Dorchester, one each; Charleston
and Columbia, two each; Bamberg
Aiken, Orangeburg, Richland, Lau
. rens, three each, and BarnWell, four
"I recite this last paragraph TO
the information Of those who hav
desired to compare the homicide re
cords of prohibition and dispensar
: counties.
'My remedy for the evil of hom!
eide is for the legislature to max
it a crime, per Sc, to be punishe
according to the degree Of felony
!. each case.
ITO take human life is an o.
tense against God and human Sc
ciety, except it be due process
S law. When the Lord gave his Ia"
to Isreal, he made provision for tn
q manslayer who killed by acciden
But even he was not to 80 scott fre
d According to the Mosaic dispens;
: ton every person guilty of hom
: eide suffered penalty for his 0
d fense against human life and societ
/ whether the death blow was give
l. remeditaredly and wantonly,
e heat of passion, or in fear;
" whether by error or accident. Tn
e was Gods command; and eve.'y pr
" vision Of the Mosaic economy e
e shrined some enduring principle +
1t some lasting moral lesson was l
tended to be impressed upon q
minds of the people. The Institute
may be altered or entirely disappe
II amid changing social conditions; b
the principle ever remains the san
"The Cities of Refuge provided