National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-07-21

not be, for you can't see It, and consequently
can't get any good out OF IL. The statute might
as well be blank. Anybody In the District can
carry any kind Of weapon he wishes to-con-
cealed or otherwise; especially otherwise. IL
not, the Jonadabs and the cOlored Masons
couldn't have any parades. For the brethren
couldn't possibly get along without very long
swords; although II does seem cruel for two or
three great big sunburnt chieftalns to marshal q
lot OF poor, inofensiye, harmless sisters with
those fierce sabres used by some Of the colored
societies. 1t Ia lawful, perfectly, to carry
weapons openly, and, u one chooses, he can
strap a whole armory on his back, or drag a
small cannon after him, or, II very timd, one
might go down TO Fortress Monroe and get that
columbiad which shoots four or i've miles, but
the question OF concealed weapons Is dlfi,cult
matter to settle. The police cannot go up to any
man and search him, therefore what Is TO pre-
vent his carrying what he plcases. Palpably
there Is no remedy, except strict enforcement
Of the law whenever man is seen or found with
a pistol or q weapon on him.
THE MEY VINO CARRY PISTOLS AND KNIVES IN
WASHINGTON
are easily distinguished. In the nrst place,
there are the young braves, who swell about the
Avenue In the vicinity Of Fourteenth street. II
you chance to 10 into a bIlllard.room you will
md four or i've OF them playing billiards. They
have their coats on, and on their right hip you
can see q protuberancc, which, n you observe
closely, you can>irace the outlines OF q revolver
or derringer. They haven't any likelihood OF
using them In fact; the only danger OF pistol
in their hands Is that OF It's going on by accident
These are the would-bc sports, who keep the
gambling-houses running and try to make them
selves naughty and nice by associatlng with
the gamblers who infest the locality named.
The kind OF men that carry knives Is a little DIFF
ferent. They are several degrees more danger
Gus than the pistolmen. Knives never do any
thing by accident; but they do murder. The
man who carries knife as weapon Is an assas-
sin at heart. The dirk Is great deal more sure
than the pistol, aud Is Invariably used when the
stroke or the blow must be fatal. 1t Is sure
weapon, and does Its work silently as well. A
stab inrthe dark or q cut In brawl Is never so
easily detected as the pistol shot, which carries
Its own tale with 1t, hence It Is carried by worse
| men. II Is a degree above the razor as weapon,
and Is carried by all negro HUMANS who can afford
| to discard the razor.
Perhaps the meanest OF all contemplate weap-
ons is the slung. shot. The men who carry these
are either pickpocsets or garroters. They can be
| found easily enough, however, In Washington
II any one Is anxious to learn, let him take the
south side OF the Avenue after 10 O'Clock at night
and step into several OF the saloons there, and
still further south OF the Avenue. and II he don't
| ind out the exact size and shape and weight
particularly the weight-he will be lucky indi-
| vidual. KNOCKERS generally go with the slung-
shot, and are used only by the lowest OF all bad
| characters. An ordinary thief would be ashamed
| to he found dead with q pair OF them on his
| body.
A lack Of space prevents mention Of the habit
| Of carrying weapons among women. This fea-
ture has been comparatively recently introduced
among the fashionable and Questionable
females Of this city, and may be taken up In q
future article. As 1t Is, the subject Of concealed
weapons has been discussed at length, and q
| remedy suggested, and we can afford to wal
and see whether our local authorities will take
any steps to suppress this crying nuisance, whict
has been again and again brought before the at
tention Of the community in our reports OF &C
cldents and crime.