Murder Bookkeeping

Having measured the height of the "crime wave," and collected figures on the business of murder for 1927, Dr. Frederick Ludwig Hoffman, consulting statistician for the Prudential Insurance Co. of America, last fortnight indicted many a middle-sized U. S. city. The highest homicide rates (per 100,000 inhabitants) were found in:

Memphis, Tenn. 69.3

Birmingham, Ala. 63.1

Charlotte, N. C. 55.5

Jacksonville, Fla. 54.1

Atlanta, Ga. 43.4

Miami, Fla. 40.1

East St. Louis, Ill. 39.7

Chicago thugs became fewer or less successful in comparison with 1926 records. The rate decreased from 16.7 to 13.13. New York (with a rate of 6.1) was better than Philadelphia, whose ratio was 8.4. Boston's score was almost exemplary, 3.9.