Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 101, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 August 1908 — TEMPERANCE CRUSADE [ARTICLE]

TEMPERANCE CRUSADE

Indiana Courts Were Less Busy Than Usual in 1907 and Burglary Greatly Diminished.

Criminal business in the Indiana courts in 1907 was not so heavy as that of 1906, according to a report which has just been completed by the chief of the Indiana bureau of statistics. The total number of convictions obtained on criminal charges in county courts, justice of peace courts and mayors’ and city judges' courts in 1907 was 31,416. The total number in 1906 was 41,711. Certain changes in the form of the reports on court business this year make it practically impossible to compare in detail the court proceedings of 1907 with those of previous years. Up until this year, for example, felonies and misdemeanors have not been separated in the reports. This - year this classification is made and in addition there are sub-classes. Heretofore, for example, grand larceny cases and petit larceny cases have been reported under the head of larceny. This year they are separated. And in other ways there is more detailed information this year. In misdemeanor cases the number in which there were fines alone and the number in which there were prison sentences and prison sentences and fines are given. It is possible, however, to com-

pare the number of conviction* on some charges with those of previous years There were only five convictions on the charge of bigamy this year, as against nine, last year. There were 77 convictions for burglary tais year, while the number in 1906 was 248. It is noticeable that out of 30 arrests on charge of perjury this year there was only one conviction. The number of arrests on important felony charges during the last year were: Grand larceny, 205; petit larceny, 646; assault and battery with intent, 244; burglary, 89; murder, 63, and perjury, 30. The number of white persons arrested and tried on felony charges in county courts in 1907 was 1,462. The number of colored persons waa 113, and the number of foreign bom 91. The total number of convictions in county courts in 1907 was 3,287; the number in mayor’s and city judges’ courts was 15,082 and the number in justice of the peace courts 14,047. The number who were fined, on)>, in mayor’s and city judges’ courts was 12,566; the number prisoned only 945; and the number fined and imprisoned 1,671. The number fined, only, in justice of the l eace courts was 19,908; the number imprisoned, only, 742, and the number fined and imprisoned 397.