New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-03-19

/ QOOT.
The inquisitor made note Of The
escape and retired.
CITIZEN SHOOTERS.
The P;cayune of yesterday morning re-
gales its readers with sensation headed
Excitement ON Exchange Alley" "a
Negro Shot AT" Itappears that colored
man, with very little seeming respect fol
his character, entered drinking house.
He did not get any rum, and did MOI ask
for'any. His explanation to police off,
Ger was that he went into the saloon to
bring his ''boss" home, as it was getting
late; and circumstances favor the theory,
for the colored man had been waiting on
the outside for some time, and finally went
in and tooka gentleman" by the collar
and raised him from his seat, and the two
fell against a screen. After that the
colored man walked up and down
the sidewalk for time until he
was 'accosted by a citizen" The
"citizen" made him run toward Canal
street, when he was pursued by '.some
citizens who had "been standing in the
alley" and one of the "citizens" who had
been standing in the alley fred shot at
him, and the ''citizens" arrested the COL
ored man because one of their number
had fred shot at him. In better regu,
lated cities the man who did the shooting
would have been arrested. The colored
man appears to have been one of those
who retained the instincts of old times,
when it was always the duty Of faithful
servants to help home their inebriated
masters.
This is the substance Of the story as it
appears in Picayune print. There may
have been what the "citizens" consider
circumstances in shooting
The colored man may have exhibited evil
dences Of thirst He may have spit dry
button upon the threshold Of the gin mill,
or toyed nervously with three nickels, as
proud Concessions are won't to do when
aging the foundation for simple drunk.
The ''citizens" may have thought the in
nocent colored man was there to test his
own right Of getting drunk, instead of
seeking the privilege of carrying off those
already drunk. The latter Office of
course would have been willingly ac-
corded him. 1t is not the civil right
o drink we propose to discuss, but
he unc oAense Of promiscuous
hoot;ng upon all occasions with
'ut cause. The habit Of carry
ng concealed weapons is a most PERM
;ious one at the best; but the act of |
hooting on public streets can no. be too |
everely condemned. 1t is subversive of |
,ood order, safety Of limb and person,
criminal. That our Citizens are too |
pit thus to offend is easily proved. 1t is
lot necessary to 60 beyond the beginning |
# the last Democratic campaign and fol-
ow up the chapter of sensations to the
resent day to obtain hundreds of in
tances of the firing of arms in the streets,
ither to assist or oppose the police in
heir duties. It is true the results are not
ften fatal, but the principle, or want Of
II principle, remains the same. The
ause never justifes the crime. It is rare
hat man uses pistol in self defense. The
hooter is generally the aggressor; and it
J noticed that the shooting, as a rule, is
lost vigorous where the cause is most
:ivial. If it is only question of keep
,g little colored girl from going to
,hool, as in the Keller Market case, the
bots are all the more rapid and valiant.
n the latter instance, the school quarrel,
poor colored man, subject to heart dis
ase, was literally frightened to death.
lis body showed that Of all the shots
red by bad marksmen not one of them
ad taken effect, much to the disappoint-
tent of many "citizens, who had con-
themselves on having '.killed
niger without the unpleasant liability
having to swing for it.
Every one is aware of the disposition of
our people to whip out pistol with out
Election, and to use it for no cause and
0 good upon all occasions This is said
ithout reckoning the barroom fights in
,e pistol Indictment against morality.
ut very little sympathy is wasted over
man who gets wounded in a drinking
loon. The first thing said is that the
ctim had no business there, or that if he
ok his life in his hand to go in and
link among drunken men, he suffers in
is wound not unlikely consequence.
But it is believed that on the street
en- may have homes. business occa-
onally; they have a right to walk from
,e portion of the city to another without
e risk Of encountering stray shots from 4
y number Of ''citizens" who may be
standing in the alley" And it is to !
ason with these Jealous citizens, and
k them not to shoot SO frequently, that b,
, write. They may some night shoot a I
ember of the grand jury by accident /
e sixteen grand jrymen frequently pass .
'eys as late as ten o'clock at highland I
that case, it would be the duty of the
teen survivors to indict the citizen
ooter for unlawfully discharging fire. .
ms within the city limits.