, 1879-04-29

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CARRYING PISTOLS
Who ncxt7 PErE STEVENS Rl,oosa down
his cslild-Wite, moro asnned against than ain
ming, receives tslltng punishment, aud as
LIE is lod away to dungeon coll her ofazcd
mother draws pistol IN open court, and tho
romotest Incident in tho world saVea lin
from oxpiating Ills terrible crin1o in death,
whilo tho ringing, sonHoless woman is hurled
away. It was but few weeks ago TINT
boy drew pistol In public hallway upon
another hoy hacau6o lo. would not leave his
employers, who Ind declined 10 raiso hls
wages, aud chance saved tho Ind JouN HAM
RA11AA from wearing tho brand Of murderer.
Tho community has not yot recovered from
tho shock 1t received when 1t was announced
TINT staga.str1lck noodle had deliberately
attempted 10 shoot hlr. Boo7H whslo in tic
1nidst Of his atage work, tue tragodian escap-
Ing Utmost by miracle. And now wo are
regaloa with tho story of poor RooEn oAN-
FIELD, killed. by another boy. who for the
sake Of soaring him drn"s pistol md points
1t at hfni full In the face. Tho weapon goes
oil and tho victim III dead almost instantly,
Who Ia to bo tho next victim Of this unlaw
tul, cowardly, aud dangerous practice Of cur
rying deaslly woaponsf Why are not tho
laws enforced?
The ordinances upon this sub]nct arc worry
explicit. They provide TINT no peraon allpll
carry pistol or my other dangerous weapon,
except members OF tho police force while Oh
duty; that any such weapon when found
shall bo conascated by tho city; that any
policeman 1nny arrest n person carrying tl.oni
without warrant md detnin him or iior III
Jail until warrant can bo issued
upon oath or information; and TINT "any
perBon who ahall bo a1judgod to have vlolat-
cd my Of tho provisions Of Sec. l Of
this ohnpter shall pay flno not exceeding
ono hundred dollars, or bo imprisoned in tho
house of correction for term not oxcood-
ing aix months, or both, in tic discretion of
tho magistratu or conrt boforo whom such
conviction shall bo had" On tho face of
such stringent provisions rs theso, very
large proportion Of tho people Of this city
are carrying doadly weapons concoalod upon
their persons, aud tho practice is not con-
flucl to men, to oowardly rufflans preyng
upon society, or respectable oitizeus who
fancy they need Weapons with which to do
fond themselves, but prevails also to IN
alarming extont among young lads, especially
half-grown loodln,nB and streot-loafcrs, who
draw thom upon smaller boys upon tie
slightest provooation. Thore il soarooly n
day TINT tho papers Of tlis city do not con-
tain accounts Of tho use Of tho pistol in tho
porpetration Of murder for purposes Of es-
smut or intimidation, or used in brayado by
blundoring fools In whose hantls tho wenpou
becomes m instrument Of deatl. Yet who
il arrested7 Whom Ia tho law enforced I
Who Ia pun!ahod for carrying piHtol?
II IL 80 PLAN that It hardly moods state-
ment that 1t this praotice wero abolished
crime would vastly diminish. Tho reverse
IL oqunlly true, TINT il 1t continues nnd no
effort Is made to enforce tho law, crimo will
greatly inoroasc. The danger IL q three-foll
ono. It nriscs in tho first instance from dos.
porasloos aud rut1ians, who uso tlofr woapons
whenever their ASSAULTS upon lifo aud prop,
! oriy aro rosistol; again, from osl1erwiao 70.
spootablo persons whom nctuntcl by feal
o,1sy. Injustice, or anger wlicl. tl,ey canuo
control =; mud lastly, from boys who, ssoiuc
their elders using Weapons without restroin
or punishment, thluk it to DO n manly tljuf
to Initiate tnen,, Thoro aro exceptions. o.
courao but. as q .ulo. tho CARRYING Of con
coaled woapons Ia q confession Of cowardlo<
or ACKNOWLEDGMENT of brutality. Take owa,
tl,oao wcapouy. md quarrels will 10 sottloi
w;tbont fatal rcs,lta, f,omponsat;on for In