The Prescott daily news., 1916-01-04
MOST MUROEROUS CITY IS MEMPHIS
Leads All the World In Num-
 Der of HOmiCldeS.
63. .7SLAIh IN EVERY 100, 900

Seven Southern Towns Hold Unenvi-
 able Record of Heading the List.
 Charleston, Savannah, Atlanta, New
 Orleans, Nashville and Louisville Fol
 low In Order Named.
 The most "murderous" city in all the United States Is Memphis, Tenn. where 63.7 persons out of every 100,- 000 lose their lives by violence, accord ing to statistics for the decade 1904 1913, prepared by the Spectator, an ln- surance journal, in an article on the "Homicide Record of 1914"
 Six other southern cities hold rec ords for killings" while New York city-Manhattan and the Bronx-with its enormous population, is a peaceful, law abiding place, ranking only six teenth out of the thirty registration cities used.
 Murder Is not only increasing at an alarming rate throughout the country, but statistics show that the predomi- mating method in American murders Is by firearms.
 A state of lawlessness and indiffer- ence to human life Is shown in Ten nessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Lou isiana and Kentucky. The seven prin- cipal cities in these states have the unenviable record of leading the thirty American cities used as registration area for the country.
 Cities Comparative Record
 The thirty cities, arranged in the or der of killings" together with the rate per 100000 of population. are:
 Memphis, 63.7; Charleston, s. C., 32.7; Savannah, 2S.4; Atlanta. 26; New Orleans, 25.3; Nashville, PAS; Louis vile. 16.6; St Louis, 129; San Fran cisco, l1.S; Cincinnati, Il; Chicago, 9,3; Seattle. S1; Spokane, IS; Wash ington. 7.5: Cleveland, 6.1; Manhattan and the Bronx, New York, 6 1; Dayton, O., 5.5; Pittsburgh. 5.3; Providence, 5.2: Boston. AS; Baltimore, 4.6; Brook lyn, 4.5; Philadelphia, AZ; Buffalo, 4; Minneapolis, 3.7; Reading, Pa, 3.5; Rochester, N. l., 3.3; Hartford, Conn.,. 8; Newark, N. J., 8; Milwaukee, 2.4.
 There were 11,9S1 homicides in the thirty cities for the decade, or an aver age of 70 per 100000 of population for the whole area. The figures for 1914 show 1.4S9 murders for the same area, at the rate of S.6 per 100000 popula- tot, would make the total for the decade II, ,S90.
 Assuming that the recorded murder death rate for the registration area may be safely applied to the whole country, more than 50,0OO human lives have been deliberately sacrificed. The increase in murder during 1914 as com pared with the ten years ending 1913 was most marked on the Pacific coast and In the southern states, the latter having always led.
 The eastern cities show the murder of 4.9 persons out of every 100000 population for 19O4-13 and 5.1 per sons for 1914; the central cities show S6 and in 1914 9.3, and the south ern cities 1S2 for the 1904-13 decade, and 204 for the year 1914, and Pacific coast cities 10. and an increase to 12.S for 1914.
 Firearms Chief Weapon.
 Among males CPS per cent of the deaths were caused by firearms and among females 522 per cent. while cutting or piercing instruments caus- ed 15.7 per cent and among females 12.7 per cent of the deaths. The mer- tality was highest between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-four years.
 The reason for the increase in mur der is given as the inadequacy of laws regarding deadly weapons.
 The means of murder are entirely too convenient" says the Spectator. 'The pistol carrying habit in many sections of the country is an evil of the first importance"
 The number of murders in the Unit ed States is about 100 for every 13 committed in England and Wales, 80 in Australia, 31 in Prussia and 56 fin Italy.