Henderson daily dispatch., 1937-01-18
GROWTH OF GANGS BLAMED
FOR RISE IN STATE CRIME
In the Sir Walter Hotel.
Daily Dispatch bureau,
Bv HENRY AVERILL.
Rv HE]

Raleigh, Jan. 18-GrOwth of gangs
and the gangster spirit is responsible
for the alarming increase in murders
in North Carolina within the past
few years, it is shown in a report by
Edwin Gill, commissioner of paroles,
entitled Executive Clemency in Re
lations to Capital Punishment"
The report shows that Al out of SO
persons cc~v'ctod of ccpital crime
during the En4 4ng iiaus administration
were sentenced for participation in
but fifteen crimes.
This tendency toward the commits
sion of capital felonies by groups is
largely responsible for the amazing
Increase in the number of capital fell
onies xxx they are undoubtedly at
tri5utable to the gang spirit so pre-
valent in recent years" says the re-
port.
Mr.. Gill gives a comprehensive
analysis of the history of the 88 cap
tal felons whose cases were consid
cred by Governor Ehringhaus and
clearly states the chief executives APP
prOach to the cases.
Respect for Law Sought
THE governor has granted Gle
nency only in those cases in which
ne thought such action would in
crease respect for law. In showing
mercy he has kept in mind the funda-
mental fact that capital punishment
IS a drastic remedy designed to deter
mankind from the commission of our
most atrocious crimes" the report
concludes.
80 Percent COMMITTED
Accompanying figures show that
Governor Ehringhaus granted COM
mutation of the death sentence to al
most exactly one out of three convict
I'd felons, the exact figures being 20
combinations and SO executions out
If SO cases. This was a much smaller
percentage than in any previous adj
ministratiOn. Two Governors Craig
and MOrrison) committed more death
sentences than they permitted to be
executed, Governor Craig committing
The exact number as Ehringhaus
while letting only II men go to their
som.
Despite the tremendous increase
in capital felonies, however, Com
missioner Gill expressed no more
alarm than over the increase in Grim
NAL commitments generally"
May Be Permanent Problem
This period has been described as
L crisis. Perhaps this designation is
Inaccurate, for it may be that we
are facing a situation of such an ex-
tended and aggravated nature as to
constitute a permanent problem" the
report says.
The governors reasons for extend
ing clemency in the 20 cases were:
Extreme youth 2; extreme mental de-
ficiency 3; No serious injury done
Call the first degree burglary cases.;
and Doubt as to guilt or degree of
guilt II.
"The clemency office has held to
the principle that the place for trial
of capital felons is in the courts"
says the report.
Mostly Native Tar Heels
Analysing histories of the SO con-
victed felons, Mr. Gill dispels the
"hazy idea" that our capital crimes
are committed by the gangster ele-
ment run out of New York and Chi
cago or by undesirable aliens. He
shows that out of 88, IA were North
Carolnians by birth and IL others
from nearby Southern states. One was
from New Jersey Che was granted a
complete pardon when shown to have
been innocen0, and only one was for
eign-born.
Only one of the 88 had attended col
lege, going through the second year,
while the average education extended
only just beyond the third grade
Twentyfour were illiterates. Approx
imately AZ per cent had practically no
education
The youngest capital felon was IS
and the oldest was IS. The average
age was 287.
AS to race, 20 were white, SO colored
and / Indian. All but one were men.
Sixty were unable to employ counsel
at their trial, II appealed as paupers,
IL did not appeal at all and only 5
gave bond.
After execution approximately IS
per cent of the bodies were turned