The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-05
CORONER SEVERE
IN INDICTMENT OF
HOMICIDE RECORD
Thinks Publicity of Awful
Record Is Only Way to
Stir Citizens to Real
ize Conditions

Coroner Charles L. Spain reiterated
last night with emphasis the homicidal
statistics that he gave out in an inter-
view in The Age Herald few days ago.
Yesterdays statement of Coroner Spain
was brought forth by the criticism
credited to Commissioner A. o. Lane
to the effect that Coroner Spain's fig
ures We're misleading and that all vio-
lent deaths were not homicides
81 want to state to Judge Lane that
jefferson county would be very badly
in need of a coroner If that official
could not tell that a death from heart
disease is not a homicide. Commissioner
Lane infers that in my haste to pre-
sent startling figures to the public
have counted all the persons who died
from heart disease, apoplexy and other
ailments as unlawful homicides. A
statement of this nature cannot be
taken seriously.
"All anyone has to do to observe the
frequency of homicides is read the
newspapers 1t is very rare that day
or several days pass without some per-
son being murdered in some part of the
county, but usually in Birmingham. The
newspapers print the tragedies of this
county every day and this news Is read
so it is useless for Judge Lane to at
tempt to convince the people of Bir-
mingham and Jefferson county that this
is a nice, quiet, peace-loving communi-
! ty, where everyone who dies usually
passes away from heart failure, apo
plexy and other kindred ailments. Judge
Lane Will find If he Will look at the
records in my office that some 300-odd
persons of jefferson county met death
| through the instrumentality of the pis-
| tol and knife In the last IL months. He
| can call it heart failure if he cares to,
but l call it plain murder.
Il have nothing to hide in my office,
and as my job doesn't pay enough 70
fear removal and thus curb the express
sion of my true sentiments / suppose [
have Jared some tender sensiblities by
taking the public into my confidence on
the true state of affairs In Jefferson
county regarding crime. But | don't
blame Judge Lane for trying to be-
little the homicidal statistics. | suppose
that If | were the head of the Birming-
ham police department l would sin
cerely desire to have the number OF
murders as small as possible-espeeially
as so few of the murderers are caLvht.
However as l am not the head OF
the police department but just poorly
paid coroner, | am going ahead attend
ing to the business of my osIce the
best way | can considering that [ have
at times several homicides to investi-
gate at one time and viii not falsify
the records of the coroners office to
curry official favor
The fact that there have been 800
odd homicides in the past year may be
displeasing to advertise all over the
country, and / have no doubt that ii is
displeasing 1t is certainly shameful
and deplorable state of affairs. especial
ly 1t Is the exception to the rule ito
ever punish anyone responsible for
these homicides, But this advertising
| believe will eventually awaken the
voters of Jefferson county to some ac-
tion and it Is for this very reason that
the records of my office are always
open for inspection. | believe the great
est publicity should be given the fact
of the large number of homicides In
this county"