The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-20
WHY MURDERS MULTIPLY

In connection with the increase III murders a recent report of the Metro politan Life Insurance Company, of New York, which investigated the subject of homicide in this country through being called upon in 1923 to pay in death claims nearly three-quarters of mill lion dollars because of such crimes, is en- Tightening. It found that there are far more homicides in the United States in proportion to population than in almost any other country in the world; about six times as many, for example, as in Canada. All of which is we'll known. In seeking what is reasonably assumed to be one of the chief causes of so shock ing a situation, the company concluded that failure of the courts to impose de- terrent penalty is the answer.
 Without arguing the merits or de- merits of capital punishment as a pre- ventive of murder, it is interesting to note the results of the insurance com pany's investigations. Out of 146 homi- cides cases occurring among the com pany's policy-holders, of 446 about which satisfactory information was available, taken at random and fairly representa- tive of the thousands annually occurring in this country, thirty-two were "jusifia- ble homicides" committed presumably in self-defense Of the remaining IA, there were indictments in 69 cases. There was not sufficient evidence to warrant indict- ment in eight cases. In twenty-two cases the murderers committed suicide, In fif- teen cases those who committed the crimes were never apprehended.
 Worse than all this, of the sixty-nine indictments eleven were never brought to trial. There was acquittal in sixteen cases; in one there was a mistrial. Ot the forty-one convictions in the 146 cases, thirty-five persons are serving prison sentences, with appeals yet to be decided in six cases. Three are held pending appeal for new trials; one es- capped with a fine, one was parolsd, and only one out of the 146 slayers suffered the death penalty. According to The Washington Posts conclusion, eff man kills another without justification, the chances are about even that he will never be brought to trial for it, and are more than two to one that he will not be convicted and punished in any way; ant they are 11S to l against his suffering the death penalty"
 These results indicate lamentable fail ure in the administration of justice un- der the law. They create temptation to commit crimes calling for capital punish ment by the removal of fear. The record shows that the slayers run very little risk of paying the penalty as prescribed by law. Aside from the wisdom or folly of capital punishment, and without consid- ering any ethical aspect involved, 1t should be made an effective deterrent penalty if it is to be retained on the statute books, and should not be permitted to become such joke as to remove it 1GdT Oh IHS Pd1L OA IhS Yet this is the inevitable result of its imposition upon only one case in 146 of manslaughter, and in only one out of IA cases of first degree murder.
 One hundred and thirteen to one does not even approach Sporting chance for the law. Says The Washington Post "A ten years term, with hundred tc one chance of its being vigorously i'm posed, would probably be stronger de- terrent than capital punishment with 2 hundred to one chance of it's not being imposed" It is the fear of prompt and certain punishment that restraints the criminal element more than any other influence. When there are small chances of apprehension and escape from paying the penalties, there will be decided de crease in crime, regardless of whether ol not capital punishment is imposed. Ont hundred and thirteen to one will never do it.