The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-05-01
SIx-SROOTERS!
JUST ONE WEEKS RECORD IN THE
PROUD CAPITAL OF TEXAS.
At the Skating Rink, on the
Streets, and in the
$50 Saloons.

At about eleven o'clock Friday
might serious difficulty occurred at
the skating rink at Millett's opera
house, between Walter Swain and
Howell and Frank Brown, jr., in
= which the six shooter, as usual, came
into play. 1t seems that there Is some
rivalry between Swain and Frank
Brown. and some little feeling had
already zen engendered by Swain
Showing 1ahead of Brown and Brown
showing in ahead of Swain, and mat
tiers were simply brought to crisis on
this occasion. From all reports Frank
Brown attempted to strike Swain,
who, being more powerful and more
active, warded off the blow and was
rather getting the best of Brown,
j Howell Brown, an older brother, made
y his appearance, and, drawing pistol,
'>struck Swain on the back of the head.
lowell Brown was promptly dis
armed by friends and further difficulty
avoide |. Whatever cause for grievance
, these young men may have had. 1t Is
Z scarcely probable that the siX-shooter
q was necessary adjustment. and GER
h tainly not in a building where ladies
and gentlemen are gathered together
Tor an evenings enjoyment. Mr..
Howell Browns business has called
him from the city, but time enough
elapsed between the occurrence and
his departure for him to be arrested
for the violation of the pistol law, but
this was not the cause. THE STATES
MAN again asserts that the pistol must
Rol This occurrence only serves to re-
Vfve the subject. The lives of men
and women are in constant danger
4 from the moment they make their ap-
pearance upon the streets in the day
time, until they have retired at
night. Not even at public gatherings
Is there any guarantee of safety. A
prominent, eloquent speaker in a recent
address on this subject said: "The
faith Is we are in state of armed
neutrality all the time," and he was
about right as far as Austin, the CAPT
: tai of the state, Is concerned. Not
alone are the people in danger of balls
Intentionally discharged, but more so
from accidental shots No less than
three pistols are known to have been
accidentally discharged during the
the past week
The following is partial
REVIEW OF THE WEEK:
On the night of the twenty-first a
pistol fell from the pocket of hack
driver in the Horseshoe saloon, and
was discharged, the ball breaking out
the round of one chair, passing
through the seat of another and 60
Ing out at the back door after blowing
a furrow along the wall.
On the very next evening at about
o o'clock, apistol was fired off In the
neighborhood of the police station,
followed in less than two minutes by
1nOrhar nnar tho onrnar nf the QUn-
nue. and Fast Ash street, this latter
shot being occasioned by pistol fall |
ing from the pocket of some one who |
had just crossed the street, and who |
picked up his pistol and disappeared |
through some opening in the wall or |
earth so suddenly that the police, Gas |
was the case with the previously |
mentioned shot were unable to find
out who it was who was thus guilty |
of carrying u pistol in open viola
tion of the law. But this was
not ALI At eleven o'clock |
the very same night a pistol shot
rang out in the classic regions of the |
first ward, and again were the police
unable to obtain any information
leading to subsequent arrest. In
fact, nothing could be learned further
than that the party firing the shot
had gone over the bridge. Nor does
the record end here. Only day or
two more, and prominent young
man is arraigned before the recorder
for carrying pistol. He was fined
fifty dollars and costs, and and justly
so, for the law is on the statute books
that prescribes the penalty. Then
comes the affair at the skating rink,
followed by still another ! A pistol
was dropped yesterday and discharged
and another young man is called upon
to appear before Recorder Johns to
answer charge of carrying a pistol. /
Unless the laws with regard to the
six shooter are enforced no man or |
woman's life is safe in Austin.