The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-06-16
Beardless Boys With Loaded Pistols.
A Lesson That should Have Its En,st.--
Win 1T
INC entire handIness Of having LOAF

A Lesson That Should Have lts Eneets-'
Win III
The entire hardness Of having n load,
ed pistol In your pocket, says the New
York Tribune, was illustrated again in
Brooklyn, by n young gentleman OF
twenty, who shot and instantly killed
his mother. The young man intended
to kill some one else, TO wit, person OF
about the same age, who was intoxicated
and also armed with the always handy
revolver. Two Of them intoxicated and
quarrelsome, both armed with reyolyers
which they had drawn upon each other
with mnrderous intentions, the mother
of one of them while attempting to sep
arate the combatants shot dead by the
pistol OF her own son-picture Mt once
graphic and ghastly Of q condition OF
society in which youthful precocity is
so rapidly developed in the direction of
brutality and sensual indulgence, that
the bcnrdIess boy lays aside his top for
n revolver and is graduated from the
playground to the groggery and broth.
81. It's such n manly thing to carry n
revolver; it adds so much TO ones in
tellectuAl stature, to ones personal dig
nifty, reputation for courage, and to
ones pride OF behavior and sense Of
self.respect. Doubtless this young man
Roderick, twenty years old, thought
when he dressed himself on Sunday
morning and completed his personal
adornments with the loaded revolver
that he was much more n man with that
than il he went unRrmed that that in.
tangible and incomprehensible thing
he called his personal honor was safer
from the possible disgrace of an insult (;
that he was better entitled to be looked
up to and respected by his fcllow.men
while he had in his breAst-pocket so
sure means OF ayenging discourtesy or
slight. And the other budding muir.
derer no doubt plumed himself on his
manliness us he armed himself for his
Sundays recreation, rum and riot, Not
to have pistol wHs, in the considera.
ton Of both these young men, evidence
Of tho chllOwnCsS and inexperience OF
youth. BY this token they were men.
So when they met the days dissipa-
ton had prepared young Corconn for
any exhibition OF brutality, and both
had fixed themselves deliberately for the
taking OF life. A few moments violent
alteration, IN aSsult.by the drunken
young fellow Corcoran, both draw
their pistols, and Roderick's mother,
endeavoring to separate them, is killed.
By accident, Of course; that is, it was
IN accident as to the person killed, hut
not as to the killing. II these two boys
had any purpose in arming themselves
with loaded reyolvers, rs they did de-
libentely on Sunday morning, il was to
take life-somebody's life. Possibly
deluded themselves with the idea TINT
1t would be in self.defense but the in
tent wns TO kill somebody under some
circumstances is plain enough. In
deed, it may be well taken for granted
that when any man or boys arms him
self with loaded pistol to go out into
crowded streets, where the only game
is human, he means murder. This boy
meant to kill somebody, and he killed
his mother. or course he feels badly
about Il. He would have felt badly,
though not perhaps as badly, ifhe had
shot and killed some one else. 1t was
the logic OF events that he should feel
badly. 1t follows the killing Just as
naturally rs the killing followed the
loading of the pistol. There's no need
of saying, and there's no sense in Win
ming, that this young man bears good
reputation, and that lie is overwhelmed
with grief because he killed his mother.
Let us stop all this business of personal
and private sympathy and see whether
upon the whole society has not some
right in the matter. Here is staring
fact, not Of accidental killing, but Of
deliberate preparation TO do murder.
1t is not isolated or sporadic +; it illus
trates fashion-theiashi OF carrying
deadly weapons, and OF using them up.
on whatever occasion offers. We hold
human life pretty cheap at the best in
this country; but II it has come to this
that beardless boys "of good reputa.
ton" travel our streets habitually arm.
ed and waiting only provocation to take
life, it is quite time that we do some.
thing besides waste sympathy on them
when they happen to kill the wrong
person.