The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-07
His Figures Show 73 in
Greater Birmingham
and 81 Outside
is NOT CHAMPIONING
CRIME AND DISORDER
Facts Are Bad Enough, He Says, But
Protests Against Making Things
Worse Than They Are-Ex-
cOnvicts in County Jail

In the entire county of Jefferson from
December /. 1912, to December l, 1918,
there were just 1874 homicides, according
to the completed reports issued by City
Commissioner Judge A. o. Lane yester-
day. Judge Lane admits this is too many,
but he states it is far different from the
900 homicides which Coroner c. L.
Spain has been claiming for the county.
II do not wish to be misunderstood in
this matter" said Judge Lane yesterday.
Il am not championing crime or defend
ing our record Heaven knows it has
been bad enough. But what / am pro-
testing against is making it worse than
1t is.
Spain Honestly Mistaken
'I think Coroner Spain has made an
honest mistake. l do not believe for a
moment that he Intentionally intends do
ing any harm to this community But
that does not get around the fact that
that he has done harm, and much harm
by his repeated statements in the press
holding this city up as a haven of Grim
inals and giving figures and statements
that are not facts
81 am not attempting to vindicate the
police department, of which 1 am the
head, or anyone else. I merely want the
people to know the facts In the case.
which in themselves are bad enough when
they are correct. From the reports which
I have had compiled, it is shown that
there have been 73 homicides in Greater
Birmingham and 81 in the county outside
of Greater Birmingham in the year from
December l, 1912, to December l, 1913. 1t
will also be remembered that of Coro-
ner Spain's 1900 homicides in the county,
he has stated that the great majority of
them were in the city OF Birmingham.
The remainder of the report which was
published in yesterday mornings Age
Herald has been compiled and was given
out by Judge Lane yesterday as follows:
Homicides Outside City
Homicides in jefferson county outside
of Greater Birmingham during period
from December l, 1912 to December 1,
1918:
White males, IL; negro males, 81; negro
females, Z; not stated, /; Bessemer, Is;
total 81.
Homicides in Bessemer during period
| commencing December l. 1912, and end
| ing December l, 1913:
| February ), Jordan Madison, negro,
| gunshot.
March 12, Sam Moore. negro, gunshot.
| March II, Terry Mathews. negro, knife.
| April IS, Claude Ash, white, gunshot.
May u, Charley Jackson, negro, knife.
June 5, unknown female negro, drowned.
June 80 unknown male negro, drowned.
July 10, Howard Williams, negro gun
shot.
July 2S.' Joe Gather. negro, blow on
head
August 20, w. j. Fitzgerald, white. gun
shot.
August 81 Stella Chisolm, negro, gun
shot
September 12. George Palmer. negro.
gunshot.
September IA, Will Craig, negro, gum
shot
September 49, F. U. Spence white, gun
shot.
November 26, Alex Cleveland, negro,
gunshot.
Four or five were killed at Bessemer
for which they have no record.
In support of Judge Lanes theory that
a great part of the crime committed in
Birmingham is due to the dumping Of
state convicts into this city, after their
terms have expired, the commissioner
of public justice has had Detective Tom
Williams investigating the prisoners in
the county Jail to see how many were