The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1908-01-17
AWFUL RECORD.
Rev. Mr. Brlstow Writes OF Muir
ders In This State In
THE LAST SIX MONTHS.

In South Carolina, OF Which Eiph
ty-Two Were Committed in Pro
iibition Counties and Seventy.si,
In Dispensary Counties.
Rev. Louis j. Bristow, a youne
Baptist preacher and a strong pro.
h1bitionist, 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 publications:
Tho appalling frequency Of homi-
cides in South Carolina is a matter
which should give the officers of tbe
law and all law-abiding people cause
for serious consideration. LegisIa-
tive, executive and judicial officers
are confronted with q situation
which, If tolerated much longer.
VIII result In untold evil to the
state. If necessary, drastic measures
should be adopted to put stop to
the reign Of riot that Is rampant in
South Carolina
For long time ! have been Civ
ing attention to the matter, and l
herewith append figures covering re-
ports in the daily papers for the past
six months, from July 1 to December
81. inclusive.
"Homicides, 1853; OF the dead,
whites 10; negroes. 70; of the slay-
ers, whites 20, negroes IS, unknown
3. II will thus be saen that the
number OF deaths is and the men
who did the killings were almost
equally divided also. 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 'niggnr killings
The reports in tho daily papers for
the last six months are {. complete re-
futation Of the claim.
"As to the manner Of death find
that 121 Of the dead were killed by
guns and pistol shots; Is by blows
from rocks, b 'ck and pieces of
"ooui : 1TI .F"9f 10 cuts, ana sSSsse
blows from aA~s. 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
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. I
believe 1T is true that an Indictment
Tor murder In this state carries with
a charge Of carrying concealed wea-
pons; but l 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 1853 killings since July 1, :,
80 were committed in prohibition
counties and 76 in counties in which
there are dispensaries. Since Octo-
ber 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.
In prohibition counties. Hamp-
ton, Williamsburg, Georgetown and
Dorchester, one each; Charleston
and Columbia, two each: Bamberg,
Aiken. Orangeburg, Richland. Lau-
rens three each, and Barnwel, four.
II recite this last paragraph for
the information Of those who have
desired to compare the homicide re-
cords OF prohibition and dispensary
counties.
My remedy for the evil Of hom-
eide is for the legislature to make
1t crime, per Sc, TO be punished
according TO the degree of felony in
each case.
TO take a human life Is an Of
Tense against God and human So
ciety, except it be due process Of
| law When the Lord gave his laws
to lsreal. he made provision for the
manslayer who killed by accident
But even he was not to go scott free
According to the Mosaic dispense.
ton every person guilty OF homi
eide suffered a penalty for his of
fensc against human life and society
whether The death blow was giver
| premeditatedly and wantonly, fl
heat OF passion, or in fear; OF
whether by error or accident. Thh
was Gods command; and evety pro
vision OF the Mosaic economy en-
shrined some enduring principle By
1t some lasting moral lesson was in
tended to be impressed upon th,
minds of the people. The institution
may be altered or entirely disapDca
amid changing social conditions; bu
the principle ever remains tho same
"The Cities Of Refuge provided 70
by the Mosaic laws were TO give al
esylum only to those who killed l.,
accident or error, but even they ha,
to suffer on indeterminato sontenc
OF confinement in such city unit
the death Of the high priesg For al
othei manslayers the penalty wa
death.
at is my conviction, after Ion
and serious study OF the matter
that homicide should be a felon
and that punishment should folio,
| I .-...