The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-05-15


claim that no one complained 10 MN
in advance that he would annoy an(
disturb public peace or private com
fort. About month ago one Moran
Scott was arraigned in the recorder!
court for firing cannon in the north
ern part of the city near the unlyer
sity, In consequence Of which Mr.. Pur
nells horse was frightened and came
near running away with the buggy, IL
which Mr.. Ihrrra'1 II were
riding. Accol ding to the reports OF
the affair in the paper at the time, Mi
Scott claimed to have discharged the
gun because it was unsafe TO
leave 1t loaded, being the
same plea now urged In reference
to the last firing. The recorder find
ing 70 satisfactory evidence to con-
vict Scott, found him mot guilty"
and expressly warned Scott and his
associates not to fire cannon again in
the city limits. This man Scott is a
member Of the artillery company and
was present and participating in the
recent firing; so it will be seen he hal
full notice and warning that he wa
| committing an unlawful act and his
| comrades must have known ittoo.
About May l, cannon shot Wa
fired in front of my gate, to the grea
annoyance of my family. Capt.
Peeler was present with one or two
others, aud when the gun was fired
ran away, thus showing that he re-
c0gniZed the unlawfulness of his con-
duct. This was witnessed by Gen.
Indy Walker and Mr.. Walter Fish
er. About May or 6, two or three
shots were again fired by members
OF the company, and next day l in
formed the citG marshal, giving him
the names and witnesses and request.
Ing him to make complaints against
the parties. This he never did, ard
though the whole police force knew
OF the repeated violation of the law,
made single inquiry or report with
a view to stopping it or Furnishing
the guilty parties.
On Friday evening last, the third
time within ten days, two other shots
were fired Just at my gate, with seri-
Gus consequences to my wife, such as
would have warranted the most sum-
mary action on the part of any one
claiming to have the ordinary in
stincts of a man. 1t is stated in the
report IN Sundays paper that these
guns were fired in front of the arsenal,
west OF the capitol grounds. This is
false. A few weeks ago, the whole
battery Of four guns were moved
from the arsenal up to within twenty
steps OF my door. They are in open
ground, near, If not directly, in a
public thoroughfare, where they OBJ
struct travel, annoy people and
brighten horses. They have, as
before stated, been repeatedly fred
at an hour of the day when ladies are
on the street and riding In vehicles,
great risk of fright to horses, and,
possibly, serious accidents. In more
than one instance l have heard of
great annoyance and danger to ladies !
and children from these senseless per-
formances, and it Is safe to say more |
palpable and unwarranted outrage |
was never iuilicted on community |
than by these exploits Of this so-called |
organization, sanctioned, it Is |
claimed, by state and municipal au-
thority. and permitted to go unpuh-
ished and unsought after by an in
police force. 1t is alleged, |
as usual, by these young gentlemen,
that the last shot fired Friday |
OFCAiu6, dlLCH tuo 1huy AIOL AIy |
house had protested against the firing, |
leave the gun loaded. This was
SCOTS plea in his first case in the re-
court. Gen. DeBray, who
the ramming of the gun for the sec
them to stop firing, from which may
hQ N farroH hnuy nah irnnOrt
be attached to the young mans state
Of the guns was for artillery practice,
Dr. by the company as whole; but in
every instance it has been the act of
one or TIVE members of the
for what conceivable
sensible reason 1t would be hard to
say. These young men claim to have
and the mayor. If these officials gave
such permission they did what they
had no legal authority to do and have
themselves down as counte-
nancing most foolish, frivolous and
outrage on the whole commu-
nifty. The young man Scott went so far
as to tell the lady who protested, that
''Gen. King ordered them to fire the
guns every Friday evening"
The extent of this annoyance can be
to by any number of persons,
and the feeling of relief that the mat
ter has finally eliminated in a way to
forever put an end to the harrassiIg
Is, think, shared by the
whole city, Notwithstanding the
fierce TRADE against the
man who spiked the guns,
Most people In this country heard
cannon few years ago.
homes were desolated, men
and children orphaned by
the war, and ravages of actual war,
10 dispense with the perpetual annoy
ance, discomfort, and actual injury,
Of a foolish commandment at the hands
Of o juvinile volunteer artillery cOmpa
ny In time of peace.
l have written this communication
for the benefit of these indlgnantl(? y
consider the spiking ofithe
connon-as an act of vandalism. When
the law Is violated, people are amazed,
women and children distressed, and
their lives actually endangered, and
when the outrage is countenanc-
ed and authorized by state and
officials, then |
question very much whether sledge |
hammer and rat tail file are not the |
best weapons to suppress a
nuisance which foolish disregard for
public and private comfort has i'm
posed upon him. If it be fact that
the adjutant general and the mayor
have sanctioned and encouraged this |
senseless performance, then suggest
that out of their joint salaries they
make good the damage caused by the
spikinQ of the cannon, and that our
valiant police force be condemned to
take turns at boring out the spikes.
DUDLEY Il. WoOTEN.
May IL, 1884.
THE MASON DEMOCRATS.