The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-09-06
A Funny Coop.

We are sorry, but it is true, that
one of the aldermen Of this city was
the victim of a singular conspiracy
Yesterday. 1t does seem as if certain
parties in this city had a spite at the
aUle member from the fifth ward; and
yet it is ever so in this heartless
world. Some men are neither re-
spectors of influence nor honorable
position, and they have no more
reverence for an alderman than
they have for a common citizen.
Of course this is all wrong. Can the
stream flow higher than the fountain,
and can the man who makes the Jaws
be beneath their CALLING yokef Ney-
err The idea of putting an alderman
under an arrest for little thing like
getting drunk, and whooping little;
and if he does want to perforate a
few men with holes, shall the dignity
of the public servant be no Protec-
ton and must an alderman of the
thrown into cell in the
calaboose? Forbid it,. We gods of
right, 1t has been done-and in the
gOodIy capital, too. Yes, gentle rea-
der, in the city Of Austin, in the
empire state Of Texas, this great in
dignity has been heaped upon one OF
the city fathers, And for what
cause? For none at al? The only
thing Mr., Pfannekuche did was to
drink some beer-and some other
drinks. And we stats it, upon our
honor as gentleman, we do not be
lieve he drank over fifty glasses of
beer yesterday, all told: and certainly
not more than as many, more toddies in
addition; and do you think for thing
like that such an indignity should be
put upon him? Now, some men,
when they drink few glasses like
that, are noisy, and swear, and talk
loud, and strike their fists against the
saloon bar, and swear eternal YEN
gence on their enemies - but,
if the high an honor
able member of the Fifth
did. he did it in mild and gentle
way; and here again we will state, on
the honor of Il gentleman, we do not
believe he could have been heard
more than six blocks from the saloon
where he was when arrested, and for
a little talk iike that must he be
dragged to the dungeon and cast into
a dingy cell? For shamel Yet he
was, and the tears came to the writer's
eve and the blush to his sun
burned cheek when he recalled the
terrible ;ndignity. Is it any wonder
then that he took the water bucket
and his good brawnY fists and
smashed to Splinters the oaken parti-
lions of the cell in which he was cast
and released himself from the dis
graceful place? Is it any wonder
that he sounded terrible imprecationS
upon the heads of the miScreants who
had the hardihood to cast him into
common prison, an alder nan of the
capital of Texas? S it to be Won
dered at that in his wrath at these ter
rible wrongs, he swore mighty ven
geance upon the heads of his enemies !?
MOI We thrice repeat No! But a
fearful vengeance was in store for the
city. The beautiful castle was fast
falling to splinters, and il the mayor
and Alderman Platt had not come to
the rescue and taken the member
of the Fifth from the Gala
boose not one stone Wou d
have been left upon another. For
this act of forethought, the mayor and
the kind hearted alderman have won
the everlasting gratitude of the entire
city. They happened to hear the aw-
full thuds of their imprisoned compa-
triot and the falling of the walls of the
temple of justice, and they fastened
like true patriots to the safety of the
beloved temple. and reached it in time
to save few pieces from destruction
and conveyed the great man so deeply
wronged to the quiet of his home in
the noble Fifth he so ably and honor
ably represents.