The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-03-12
a AWTRIoL.THRowER.
DepredatIons In the Crowded Streets Of
New OrIeans--A Horrible Mania.
TNa,y Orlaona rir,as. 1annfcrat

DepredatIons In the Crowded Streets Of
New OrIeans--A Horrible Mania.
New Orleans Times Democrat1
On Thursday last two ladies returning
from the matinee noticed a man walking
in front of them on Canal street. He was
fairly dressed in a business suit, and there
was nothing about him to attract special
attention unless it was his cuffs, which
were unusually white and stiff, and they
fell below his coat-sleeves, almost cover
ing his hands. Perhaps it was these cuffs
that caused the ladies to observe the fell
low, for they certainly did take good
look at him, and said that he carried some
thing in his hand. A lady in front of
them passed hin, and, as she did so, they
saw stream Of colorless liquid squirt
from between his fingers and on the lady's
dress, and, when they passed, the liquid
trickled out again, falling on their skirts.
At the time they thought nothing of the
matter unless it were that the fellow was
very careless, and, in the excitement of
shopping and sightseeing, they soon for
| got the occurrence. On reaching home,
they noticed that there were numerous
small holes in their skirts, and were at q
loss to understand the reason thereof,
never for an instant dreaming that they
might have been caused by the liquid that
fell from the mans hand, that circum-
stance not having made any impress on
their minds.
On the following Saturday they again
promenaded Canal street, aud the remem-
brance of what had happened on the
Thursday before was distinctly recalled by
seeing the same man, dressed in the iden-
tical suit Of clothes and spotless cuffs,
right in front Of them in the very act of
squirting the liquid on the dress Of an ele-
gantly-attired lady. OF course with wom-
ans wit they at once concluded that the
liquid was acid, and on examining their
dresses they found that they were right in
their conclusions. Tie story was narrated
to gentleman who, on making an inves.
tigation, found that the holes in the dress Is
had been burned by vitriol, thereby clear
ly establishing the fact that there is @
vitriol-throwing fiend in our midst, who
unless captured, will do an incalculablt
amount of damage.
Tie mania for tlrowiDg vitriol, for it il
a mania, dates back years, and once Paris
was overrun with an organized band o.
vitriol-throwers, who caused the police
and secret agents no end of trouble.
In New York, in 1857, vitriol-thrower
made their first appearance in this coun
try, and they became so bold that it wa
positively unsafe for lady to walk TIN
streets, as the fiends frequently threw Wit
riol in the faces of unprotected women AM
young girls. A terrible sensation was tn
consequence, and ths entire police fore
was rtquired to suppress the evil. Man,
of the guilty parties were arrested, bu
the reason Of their actions was neve
clearly established, althou h it was sal
at the time that the vitriol-throwers wer
actuated by an intense hatred for dres
and finery, which in them amounted t
l positive insanity.
San Francisco was next cursed by th
vitriol fi9nds, ard 1t required all tn
ability of the citizens, detectives and pt
lice to rid the city of the pests, who wer
: roughly dealt with when captured.
This city escaped their dreaded presenc
: although it is said that some years az
. there was vitriul-thrower here, VIII
= prompted by jealousy, ruined the beaut
of lovely young girl. The fact that thel
" is one of the cursed creatures in this cit
> at present is, however, clearly estab lishe
:, by the circumstances narrated above.