The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-30
PISTOL 4TOT|NG" IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR
MANY HOM|C|DES IN
COUNTY, SAYS SPAIN
I'm Nine Cases Out of Ten /
Have Investigated Killing
Resulted From Pistol
Wound"
81 UNLAWFUL DEATHS
DURING FIRST THREE
MONTHS OF THE YEAR
OF the 81, All But Two We're Negroes
Law Providing Severe Penalty
for Carrying Concealed
Weapons Needed, Thinks
the County Coroner
Nv nICHARD r.LUssTER


In the investigation of all the un-
lawful homicides of the first three
months of this year 7 was unable to
find that liquor or intoxication entered
as a factor or as an agent to any of
the numerous killings" said Coroner c.
l.. Spain yesterday in an interview re-
garding homicide figures taken from
the records of the coroner's office for
the first three months of this year
To what does Mr.. Spain attribute the
appalling number of homicides in JEFF
ferson county?
That pistol toting'' is at the bottom
of the majority of the homicides is the
opinion of Coroner Spain, for he states:
I'm nine cases out of 10 unlawful hom
icide that l have investigated, the kill
Ing resulted from gun shot wounds in
variably fired from pistol. The evils
of pistol toting cannot be underesti-
mated for ii is the chief agency to
crime and murder in Jefferson county,"
Unlawful HOmicides This Year
According to figures gathered in the
county coroner's office yesterday the
first three months of 1913 shows quite
"a depreciation in the number of homi-
cides as compared with the same period
in 1912. During January, February and
March of this year 81 unlawful homi-
cides were committed in jefferson coun-
ty. The figures follow:
January, IL unlawful homicides; 1
justihable homicide.
February. Z unlawful homicides; 2
justifiable homicides; ! suicide.
March, IS unlawful homicides; sui
cides
Total, 3s IS
Total deaths investigated by the corr
oner for the so days, 115. The 81 un
lawful homicides do not include the
four suicides. OF the 81 homicides, all
but two resulted from pistol wounds;
one being stabbing. affray, and the
other breaking the skull with a heavy
stick
OF the 81 unlawful homicides in JEFF
ferson county in the last three months
all but two were negroes; the four
suicides were white.
OF the 115 violent. deaths investigated
since January / by the coroner's office,
80 of them came during March. being in
all parts of the county and keeping Cor
oner Spain extremely busy. This month
has also the largest record so far this
year for unlawful homcides the past
week being a record breaker with six
since last Sunday afternoon.
Unless there is great increase in the
killing in the next nine months the rec
ord of 3C6 unlawful homicides in Jeffer-
son county for 1912 is not likely to be sur
passed.
Spain Is Pessimistic
In further commenting ON the homicide
figures for the first three months of the
year Coroner c. l.. Spain said.
In my opinion conditions are growing
worse instead of better, as far as crime
is concerned in Jefferson county. The
figures for the first three months of this
year may not show so many Killings in
proportion to last years record breaking
number, but it does not alter the fact
that as long as convicts are employed in
the mines about this district and released
to prey upon the community when their
terms are up that crime conditions will
steadily grow worse; the next three
months may double the number of unlaw-
full homicides registered in the past 80
days.
There should be legislation passed to
prevent the carrying of concealed arms.
Any man caught with a pistol should not
be fined, but sentenced to a term in Jail
and no appeal should be allowed. 1t is
entirely due to the general prevalence of
white and colored people to carrying pis-
tolls that the number of unlawful homi-
cides in Alabama overtop those of every
other state in the union Pistol toting
should be stopped and until the people of
Jefferson county awake to that fact they
might as we'll reconcile themselves %
hear and read of killings as a daily oc-
currence.
1.-The numerous killings of the past
month has left many Investigations on
my hands, at the present moment having
10 cases to be tried on the docket. Hav-
ing no assistant, 1 find myself greatly
handicapped in going about the county