The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-26
The Concealed Weapon Evil

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Notwithstanding the esrnestness with
which the judges in their charges TO the
grand juries call attention u tie ofenss
| OF carrying concealed weapons and the
promptDess Of grand juries in finding in
dictments for that offense. the concealed
weapon evil continues 10 exist. Within the
last few days in this city two men have
| been shot. one of whom is dead and the
other is il danger Of dying. Those who did
the shooting are very young men. Indeed,
one Of them is not more than Is years Of
age, ard the other is not 20.
1t is stated that a large number Of
the youths Of the city carry
pistols, and it is believed that
many Of the men do so. Surely the time
has come in is community when there is
no occasion for men or boys TO go forth TO
their daily duties armed with a concealed,
deadly weapon. What is there to fear in
city that has large police force, and in
which the laws are imparually and promptly
emf reed There is no danger 70 be appre-
hended from highwaymen or murierers.
Law-abiding and peace-loving people can
go about the city night or day without
being molested. II is al extraordi-
nary thing for a man who attends
to his own affairs to he attacked 1t is true
that the shooting of the colored man on
last Tuesday night might be cited as an in
stance Of an unprovoked deadly assault,
but that case Is 10 be investigated yet, and
if the colored mans story should prove to
be absolutely true in every particular it
would not be an argument in favor of car
rying concealed weapons, because it shows
that the shooting was an act of pure dew
iltry, aud, besides, if it were not for the
inexcusable practice of carrying concealed
weapons, the shooting would not have &C
Cured.
Sundays terrible tragedy furnishes the
strongest kind Of a reason against car
rying concealed weapons. The man who
was killed would now be alive, attending to
his regular duties, and the man who did the
killing would not now be in the hands Of
the law, with his hands stained by the blood
OF a comrade, if there were not a public
sentiment that tolcrates the carrying Of
concealed weapons. Neither had done
the other a wrong that could not
hANO AVNh oAoAiJ AAButCLs hiiN VIC iltOle
trouble that had arisen between them would
have been adjusted soon, perhaps, if neither
had been armed with deadly weapon. At
most they would have had only fist fight.
which would have resulted in no great
harm to either Both being armed, and
neither being willing to make any conces-
sion, the result was tragedy that fills one
home with mourning and another with ap-
prehensIon Of disgrace.
1t is the duty Of every newspaper and
every pulpit to use their influence against
the concealed weapon evil. 1t is the duty
of judges and juries TO exert themselves to
the utmost to put stop to it by vigorous
enforcement of the law against il, and,
above all, it is the duty Of every citizen
who has any influence whatever to frown
upon the concealed weapon evil and do what
he can TO create sentiment against it so
strong that the carrying of concealed
weapons will be regarded as an unmanly,
and even cowardly, practice.
What has man to fear in a city like this
who intends to do no one a wrong! 1t is
true there are those who will insult others if
they think they can do SO with impunity, but
the number of them is small, and they have,
as they deserve, the contempt OF their fell
low men. Many men do things in the heat
of passion of which they are heartily
ashamed afterward, aud for which they
willingly apologize. If they are armed,
however, they are likely to commit crime
on account of which many suffer.
In communities in which the concealed
weapon is not tolerated the people get along
a great deal better than where it is, and
they do not lack courage, either. Indeed,
these have the highest kind of courage
the courage to do what they know to be
right.