The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-05-24
A SANDER Exposed.

Austin has an artillery company
Although the company is yet in its in.
fancy, the members are not infants
either in years, experience or bravery
by any means. But, notwithstand-
ing this, there are those who have
never smelled powder who are
base enough to circulate dark and
damaging insinuations about our new
artillery company. The STATESMAN
is going to publish these statements
in order to deny them intoto. There
is no foundation for them at all eX-
cept in the. minds of the enemy. We
are friend to the artillery, and to the
military generally. The lighting edi-
tor of this paper is Injured to war. He
is an old veteran, and the artillery
saved his life during the late war.
He crawled in an empty artilley shot
wagon and was saved.
The first report circulated was that
the artillery company here came near
disbanding the first time they met to
shoot on account of a dispute as to
the length of the fuse to be used.
The SANDER stated that several of the
company wanted to use fuse fifteen
feet long so as to give all an opportu-
nifty to get out of the corporation,
and that the others maintained that
five feet were sufficient, as six blocks
would be enough to run in order to
get out. of danger. The SANDER then
stated that the company finally COM
promised on eight feet of fuse; and
that another heated debate arose in re-
gard to sending couriers out to warn
citizens to not come within five blocks
of the capitol park, as the artillery
was going to shoot large
three-pounder, and somebody might
get hurt, and that quarrel ensued
by seventeen of the artillerymen in
sistlng on going, as couriers, in the
direction in which several popular
young ladies lived in order to warn
the population. These things are not
over three feet long, neither did they
want to go five blocks off, nor did
they attempt to warn anybody at all,
in regard to the shooting. 1t
was reported that when the fuse be-
gan to burn, it fixed and sizzled a
great deal faster than the company
anticipated; and that the captain ran
and jumped in the deepest hole in the
new capitol cellar excavation, and
that the orderly sargent laid himself
out on the grass as fiat as a revenue
stamp and yelled for somebody to call
out the fire department, and that the
first lieutenant and chief gunner
crawled upon the old capitol ruins
and hid behind the biggest
rocks, and that the corporal of
guard and seven men Skinned up a
live-oak tree, while the remainder OF
the company struck out for the land
office. These things are ali fabrica-
lions, and we warn the citizens OF
Austin against listening to them
Our artillery company is one of the
finest in the state, and can load and
fire four guns per minute, using one
gun, which is extra good work indeed
He Was Guilty.
"You are charged with having
drawn a pistol on the plaintiff" said
a Travis county justice to an old far.
mer, who was arraigned for an at.
tempt to assault lightning roc
agent.
"Wall, vas; bleeveI am"
"Did he attempt to injure you first p
"He did, jedge."
you say he tried to strike you
first"
mo, sir; don't. 1t was more thar
that.
"Why, what did he try to do then p
"Well, he came in and eat dinner
and then sat down before me and my
family all day, and began to argue
about the star route trials and the
Irish question in England, and -
"That will do, prisoner" said the
justice, glazing around at the light
ming rod man; 81 will fine you, farmer
| just SAT So"
"What for, jedge?"
s.Eor Dot l1iIl;nCr fba foIIO1,o