The morning call., 1893-12-22
PIPER'S STORY.
He Tells Why He Stabbed
Matt Carroll.
A. N. Towne Writes to Mayor Pardee
About Gates-A Minstrel Show
at the Macdonough.

0AKLAND.-Young Fred Piper, the boy who
stabbed Matt Carroll. near Niles, on Wednes-
day, was taken 10 Oakland yesterday and lodged
In the County jail. After the affair on the road
| he went 10 Niles 10 give himself up, but his
story made his case one so clearly OF self de-
fense that there was some hesitancy as TO putting
| him under arrest. In view of the critical con-
dition OF Carroll, however, it was thought ad-
vlsable to place Piper in the County Jail.
To CALL reporter last night Piper told his
story In simple. straightforward manner.
| He said, when told that a newspaper man
wanted TO talk TO him, that his lawyer, NJ r..
Peters OF Centerville had told him not to talk
10 anybody. but lie answered questions readily
enough when he got started.
! he said that the Carroll family, consisting OF
four boys and three girls, live ON an adjoining
fanch 10 that OF Alex Robinson, where he
worked, and that they had previously accused
him PipeD OF killing some hogs of theirs a
short time ago. lie denied having done so.
aud the talk ar that time led to bad feeling On
wednesday he had occasion 10 go 10 town and
started on horseback, ana al 2:30 O'Clock met
Two Carroll boys on the road-MatI Carroll and
! Dis oloer brother Iom The CAROLS ap-
| proached him and told him they were going 10
whip him. and pulled him off his horse and be-
gan beating him. de said he knocked one Of
them down and that they came him with
rocks In their hands, and that while one held
him against bank the other pummeled him,
and he showed marks on his nose, ear and
| nand where they had struck him with rocks.
In self-deienSe, then. he said, be pulled out his
pocketknlfe, and just Matt Carroll aimed
blow al him he whipped his knife around and
struck him In the back with il. That ended
! the night, Tor the CAROLS became frightened at
the knife aud got away.
Piper is an English boy 19 years OF age and
| came 10 this country as a sailor a year and a
| half since he has been working for Robinson
since that lime. Malt Carroll. the man who
was cut, is about % years OF age. He is said
10 be In critical condition.
A Letter From Towne.
The Mayor is still waiting to hear argument
pro and con regarding the validity of The anti
gate ordinance recently passed by the Council,
and which he will dispose of Oh Saturday Yes
IeTday be received The first argument from the
| RAILROAD side of the question, which came IN the
shape OF letter from A. n. Towne. as follows
non george Z Pdrdee. Mayor Of oakland. Oak
land CdL-MY DEAR SIR: While we have not
yet seen copy of the socalled Dow gate ordinance
as passed by the City Council last Monday even
lug, We are grained TO note the announcement
contained IN the san Francisco morning papers OF
even date. that you viii observe your usual rule
or procedure In this caSe-thst IS not to sign an
ordinance until the expiration OF five days after It's
final passage with view of afording those inter-
eSteG opportunity. in the meantime to present
| such statements or arguments in favor against
the measure as may seem proper; therefore. we
would beg your kind Indulgence for one moment
| While the maintenance aud operation of the
gate system on the Seventh-street Oakland line
| adds to the expense of the service without any
corresponding increase in earnings from the car
rage of passengers. we disposed TO continue
the gate.system, with your kind permission if for
ter evidence OF which can be adduced than the
fact that during the past two months, since the
gates were put upon the cars. we have not had
single accident on the main local line in Oakland,
| and in strong cont asst thereto. for many months
prior thereto. the lumber OF trespasSers killed or
injured in attempting to get aud off the trains
in Oakland, including the boys commonly called
! "tr2in-lumperS," aN eraged from January /. 1898
to November 22. 1893. nearly six per month. or at
the rate OF nearly seventy per In going back
/ eleven years the list foots up 10 the astounding
total or nearly 500 of injury, including
! fatalities Of this kind.
AS will be manifest to every one the present
gate system must necessarily reduc this class of
accident to the min um, which alone ought to
| be sufficient incentive TO prompt the people gem
orally 10 aid our company by Joining with in
earnest and honest effort TO correct this great
! evil that has existed for quarter of century
! and not hamper us in our attempts To place every
| possible safeguard against the present dam
gers TO life and limb
The clergy OF your c1ly and the better element
/ of your population generally. particularly
the mothers OF growing children Just budding
| dicated by numerous letters and petitions their
unqualified approval of this innovation. which
they say has resulted not only In much benefit 20
/ the community BY the saving of life and limb
such great permanent moral good, the nature of
I which. infer. Will require no explanation from
me. as IL VIII be obvious TO one who is so familiar
with the cirys needs as your good SELF therefore.
| trust we may fairly be permitted TO join with
/ these people of your own enterprisPg city an
earnest prayer to you, chief magistrate, to per
NIT the continuance OF the gate system the
Oakland local cars, which is redounding greatly
! to the general public good. and which is so
urgently desired by all those Interested Yours
very'truly, A. y, TowNE.
Hanging Fire.