Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-08-31
A. Report on Public Morals.
This Report was made at the Green
vile Baptist Association on Au-
gust II BY DR.. w. L. Nc
Glothlin, President of
Furman University.

It is difficult to be optimistic and
happy when one studies the public
morals of the present time. The dis
integrating power of war has caused
an increase of crime throughout the
civilized world, and America not
withstanding our previous pre-
eminence in crime, has shared to the
full in this "crime wave" While
statistics to support the allegation
are not at hand it is believed that
crime was never more rampant in
America than it has been the last
three or four years.
Americas evil p~re-eminenee in
crime can be seen by a glance at
some police figures of Great Brit
ain as compared with some of our
American cities. For example the
total number of homicides for Eng
land, Scotland and Wales with 49,
I, OOO, 900 people were in 1917 only
2O9, while the city of Washington
had "a, Detroit ga, Chicago 253,
and New York 236. I have not the
figures at hand, but it is almost GER
tain that South Carolina had more
homicides that year than all of Great
Britain. Again there were in Eng
land, Scotland and Wales in 1917,
1926 burglaries, while in New York
city alone there were $3.50. During
the same year the great city of Lon
don had only 2,164 burglaries. In
robberies u criminality is still more
striking. In 1915 New York had 83S
robberies while all England, Scot
land and Wales had only 102. In 19-
IT New York had 1854 and London
with a larger population had only3S.
Take automobile thefts: In 1919 New
York had 5,527, Chicago 4,316, and
all England, Scotland and Wales had
only 29O. This great disparity as to
automobile. thefts can be accounted
for in part by the difference in the
number of machines operated at the
different cities, but it by no means
explains all. +.
Coming, closer home, let US see
from the court records of 1920, as
published by the office of the Attor-
ney General some of the conditions
in South Carolina. In that year ap-'
proximately 240 persons were tried
in the General Sessions court for
man-slaughter and murder. This
number does not of ourse include
all the cases of homicide. Of those
tried approximately $50 were con-
victed. Taking the state as a whole
about one half of the cases of homi-
eide which come to trial resulted i
convictions, but the great majority
of these we're for man-slaughter and
not for murder. After a study of the
figures given out by the office of the
Attorney General I am convinced
that the man charged with murder
is more likely to escape than the man
charged with any other crime what
soever.
Take the court statistics for
'Greenville county for the year 1920
as classified by the county clerk:
Assault with intent to kill: not
guilty A; guilty %; total 26.
Car breaking: guilty 1.
Ca r ying ce aled weapons:
guilty Is.
Forgery: not guilty 1; guilty 2; to-
tai 8.
HOUSEKEEPING: not guilty 1; guilty
Ia; total Id.
Larceny: not guilty 6; guilty a.;
mistrial 8; total So.
Murder: not guilty 6; guilty L;
total s.
Obtaining goods under false pre-
lenses: guilty 1; total 1.
Rape: not guilty 2; total 2.
Receiving stolen goods: not guilty
/; total 1.
Violation of dispensary law: not
guilty L; guilty 43; total "A.
Adultery: guilty g..
Using auto without consent: not
guilty l.
Operated bawdy house: guilty..
Non-support of wife and children:
guilty 8.
Swindling: guilty 2.
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