The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-05-15
VANDALISM |
THE OANEONa OF THE TRAVIS
LIGHT ARTILLERY SPIKED
WITH FILESI
And the Citizens of Austin
are Indignant 1T the
Outrage
lFrom Sundays daily.l

On Friday afternoon detschment
of the Travis light artillery, by ordel
of Capt. A. J. Peeler, first two guns
to apprise the company of an impor.
tant meeting to be held that night
Yesterday afternoon, officers OF the
company were informed by Mr.. John
M. Brown, an honorary member of
<the company, that the four cannons OF
the company, standing In front
or the the state arsenal, on
government land, Just west Of the
new capitol grounds, had been
ny driving what are known as rst-tail
liles In them. Capt. Peeler, second
lieutenant George Calhoun and Mr..
M iran Scott, gunner, at once visited
the cannons, where the report OF Mr..
Brown was moro than confirmed.
This act Of vandalism will put the
state to an expense Of about two
hundred dollars, In order to un-
do the work, ~ It will be i'm
possible to remove the files
without cutting out the copper sur
rounding them.
CAPTAIN PEELKR
was called upon during the afternoon
and Informed the STATESMAN that he
had instructed the action Of Mr..
Scott, and the detachment who had
fired the two charges Friday after
noon. lie said the company had au-
thOrity from the Acknowledgements
and the permission of the mayor Of
the city to discharge tho cannons
whenever they saw fit, with the under
standing that they would respect the
wishes of those living In the neigh
borhood, who should request suspen.
sion of firing on account Of sickness
or other causes; and that
NO COMPLAINT HAD BEEN MADE
to the officer Of the company with ref
erence to the firing until after the dis
charge OF the first gun on Friday af-
ternoon, when q lady from the resi-
dence OF County Attorney Wooten had
demanded that the 6rInG cease. Being
Uniformed that Il would be dangerous
to leave one Of the guns. already load
ed, In that condition In such place,
this lady had raised no
further objection TO the discharge Of
the second gun, only requesting that
away. This was the first and only
objection that had ever been reported
to him, and 1t was his Intention to |
see that the wishes of those complain
ing should be respected. and he had so
instructed his sub- officers.
THERE IS NO DOUBT
but what others In that neighOrrhood
besides Mr.. Wooten's family have |
been annoyed BY this firing, but when |
simple complaint would have been
sufficient, there Is left no justification |
for the preparation of such an out |
rage upon the property of, or indig- |
nifty to the state of Yexas. |
Upon the matter being made |
public, the universal expression all |
over the city was that tho perpetrator
OF such piece OF van dalism should |
be made to feel the arm Of the law In |
the fullness Of its force. Expressions
Of establishment and indignation were /
heard on all hands, and II the guilty
party is ever brought to the bar Of |
justice THE STATESMAN doubts
not that
TWELVE HONEST MIN
can be found who win mete out full |
Justice to whoever may have been
guilty OF this act Of wAntonness. Il
is not so much the extent Of the dam
age, as 1t Is the principle involved.
Such acts as this have . tendency to
the perpetration OF still
greater outragea, and prompt and Wig
orous action, Is the only remedy.
ADJUTANT GENERAL KING
is expected to return homo to-day or
to morrow; and, upon his arrival, the
whole matter will be presented to him,
when an investigation will undoubt-
eddy follow. Atpresent TIE STATES
MAN can only hope, with all good
citizens of Austin, that, In the end,
the guilty party or parties may be held
up to public scorn, and the fair name
of the Texan capital indicated.