The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-03

| company officials had a conference with
| President Ward yesterday morning. 1t
was stated there was nothing in regard
to the conference to be made public.
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there seems a total disregard of the
law.
The crime of carrying concealed
weapons seems omnipresent with the
race that we have to care for as wards
| 1t was noted that fully ne-fourth the
women that appeared before the grand
| jury had knife marks on their faces,
necks or arms For these assaults there
| is rarely any punishment; the women
will not testify against the men that
| cut them.
Carrying concealed weapons is the
most fruitful source of murders and
assaults to kill. case of concealed
weapons should be made in every case
of murder or assault whether the par
ty be indicted for the higher crime or
not. Nearly every burglar. thief, or
vagrant carries a pistol or long knife
concealed.
Too Long Between Crime and Trial
I'VE are led to the inevitable con-
clusion that one fruitful cause of
crime is the length of time between
crime and its punishment In this
county of mixed population. there is
| small respect for the law, largely be-
cause the punishment lags so far be-
hind the crime that all deterrent eff
feet is lost. We heard of no instance
where person hesitated to commit
crime through fear of the law. Pres
ent gain and present revenge over
come the small fear of punishment.
The mean crimes of burglary and
theft made up the bulk of the offenses
we had to consider We believe If
prompt trials and punishment followed
these crimes, there would be fewer OF
them. We found that there is small
care to conceal these crimes and when
arrested the thief readily confesses but
neighbors and associates hesitate to
testify against them. With months be-
| tween the crime and probable punish
| ment, there is no hope of reform. The
criminals make no distinction of race
or color, but steal recklessly.
only one case of arson was reported.
In a county of 100000 people this is re-
markable. and this single case was not
with any hope of gain. Not a case of
probable arson for insurance money
was reported.
Vehicle Speeding
Only few case of vehicle speeding
We're presented, and in those 1t has been
impossible to get the truth. StNl the
speed law is constantly violated 1t is
difficult to get witnesses in these cases
to testify when called.
Violation of Prohibition Law
I'VE made diligent effort to reach this
class of crime and a few cases were re-
ported. The construction of the law
makes it practically impossible to convict
men engaged in the illegal sale of liquor.
Witnesses too frequently suffer with
failing memory in these ases as in no
others. There is constant violation of the
law. but buyers will not betray the
seller.
Books of Justices of the Peace
I'VE have examined the books of all
justices of the peace submitted to us,
and found no evidence of wrong, or of
improper effort to make fees.
Cocaine
1--WE investigated the illegal selling of
cocaine and found witnesses who could
locate the places where this terrible drug
is sold, but small evidence as to real
sales. Constant watching the known
places would abate the evil which is
doing so much harm.
Books of Officials
"As required by law, we made exami-
nation in some degree. 1t is not possible
to make any thorough examination, but
this is done by state officials.
1--WE found the books of the probate
Judge we'll kept and easily understood
1.-The feed book of the sheriff is we'll
kept.
1.-THE books of the county treasurer are
well kept and in perfect order
80 too, were the books of the super
intendent of education, which are very
clear.
"All the books were neat and SEEM
ingly correct.
Public Buildings
Aims House: We visited and inspected
the county almshouse and found it