Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-04-11
BIG DECREASE IN
 CRIME SHOWN IN
 TEXAS LAST YEAR
Total Number of COnvicts Drops From 32O9
 to 2726

sA6stin, Tex, April 10-While there isfno certain way of knowing what effect prohibition, which has been in force in Texas for little more than two years, has had upon the prison population of the State, it is shown by the annual report of the State Prison Commission that there was smaller number of convicts received at the penitentiary in the last l2i months than for several years. One of the remark rkable features of crim inality at this time, however, is the increase of homicides committed by women. In Dallas, the number of murders by women has become so alarming that the authorities there have announced that no lenlency Will be shown in the prosecdtionS of crim- inals because of their sex. 1t Is as serted that none of the murders by women can be traced tos prohibition. There was decrease fin the num- Der of the convicts during the year from 32O9 to 2726, the number of convicts received during the year being only 1O53; 167 were recap turcd and 32 were returned from parole. To offset this 930 were dis charged; 4O7 were pardoned, 229 es- capped, 43 died and 126 were paroled.
 389 Serving First Sentence.
 Of those pardoned 3S9 were serv- ing their first sentence, 16 second term, and only two who were serv- ing third terms. In the matter ot age, 60 of those pardoned were un- der 20 and Ill were under 25.
 Of the pardoned ones 6S were bur glars, 54 forgers, 53 murderers, Fl robbers, 12 rapists, II footpads, 36 thieves, 5 hog thieves, 3 horse thieves had committed robbery from the person.
 Of the convicts 598 were mem bers of no church; Baptsts led with 184, Catholics 1S7, Methodists 74. Christian 28, Presbyterians 19, Luth- herans 4, Jews ?, Congregationalists l, Most of the Baptists went in dur ing November there being 30; Cath olics numbered 30 in July, while in March 16 Methodists were included, and both the Jews and the one Con- gregationalist also entered in March.
 300 Burglars Convicted.
 More burglars were convicted than those of any other crime, there having been 300 of them. Of ra- pists two were sent up for life and 38 for shorter terms; murderers numbered 103, those guilty of man slaughter 36 and those guilty of as sault to murder 43; forgers and those guilty of passing forged in struments 135; theft 155; cattle theft IS, hog theft 9, horse theft 25 theft from the person 8. robbery 22 robbery with firearms IT, bigamist numbered IT, four were convicted O disloyalty and of those pardoned were convicted of the same offense
 Of the new conyicts, 476 wer married, 542 were single, 28 were wi dowed and only six were divorced Of those pardoned 204 were married TIT were single, 15 were widowed and II were divorcees.
 Those of good education numbere' 382. of common education, 452, an 2l9 were classified as illiterate,
 76O Whites and AGA Negroes.
 As nearly as may be ascertainc from the report, there being no eX act statement, there. are 76O whit convicts in the prison, AGA negroe and 288 Mexicans. Only few o the 72 women convicts are white.
 There are 24 insane convicts con fined in the asylums, while at tn prison farm there are 108 tubercu lars. ss
 Most of the men sent up wer short-termers; 544 having less tha three years to serve. and the grea majority of them only two; the1 were 37 life-termers. Of those dis charged 586 were serving terms less than three years and of thos pardoned 156 served less than thre years.
 Of the occupations the farmer led with 257 and those of no occ, nations came next with 252; th cooks and walters numbered 102 an the chauffeurs 57. There were thre ministers in the lot, but no new uaper men. There were 16 hous' kaeners among the women.