Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 56, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 6, 1963 Page: 10 of 10
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Page 10
PALACIOS BEACON. PALACIOS, TEXAS
Thursday, June 6, 1963 t
Availability Of Firearms Big Reason
For Murders In U. S. Study Shows
B.v J. EDGAR HOOVER
Director, F. B. I.
The easy accessibility of fire-
arms is a significant factor in
murders committed in the United
States today. It is a problem which
the American public needs to ex-
amine closely. A recent study by
the FBI of willful killings in 19G2
shows why.
Of the 7,261 murders on which
details were reported under the
Uniform Crime Reporting Pro-
gram last year, 54 percent of the
victims were killed with guns, the
vast majority of which were hand
guns. In 18 states which have bare
minimum control laws over fire-
arms, 65 percent of the murders
were committed with guns. Many
states have restrictions of varying
degrees; however, in 7 states which
require a permit, or the equivalent
thereof, to purchase a hand gun,
42 percent of the murders were at- j
tributed to firearms as compared
to 58 percent for the other 43
states. Further, in two states
which have stringent laws on the
Final Rites Held For
Rev. Marvin H. Keen,
Former Local Pastor
Funeral services for the Rev.
Marvin Hindman Keen, retired min-
ister, were held at the First Metho-
dist Church in Port Lavaca, Mon-
day, June 3 at 2 p.m. with Dr. Will
Mathis Dunn of Kerrville officiat-
ing. He was assisted by the Rev.
L. U. Spellman of Kerrville, the
Rev. Horace King of San Antonio
and the Rev. Richard Ft. Lear of
Port Lavaca. Burial was in the
Port Lavaca Cemetery.
Rev. Keen, a former Methodist
minister here, served the Methodist
church in the Southwest Texas con-
ference for 46 years. He began his
Texas ministry in 1919 with his ap-
pointment to the First Methodist
Church in Cuero, transferring from
the Baltimore, Md. conference
where he had served for 12 years.
Born November 16, 1876, in Co-
lumbia, Ky. to the late Rev. and
Mrs. John Samson Keen, he was a
graduate of Vanderbilt University
in Nashville, Tenn. and of the
University of Texas. He died Fri-
day in the Champ Traylor Hospital
following a week's illness.
He is survived by his wife, two
sons, Marvin Spruce Keen of Cor-
pus Christi, Robert Earl Keen of
Houston; one daughter, Mrs. R. J.
Roemer of Port Lavaca and seven
grandchildren.
Y. 'Babe' Cornelius, 71,
Native Of Co., Buried
In Hawley Cemetery
Funeral services for Young
"Babe" Cornelius were held at 2
p.m. Sunday in the Taylor Broth-
ers Funeral Home in Bay City
with the Rev. Leslie LeGrand of-
ficiating. Interment was in the
Hawley Cemetery.
Born July 2, 1832, in Midfield,
he died Friday, May 31, in Mata-
gorda General Hospital after suf-
fering a heart attack on Thursday.
Survivors include three sisters,
Mrs. Helen Melbourne of Port La-
vaca, Mrs. Julia Taylor of Aztec,
N. Mex., Mrs. H. N. Grable of
Houston; six brothers Tom, Fred
and Jim Cornelius of Midfield; L.
L. of New Braunfels, Gene and
Foncie of Houston.
control of firearms, the figures for
1962 showed 32 percent of the mur-
ders were by gun.
Controlling the sale of hand
guns, of course, will not eliminate
all willful killings. In many in-
stances, if a gun is not available,
the killer resorts to other means.
However, those who claim that the
availability of firearms is not a
factor in murders in this country
are not facing reality.
Guns are by far the most lethal
weapons used in assaults to kill—
7 times more deadly than all other
weapons combined. Death to the
victims results in 21 percent of
such attacks where guns are used
whereas it occurs in only 3 per-
cent of assaults to kill with all
other weapons.
A review of the motives for
murder suggests that a readily ac-
cessible gun enables the perpetra-
tor to kill on impulse. With no such
weapon available, the killer's rage
subside and better judgment pre-
vail. And too, if the assault is made
with another weapon, it may not
be fatal since the victim has a
better opportunity to escape or to
defend himself against other wea-
pons.
True, hoodlums and criminal
gangs will obtain guns regardless
of controls. During 1962, there were
almost 700 felonious murders com-
mitted during the course of other
crimes, such as burglary and rob-
bery. This total also included
gangland slayings and juvenile
gang killings. Of this number, 52
percent were by gun. There were
39 juvenile gang killings, 19 of
which were by gun. Of the 112
law enforcement officers who died
from criminal action during the
last 3 years, 103 were murdcroc
with guns. Murders committed dur-
ing the commission of other
crimes will always be a problem.
Usually, hardened criminals are in-
volved. For these individuals, cer-
tain punishment is the only lang-
uage they understand. Mandatory
penalties, over and above the sent-
ence for the substantive offense,
for using a gun while committing
a felony should be a certainty.
No one blanket proposal or uni-
versal regulation will meet the
needs and requirements of all com-
munities. The numerous facets and
ramifications of gun control are
so varied and complex that regu-
latory measures must be at state
and local levels. It is only at these
levels that effective enforcement
efforts can be undertaken. Many
communities already have local
ordinances which protect the rights
of society without infringing on
the rights of individuals who pur-
chase guns for protection or le-
gitimate recreation and pleasure.
The questionable traffic in dead-
ly weapons in many sections of our
country is a disgrace. To my mind,
the public has a right to expect
that the distributor and the pur-
chaser of weapons so deadly and
easily concealed as hand guns must
meet certain regulations and quali-
fications.
The spotlight of public attention
should be focused on the easy ac-
cessibility of firearms and its in-
fluence on willful killings. Where
local controls and regulations exist,
they should be fully implemented.
Where there are none, measures
'should be taken to protect the
public's interest. Loss of human
lives cannot be rationalized—cer-
tainly not until all possible pre-
ventive action has been exhausted.
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DRESS UP
-IN-
MATCHED
PANTS and SHIRTS
PATTERNED FOR COMFORT, FIT
AND NEAT APPEARANCE
SUBSTANTIALLY MADE OF THE
BEST MATERIAL AVAILABLE
VAT DYE—SANFORIZED
GUARANTEED TO GIVE PERFECT
SATISFACTION IN EVERY WAY
INSIST
ON
THIS LABEL
FOR
QUALITY
BRANDON'S
Dry Goods, Notions, Shoes & Hats
minimi minimum
NBOW
FREE DELIVERY
PHONE 824-2616
PALACIOS, TEXAS
SPECIALS
GOOD FOR
Thursday,
Friday and
Saturday,
JUNE
6-7-8
DECKER'S SMOKED
(Sliced 29c lb.)
PICNICS iB. 27<
FRESH
WHITE ROCK DRINKS
NO DEPOSIT — 5 FLAVORS
0 Big 28-oz. Bottles $1H0O
PORK LIVER lb. 23< RINSO 0*6 512 99 c
SAMUEL'S ALL MEAT
BOLOGNA - lb. 39*
HOME MADE PURE PORK
PAN SAUSAGE «■ 45*
VEAL RIBS lb. 356
KRAFT
OIL
QUART
39*
evaporated
s.M I LIC -
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TALL CANS
DARI THRIFT MELLORINE ' gal. 39* 3 FOR $1
LB CAN
DRIP GRIND
U. S. NO. 1
PEACHES
LB. 15*
U. s. NO. 1
BELL PEPPERS lb, 10c
SUNKIST LEMONS lb. 15c
la
"balanced blend
25-LB. SACK
ALL PURPOSE
FLOUR
SNIPER'S CATSUP 64 oz B0TIlES s1.00
ALL FLAVORS
JELL0 GELATIN 3-oz. 3 for 29c
m'
NO. 303 CANS
LIBBY'S FRUIT COCKTAIL 2 (or 45c
DOLE 29-OZ. CANS
Pineapple-Grapefruit Juice 5for$1
GREEN GIANT NO. 303 CANS
WHOLE KERNEL CORN 2 for 35c
GOLD STANDARD
SALMON - No. I Can - 59c
ALMA NO. 300 CANS
SHOESTRING POTATOES 5 for 49c
SLICED OR CHIPPED NO. 300 CAN
FRITO BARBECUE BEEF - 65c
DELTA SYRUP - 12-oz. - 23c
—HOUSEHOLD NEEDS—
18" x 25'
ALCOA ALUMINUM FOIL - 59c
SARAN WRAP 12" x 25' 29c
LYSOL DISENFECTANT Med. 49c
PUREX - ^-Gallon - 37c
12-OZ. BOMB
AIR WICK AIR FRESHENER 39c
DOESKIN TISSUE - 4 rolls 43c
SCOT TOWELS Reg. 2 for 39c
SILVER DUST Large Pkg. 33c
Miracle
Whip
QUART JAR
49c
^PEABS
NO. 303 CANS
2 49*
SOUR, DILL OR KOSHER DILL
AMER!TAMPJICKyES Quart 29c
KRAFT APPLE JELLY 18-oz. 29c
32-OZ. SIZE
SIOUX BEE EXTRACT HONEY 65c
WHITE FROST OR CHOCOLATE
SWEL - - 12-oz. Can - 33c
WHIITE, DEVIL'S FOOD OR GOLDEN
BETTY CROCKER CAKE MIX 33c
BLUE RIBBON RICE - 2 lbs. 33c
AMERICAN BEAUTY 7-OZ. PKG
SPAGHETTI DINNER - 2 for 33c
AMERICAN BEAUTY
MACARONI 7-oz. 2 pkgs. 23c
AMERICAN BEAUTY
EGG NOODLES 10-oz. Pkg. 25c
HEINZ GLASS
STRAINED BABY FOOD 6 for 59c
REAL KILL SPRAY
REAL KILL BOMB
Quart
14-oz.
89c
79c
SPRY
3-LB. CAN
69&
—FROZEN FOODS—
FROSTY ACRES WAFFLES 2 for 25c
YOUR CHOICE
SWANSON'S TV DINNERS - 59c
— DAIRY PRODUCTS-
KRAFT
PURE ORANGE JUICE Quart 45c
KRAFT—REG. OR SLICED lO-OZ. PKG.
HALF-MOON L0NGH0RN - 49c
OLSON TWIN ROLL BUTTER lb. 73c
%
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Dismukes, Jesse V. Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 56, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 6, 1963, newspaper, June 6, 1963; Palacios, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth411769/m1/10/: accessed June 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Palacios Library.