Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-03-20
AvzTRIOLTHEowm.
Depredatiens In the Crowded srraass =,
New Orleans-A Horrible Mania.

Depredations in the Crowded Streets OF
New Orleans-A Horrible Mania.
New Orleans Times Democrat.
On Thursday last two ladies returning
from the matinee noticed a man walking
In front of them on Canal street. He was
fairly dresSedin businesssuit, 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
cults that caused the ladies to observe
the fellow, for they certainly did take q
good look at him, and said that he car
ried something in his hand. A lady In
front of them passed him, and as she did
so they saw a 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 forgot the occurrence. On reach
ing home they noticed that there were
numerous small holes in their skirts and
were at a 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
circumstance not having made any i'm
press on their minds.
! On the following Saturday they again
promenaded Canal Street, and the re-
membrance of what happened on the
Thursday before was distinctly recalled
/ by seeing the same man, dressed in the
Identical suit ofclOthesan spotless cuffs,
right in front of them in the very act of
squirting the liquid on the dress of an
elegantly attired lady. Of course with
women's wit they at once concluded that
the liquid was acid, and on examining
their dresses they found that they were
right in their conclusions. The story was
narrated to gentleman who, on making
an Investigation, found that the holes in
the dresses had been burned by vitriOl
thereby clearly establishing the fact that
there is a vitriol-throwipg fend in ouI
midst, who, unless captured, will do an
incalculable amount of damage,
The mania for throwing vitriol, for ii
is a mania, dates back years, and once
Paris was overrun with an organized
band of vitriOl-thrOwers who caused the
police and secret agents no end of trOu.
BILE.
In New York, in 1857, vitriol-throwerI
made their first appearance in this coun
try, and they became so bold that it wa
positively unsafe for lady to walk in
the streets, as the fends frequently
threw vitriol in the faces of unprotected
women and young girls. A terrible sen
sation was the consequence, and the en-
tire police force was required to suppress:
the evil. Many Of the guilty parties were
arrested, but the reason of their actions
was never clearly established, although
it was said at the the time that the vitriOl
throwers were actuated by an intense ha
tired for dress and finery, which in then
amounted to positive insanity.
San Francisco was next cursed by the
vitriol fends, and it required all The
ability of the citizens, detectives, anC
police to rid the city of the pests, wht
were roughly dealt with when captured
This city escaped their dreaded pres
: ence, although it is said that some year:
ago there was vitriOl, throWer here, who
prompted by jealousy, ruined the beaut,
of a lovely young girl. The fact tina
: there is one of the cursed creatures il
this city at present is, however, clearl!
established by the circumstances narrat
ed above