Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-02
DID YOU SWEAR OFF?
Aldermen Say They Did Rushing
Business in This Line Last Year.
YOUNG LADIES WHO TOOK THEOATH
One Man Who Wanted to Abstain From
Beating His Better Half
VERY FEW OF THEM KEEP THE PLEDGE

Der of Aldermen on the number of ''swear
OFFS" that each of them had administered
during the past year. Some OF the Alder
men did a rushing business in this line.
Notably, Alderman Porter, who performed
the remarkable feat of administering an
oath to 557 men for the year just closed.
Though such a shoal of penitents pledged
themselves to quit drinking, the ward ranks
high as a community. Some permanent
good has been done in this Office, and
corresponding elevation of the people has
followed.
In the past year thousands of men and
women have stood before our law admins
traitors and firmly resolved to lead the lives
OF good citizens. Many of the men have
been true to their oath. It is, however, a
sad reflection to Rotice that a majority of
those who swore to eternally leave the wine
cup alone, soon fell by the wayside, and
painted the city and themselves ruddier
color than ever before.
Our citizens have not only sworn off from
imbibing the juice of the luscious grape, but
they have sworn of on various other causes.
Fancy handsome young girl dressed in
beautiful attire, with the bloom of maiden
hood yet suffusing her cheeks, stealthily
walking into 'Squire's office, calling him
aside, and requesting him to swear her off
from ever taking snuff. Just think, snuff
Yet it is fact, and many of the young girls
who "swear off" taking snuff are the daugh-
ters of our respected citizens.
AGAINST WIFE BEATING.
There are other causes than drink which
lead men to swear off. A man will stroll
into an Alderman office and ask to be
sworn. Ee wants to take an oath against
ever beating or ill-using his wife. This oath
is more frequently broken than any other.
When James comes home with his spirits as
full as an untapped barrel of Monongahela
rye, after helping to empty tapped barrel,
and asks Matilda why his supper is not
ready, and she hints that he is drunk, he
forgets his oath, takes of his shoe and intro
duces the hardest part to his better halfs
face. The inevitable result is he goes before
the Squire the next day, accompanied by
the constable, and after paying $40 and costs
he renews his oath, only to break it again.
The first Alderman visited was Squire
McMasters. This very excellent admins
traitor of the law did not ''swear off, many
in his ward. This NAV be taken as an evil
dence Of the sobriety of that district. Mr..
McGinnis, in the absence of the Squire,
said:
Squire McMasters 'swore off about 40
people from drink. There is lots of proof
that nine out of every ten broke their oath
before "a hours had elapsed. Whether man
is going to keep his oath is about as un-
certain as life. The probability, however, is
that he will break it. This, 1 am glad to say,
is not the case with every man. Some men
place a value on their oath, and under NO
consideration will they break it, though the
fercest temptation assails them. It man
takes an oath against drink, and he has a
craving and Unsuitable desire to appease his |
appetite by imbibing, but resists the tempta-
tion and stands mistaken in the storm, then |
I say it is noble, it is a heroic achieve |
ment, and the man who comes through the |
furnace unscathed deserves the appreciation |
of his fellow men,"
Alderman Reilly said: eyes, I have |
sworn off quite a number of men in the past |
year, possibly 200. This good New Years |
Day, two individuals walked into the Office,
and pledged themselves to forever leave |
drink alone. Whether they intend to keep
their oath cannot say. If they do, they |
will do more than the majority of men do
who ask to be sworn of. Ny observation
has been that not one-ffth keep the pledge.
Some of them walk into the Office, swear
that they will not touch drink again, but
before they have gone square they are
standing at bar counter Furnishing glass
Of beer.
SORRY LOOKING INDIVIDUALS.
"Take the average man who wants to be
sworn. They are sorry looking indi-
viduals. Their personal appearance is
an indication against their keeping their
word. Generally they are men with
sunken, restless eyes, haggard-looking faces,
with evidences of degradation portrayed ON
their countenances. They sneak into the
office, look around, and if they see any man
whom they think is not officially connected
with the Office they ask the Squire to be
pointed out Having found out the Squire,
they watch an opportunity when he is not
busy, then accost him, communicate the in
telligence to him that they have a little pri-
vate business to transact. They request, in
shutting manner, to be sworn off from
drink. IF man is sober I swear him.
Most of the swear offs" tail, or forget to
bring the legal fee of so cents.
Among the various cases have had to
swear off during the past year were men to
take an oath against playing poker, and
women from chewing snuff. Though the
majority go back on their oath, there is
small minority who keep it. and if for no
other reason than this favor the practice of
4 man swearing of.
Squire Burns swore off ITO men last year.
He thinks the practice Of swearing off
good one if it redeems one man year and
'aVes a family. Some of the peo-
pie he swore off were clerks,
but the largest percentage of the ''swear
,tfs" were mill men. The Squire did not
receive the lee in every case. He says that
few of the men keep their oath. He, how
ever, to prevent the oath being broken uses
great caution. He will not swear man
1nder the influence of liquor or a man who
las lately been on debauch. The Squire
thinks that some men, after protracted de-
)auch, get mad at drink and in the heat of
he moment resolve to quit.
Alderman O'Donnell swore off about $50.
The majority were mill men, and small
kept their OATH.
DoUGHTY's QUEER cAsR.
Squire Doughty in the past year swore
IF 80 men. One man entered his Office
hort time ago, and asked to be sworn off.
de was administered the oath, and fervently
wore that he would everlastingly abstain
rom the cup. The first thing ne did after
he ceremony was to walk over to the saloon,
ret drunk, go home, beat his vile, go out
he same night and never returned since.
This case is not often duplicated, but it |
proves that there are men who care no more
or their oath than they do for tossing up a
Iickel.
Squire Porter said: "Last year swore
# about 557 people from drink. Both
exes were represented in this number.
dany people who swore off haye kept their
ath, yet the greater preponderance fell
way. 1 have known men keep their oath
o years and then break it,"
Alderman HynGman has not done much
usiness in this lire. He has not sworn
nore than so men during the year.
Squire Maneese has sworn off about 150
eople during the year. He has made it !
ractice never to swear a man off if the !
lightest trace of drink was recognizable.
lie has never made it a business for mer-
enary profit, but takes the higher ground of
loral elevation in the community.
Squire Succup ''swore off, three vic