The news in this publi
cation is released for the
press on receipt.
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
NEWS LETTER
Published Weekly by the
University of North Caro
lina for the University Ex
tension Division.
MAY 19, 1926
CHAPEL HILL, N C.
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS
VOL. XII, NO. 27
Edllorial Board. E. C. Branaon, S. H. Hobba. Jr.. L. R. Wilaon. E. W. Kniaht. D. D. Carroll. J. B. Bullitt, H. W. Odum.
Entered as aecond-claaa matter November 14, 1914, at the Poatollice at Chapel Hill, N. C.. under the act of Auuuat 24. 1912
INDICTMENTS FOR HOMICIDE
Elsewhere in this issue is a table rank-
ing the counties according to the num
ber of indictments for homicide per
100,000 inhabitants (1920 census) during
the two years ending June 30, 1925.
Those interested in comparing these
rates with homicide rates outside of
North Carolina should divide by two to
get the annual rate.
Veteran readers of the News Letter
will recall a somewhat similar study
appearing in the News Letter for De
cember 8, 1915. It is interesting to note
that the rankings of the counties then
and now correspond quite closely.
The reader should bear in mind that
these figures are not for the number of
murders occurring, but are for the num
ber of indictments for murder and man
slaughter, For the smaller counties
there are not cases enough to make
reliable comparisons.
Taking the figures as they stand we
find the worst section to be Robeson
and the adjoining counties of Scotland,
Hoke, and Cumberland. The indictment
rate for the Croatan Indians is 131,
thirteen of the 91 indictments in the
four above mentioned counties being
against them. The indictment rate for
negroes is higher than for whites. A
table which appears elsewhere compares
the various sections of the state and
rates for whites and negroes. The in
dictment rate for homicides for whites
was 16 per 100,000 whites. The rate
for negroes was 65 pet 100,000 negroes.
Thus we see that, whether or not
negroes commit murder and man
slaughter three times as often as whites,
they are indicted for such misdeed three
times as often. It should be remem
bered that some homicides result in no
indictment while others result in two or
more indictments.
Of the 712 indictments for the two
year period, 424 resulted in convictions.
Of the convicted, 22 paid the death pen
alty and 195 were sentenced to prison
for terms of five years or more. The
other 227 convicted got off more lightly.
Of course, some manslaughter sentences
were for accidental deaths resulting
from criminal negligence on the parr of
the person convicted. In other cases
light sentences were imposed on the
accomplices of the munlerer.
How do these figures compare with
the total number of homicides occurring
in the state as distinguished from in
dictments for homicide"' The bureau of
vital statistics, reports 560 homicides for
the two years ending December 31, 1924.
(This is the minimum number, since
often homicides occur which are un
reported.) In addition, there were
deaths from undetermined violence.
This is a homicide rate of 21.7 per 100,-
■ 000 over a two-year period. The rate
for the United States for those same
two years was 20.1 per 100,000 popula-
tion.
The United States is a murderous
nation and North Carolina is a murder
ous state. Human life is held mighty
lightly in a state that experiences such
a large number of killings annually.
We get very much wrought up when
the state takes a life, but it might be
well to remember that out of every one
hundred indictments for homicide only
three pay the death penalty, and less
than 28 percent result in convictions
carrying prison sentences of five years
or more. The chances are in favor of a
light sentence, even when convicted for
homicide.
for an area of some 60 square miles; it
is on a good highway within miles of
Murphy, the terminus of two railroads;
and about 100 miles from the markets of
Asheville, Knoxville and Atlanta. Its
greatest asset is its citizenship, a strong
group of small farmers with a high repu
tation for integrity. Ninety-seven per
cent are land-owners. Their desire for
school which will help the country’ is
partially indicated by the following
pledges made by 116 citizens: Over
in cash; locust posts; telephone
poles, building logs;building stone;fire
wood; native shrubs, trees and bulbs.
In the first three years of the school,
1,495 days of labor, 397 with team.
Yearly, 388 days’ labor are pledged with
out time limit. In addition to this list,
about 30 acres of excellent land has
been pledged.” This spirit of coopera
tion on the part of these farmers spells
success for the experiment from the
beginning and the results will be
watched with much interest.
As one of the initial steps in this
enterprise is cooperation, a Savings
and Loan Association has been organ
ized to encourage thrift and provide a
source of production credit for the farm
ers of this community. At the initial
meeting 16 men and women joined and
subscribed 18 shares of stock, and the
following officials were elected: Mr.
J. 0. Penland, President; James Clayton,
Vice-President; Miss Margaret Butler,
Secretary, Mr. John Deal, Treasurer.
This is the first Savings and Loan
Association to be organized in this sec
tion of North Carolina, and its success
will demonstrate to the farmers of
southwestern North Carolina the benefits
to be derived through a cooperative
financial enterprise.—Market News.
IN THE OLD NORTH STATE
The renaissance of Dixie is nowhere
so marked as it is in North Carolina,
whose story is told today in The Sun.
For ten years the nation has been watch
ing this state clear with one great bound
the morass of fifty years of poverty and
depression to reach the level plain of a
new century of promise and achieve
ment.
There are those who say that good
schools have worked the transition.
Others point to thousands of miles of
good roads and still others talk in terms
of hydroelectric power. But perhaps
they are nearer correct who go behind
figures and statistics and point to
courageous men who lifted themselves
up by their own bootstraps and pulled
their state with them—men who worked
out their own destinies, and in doing so
led their people out of the depths by
teaching them the value of bard work
and by inspiring them to success.
Duke and Reynolds, with a few mules
and a few pounds of tobacco, laid the
foundations of a great industry. Others
of their stamp set up the small mills in
the cotton fields, and today New England
must look to her laurels as the textile
leader of the country. Governors like
Aycock and Morrison dotted the state
with schoolhouses and lined it with
modern highways. Another of the Dukes
harnessed the streams from the moun
tains to move the wheels of the tobacco
and cotton factories.
Yes, North Carolina has reason to be
proud of her accomplishment, and even
more so because she has played the
hand alone and achieved her goal by
the vision and toil of her own sons.
New York Sun.
KNOW NORTH CAROLINA
As Florida Sees Us
What another great state, the de-
velopment of which has amazed the
world, thinks of North Carolina, is
shown in the following from the Palm
Beach, Fla., Times:
In all the splendid renaissance of
the South today there are two south
ern states which stand forth as the
first and foremost flowers of this re
birth. And in the case of each of
them the secret of their mighty suc
cess is the coupling of good govern
ment and good roads and good people
with natural blessings of climate and
resource.
This is the tie that binds Florida
and North Carolina today in mutual
help and admiration and understand
ing. Floridians have been told of
many beautiful places to spend the
summer but the great majority of
those who are persuaded to spend it
anywhere else than in their own
comfortable summer climate are ap
parently resolved upon North Caro
lina.
North Carolina today is experienc
ing a development and an increase in
population and values which, in many
respects, compares to that of Florida.
This development is in some measure
the reflection of Florida’s own vast
progress but it could not have oc
curred without much to offer on its
own part. There are, of course,
other summer lands of charm and
beauty but none so accessible to the
people of the South or to the pros
perity which has recently come to
those people. But North Carolina is
more than this. It is already one of
the first agricultural and industrial
states in the Union. Its manufac
tures of furniture rank second only
to those of Michigan; its tobacco
growth is the greatest in America;
its cotton mills rival in size and num
ber those of Massachusetts; its min
eral resources, timber, and water
power are assets of untold value.
And it has established for itself an
integrity of government, an educa
tional system, and a network of
highways which have secured and
enlarged all of its national blessings.
But, what is most important of all,
North Carolina has people. People
of refinement, of public spirit, of
kindness, of perseverance, and daunt
less ability. In these people all of
the graces and background of the
old South are linked with all the
promise and vitality of the new.
can be made effective by Congress or
legislature. ”
Mr. Beveridge’s speech is the plain
statement of a man who feels strongly
about American conditions. The Crime
Commission might well consider his
views.—New York Sun.
Company has endeavored to discover
what police and judicial action follows
homicide cases among its policyholders.
Facts are now available for the subse
quent action in 611 homicides among
policyholders of this Company in the
years 1922 to 1924. At least one year
was allowed to elapse before inquiries
were sent to prosecuting attorneys of
i counties in the United States. In the
HHMirtnF AND I AW '
nuniLlllC. ACTW 1-/1 w ' fiable homicides, where persons were
During 1925, in Continental United killed by officers of the law while resist-
States about 10,100 homicides occurred, ing arrest or while in the act of com-
This death-toll is more than fourteen ' mitting crime, left 625 assailants
times the figure which would have pre-, answerable to the law for taking human
vailed if the experience of England and ; life. It developed that 54 assailants
Wales had occurred in this country! The committed suicide and 13 died
city of Chicago alone, with a population , arraignment. Of the remaining 458
close to the 3,000,000 mark, had more than ' assailants, 84, or 18. 3 percent, had not
twice the number of homicides in one : been apprehended within one year a^er
recent year than occurred in the whole ■ the crime had been committed . Ihe
of England and Wales with its popula- 374 cases actually apprehended show an
tionof nearly 40,000,000! The homicide ' interesting after-history at the hands
rate for the United States is six times! of the law. There were released by
that for Canada, our neighbor on the I magistrates or grand juries, 108 per-
: sons against whom no case could be
" No one can face complacently these i made, and eight were declared insane,
startling and disparaging figures. The i There were actually brought to trial 268
American public ought to know why ' cases or 56.3 percent out of an original
and under what circumstances so many group of 468 living assailants. In 62
thousands of lives are sacrificed to the ] cases the defendants were acquitted, and
homicidal impulse and what is being! nine cases were still pending one par
done to effect prompt and just disposi-, after the commission of the crinae. A
I tion of the cases presented to the prose-; verdict of guilty was rendered m 187
cuting attorneys of our counties. On j cases, of which 170 were senteped to
' the first point, a number of efforts are [ prison tor terms of varying length,
under wav by various agencies and com-; eight cases were sentenced to death
missions to study the circumstances (seven executed and one case on appeal)
which lead to so many crimes against, and nine were released, either on
the security of persons. On the second ; suspended sentence or by being fined !-
point, the Metropolitan Life Insurance j M. L. Ins. Co.. Statistical Bulletin.
INDICTMENTS FOR HOMICIDE
In North Carolina, 1923 to 1925
In the following table the counties are ranked according to the number of
indictments in superior courts for homicide per 100,000 population for the two-
year period ending June 30, 1926. The second column gives the number of in
dictments for homicide for each county during the two-year period.
Ten counties reported no indictments for homicide for the two-year period.
Mitchell had the highest rate, 124 per 100,000 population. Robeson reported the
largest number with 43 indictments for killings.
State total, 712 indictments for homicide for the two-year period ending
June 30, 1925.’ State two-year rate, 27 indictments for homicide per 100,000
population.
Ethel Crew, Northampton county, F. S. Wilder, New Hampshire.
Institute for Research in Social Science, University of North Carolina.
Indictments Number of Indictments Number of
Rank County per 100,000 indictments | Rank County per 100,000 indictments
inhabs.
FOLK SCHOOL EXPERIMENT
There has recently been established m
the Bi^asstown community of Cherokee
and Clay counties what is known as the
John C. Campbell Folk School, modeled
after the Folk High School of Den
mark, which is characterized as ‘‘an
experiment in adult education.” Accord
ing to the Danish conception, “education
is not a process to be measured by aca
demic grades and degrees. The humble
tasks of farm, shop and home have a
cultural value more fundamental than
that of books. Education should not
discredit such labor but should give it
meaning, breadth and depth.”
Brasstown, North Carolina, was se
lected for this experiment because it
is “a section poor, but capable of agri
cultural development, a natural center
in 1924). Immediately in lower line
came Birmingham, Savannah, and New
Orleans. All these are Southern cities.
In number of homicides Chicago
topped the list—563 (509 in 1924; rate
18.8 against 17.6). New York came
next—374, a decrease from the 387 of j
1924. Third was Detroit—243.
No murders occurred in Newton,
Holyoke, Haverhill, and Salem, Mass.,
or in Manchester, N. H. These cities
range in population from 60,000 to 80,-
000.—Time, The Weekly News Maga
zine.
MURDERS IN THE U. S.
“The economic loss to the nation
from the 12,000 murders in the United
States in 1925 was very serious.”
Thus Frederick L. Hoffman, consulting
statistician to the Prudential Life In
surance Company of America, last
week; and further: “The evidence
(after comparing the U. S. murder
rate of 11.1 per 100,000 for 1925 with
the 10.8 rate for 1924) extending over a
long period of years is quite conclusive
that the'normal American rate is now
approximately twice as high as the
corresponding rate for Italy, often re
ferred to as the classic land for murder.
Jacksonville, Florida, ranked highest
in rate last year—72.3 per 100,000 (68.8
in 1924); Memphis next with 69.0 (69.7
BEVERIDGE ON CRIME
Former Senator Albert J. Beveridge
is one of the students of the crime wave
who refuses to attribute it to the back
wash of war. In proof he points to
England, Germany, Italy, and France,
where war hit more heavily but where
there is far less law breaking than
exists in our own country.
Mr. Beveridge, in his speech this
morning to the lawyers assembled in
Texarkana, blamed conditions here upon
the deluge of laws and the evils of
bureaucracy- “Everybody is so inter
fered with by impracticable legisla
tion,” he said, “that a public psychol
ogy of antagonism to all law has been
created.” There undoubtedly is a good
deal in this; the mass mind of a country
may be like the mind of a child who,
loaded with too many and too involved
tasks at school, throws his books and
slate in the ditch and plays hookey.
The Indiana statesman is right when
he says that while the Commandments
which forbid a man to wrong his neigh
bor can be translated into statute laws
against murder, theft and perjury,
“not a line of the Sermon on the Mount
1 Ashe 0
1 Camden 0
1 Currituck 0
1 Dare 0
1 Davie 0
1 Graham 0
1 Hyde i 0
1 Jones 0
1 Onslow 0
1 Yancey 0
11 Iredell 6
11 Person 5 1
13 Hertford 6 1
14 Montgomery 7 1
16 Alexander 8 1
16 Macon 8 1
16 Sampson 8 3
18 Alamance 9 3
18 Burke 9 ^
18 Rowan 9 ^
i 18 Warren 9 2
22 Bladen 10 2
22 Caldwell 10 '••2
22 Johnston 10 6
26 Polk 11 1
26 Cabarrus 12 4
26 Catawba 12 4
28 Caswell 13 2
28 Rutherford 13 4
30 Davidson 14 5
31 Jackson 16 2
33 New Hanover 16 6
31 Surry 15 6
34 Wayne 16 7
36 Bertie 17 4
36 Chatham 17 4
36 Lincoln 17 3
36 Orange 17 3 ■
39 Anson 18 5
89 Perquimans 18 2
39 Rockingham 18 8
39 Washington 18 2
43 Carteret 19 3
44 Cleveland 20 7
44 Columbus 20 6
44 Madison 20 4
44 Pender 20 3
48 Durham 21 9
48 Harnett 21 6
48 Tyrrell 21 1
inhabs.
61 Franklin 22 6
61 Granville 22 6
51 Pamlico 22 2
51 Transylvania.. 22 2
56 Pasquotank.... 23 4
66 Randolph 23 7
65 Swain 23 3
68 McDowell 24 4
58 Yadkin 24 4
60 Beaufort 26 8
60 Buncombe 26 17
60 Cherokee 26 4
60 Vance. 26 6
64 Richmond 27 7
65 Gates 28 3
65 Guilford 28 22
66 Wilkes 28 9
68 Martin 29 6
68 Stokes 29 6
70 Halifax 30 13
70 Northampton.. 30 7
70 Watauga 30 4
73 Greene 31 5
74 Forsyth 33 26
74 Gaston 33 17
74 Pitt 33 16
77 Craven 34 10
78 Stanly 36 10
79 Moore 37 8
79 Wake 37 28
81 Union 39 14
82 Alleghany 41 3
83 Mecklenburg.. 42 34
84 Duplin 43 13
86 Henderson 44 8
86 Lee 46 6
87 Brunswick 47 7
88 Lenoir 60 15
89 Haywood 61 12
90 Edgecombe.... 53 20
91 Wilson 64 20
92 Avery 58 6
93 Nash 63 26
94 Cumberland... 71 26
96 Chowan 75 8
96 Scotland 77 12
97 Robeson 79 43
98 Hoke 94 H
99 Clay 107 5
100 Mitchell 124 14
Indictments for Homicides for Two Years Ending June 30,1925.
North ‘Carolina 28
26 Tidewater counties 25
26 Plain and Sandhill counties,
26 Piedmont counties 22
26 Mountain counties ..
Rate per
100,000
total pop.
9fl
White rate
per 100,000
white
16
Negro rate
per 100,000
negroes
,..65
9f;
13
41
s 37
18
61
22
12
61
25
22
61