Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/711

 PUNISHMENT TO FIT THE CRIME 697

number of murders in any one year of this period was 10,652, in 1896. The largest number of lynchings was 235, in 1892. The largest number of legal executions was 132, in 1894, and again in 1895. 1 1886 there were 1,449 murders and 83 legal execu- tions 17 of the former to I of the latter. In 1896 the ratio was 87 to i ; in 1898, 72 to i; and in 1899, 50 to i. The ratio for the whole period was 56 to I. In 1899 there were 6,225 murders and homicides, 107 lynchings, and 131 legal executions. In 1898 there were 7,840 murders and homicides, 127 lynch- ings, and 109 legal executions. 1 As compared with previous years, there was a marked decrease in the number of murders in 1898 and 1899, which may have been due to the excitement of war. A similar decrease has been noticed before in time of war. Notwithstanding the decrease of the last two years, the annual number of murders at the end of thi period of fourteen years under review is more than four times as great as at the begin- ning ; the number of legal executions only one and a half times as great. During the same period the population has increased about 25 per cent. We have no means of testing these statis- tics of the Chicago Tribune, but, after making a liberal allow- ance for the incompleteness of returns, especially for the earlier years, there can be no doubt that the increase in the number of murders is out of all proportion both to the number of legal executions and to the population.

It is true that the death penalty is forbidden in five states (Maine, Rhode Island, Colorado, Michigan, and Wisconsin), but even this does not account for the failure of legal execu- tions to keep pace with the increase in the number of murders. The legislative action of these five states does prove, however, that there is a large class of persons who represent a public opinion that is more and more opposed to the punishment of the murderer by simply killing him. There is another class of persons to whom the most brutal murderer is the hero of the hour, provided he shows "nerve;" and the greater the outrage he has committed, the more he is glorified. He is made the

"In 1900 there were 8,275 murders and homicides, 115 lynchings, and 119 legal executions 70 murders to i legal execution.