The following tables show the number of offences dealt with by the authorities during the five years ending with 1882 (the charges, of which only a small number have been reported, being omitted):—

The total number of crimes reported under the head of "indictable offences"—namely, Sessions and Assizes cases—the number apprehended, and how dealt with, will be gathered from the following summary:—

Year. Crimes. Apprehended. Com. for trial.
1878 1746 495 349
1879 1358 474 399
1880 1187 451 340
1881 1343 435 351
1882 1467 515 401
NATURE OF CRIME. Number of Offences Reported.
1878. 1879 1880. 1881. 1882.
Murder 11 11 5 5 4
Shooting, wounding,stabbing, &c. 30 23 8 21 28
Manslaughter 4 3 13 6 8
Rape, assaults with intent, &c. 6 1 1 9 4
Bigamy 8 0 1 4 7
Assaults on peace officers 0 4 0 1 2
Burglary, housebreaking, &c. 6 112 80 83 131
Breaking into shops, &c. 4 94 56 109 120
Robbery -- 9 6 10 9
Larcenies (various) 1146 959 845 935 931
Receiving stolen goods 22 3 16 8 6
Frauds and obtaining by false pretences 63 45 53 37 69
Forgery and uttering forged instruments 5 9 5 4 9
Uttering, &c., counterfeit coin 48 32 43 37 63
Suicide (attempting) 20 17 19 16 23

The following are the details of the more important offences dealt with summarily by the magistrates during the last five years:—

OFFENCES PUNISHABLE BY JUSTICES. Number of persons proceeded against.
1878. 1879. 1880. 1881. 1882.
Assaults (aggravated) on women and children 78 57 68 37 67
Assaults on peace-officers, resisting, &c. 479 390 340 340 385
Assaults, common 1554 1242 1293 1207 1269
Breaches of peace, want of sureties, &c. 426 381 287 219 244
Cruelty to animals 154 77 129 128 94
Elementary Education Act, offences against 1928 2114 1589 1501 1755
Employers and Workshops Act, 1875 224 198 185 155 154
Factory Acts 12 2 17 11 62
Licensing Acts offences 267 263 132 254 297
Drunkenness, drunk and disorderly 2851 2428 2218 2345 2443
Lord's Day offences 46 4 1 0 0
Local Acts and Bye-laws, offences against 4327 4327 4127 3702 3603
Malicious and wilful damage 187 163 163 214 225
Public Health Act, smoke, etc. 317 172 104 104 161
Poor Law Acts, offences against 203 220 251 243 325
Stealing or attempts (larcenies) 1094 1222 1434 1253 1235
Vagrant Act, offences under 614 622 624 611 783
Other offences 214 174 172 211 386

The following are the totals of the summary offences for the same period, and the manner in which they were disposed of:—

Year. Cases. Convicted. Fined.
1878 16,610 12,767 8,940
1879 14,475 10,904 7,473
1880 13,589 9,917 6,730
1881 13,007 9,468 6,412
1882 13,788 10,171 6,372

Similar statistics for 1883 have not yet been made up, but a return up to December 31 of that year shows that the number of persons committed during the year to the Borough Gaol, or as it is now termed, her Majesty's Prison at Winson Green, were 3,044 males and 1,045 females from the borough, and 1,772 males and 521 females from districts, making a total of 6,382 as against 6,565 in 1882. In the borough 734 males and 198 females had been committed for felony, 1,040 males and 290 females for misdemeanour, 707 males and 329 females for drunkenness, and 243 males and 121 females for vagrancy. Of prisoners sixteen years old and under there were 193 males and 21 females.

Noteworthy Men of the Past.—Though in the annals of Birmingham history the names of very many men of note in art, science, and literature, commerce and politics, are to be found, comparatively speaking there are few of real native origin. Most of our best men have come from other parts, as will be seen on looking over the notices which follow this. Under the heading of "Parsons, Preachers, and Priests," will be found others of different calibre.