The morning call., 1893-12-27
FOOTPAD SCARE
Special Squad to Patrol
the Streets.
The Demand for Permits to Carry
Revolvers Increasing Every
Day-About 1000 Issued.

The footpad scare Is assuming alarming pro-
portions, and the clerks In The office OF the
Chief OF Police are Kept busy every day attend
ing to callers who want permits TO carry revol-
yers.
Yesterday afternoon the Chief signed over
100 permits and there are several applications
yet TO be disposed OF.
"How many permits have you issued within
the past month ?" was asked the Chief.
IT could not say what the exact number is'
replied the Chief, "but speaking from memory
1 should say about 1000. There seems TO be a
regular scare. and unless people get over II
there will be some wild shooting done. Each
man will be taking the other for footpad, and
IL is not difficult 10 guess the result.
"Wben mems minds are so excited think il
is too bad that stories OF people being held I'D.
which, after careful investigation, have proved
TO be purely Imaginary. should be published.
1t is giving US black eye, and no mistake.
Not only that, but IL Is injuring The city, and
will have a dis strous fleet upon the attend.
ance of the Midwinter Fair, as l suppose these
stories are all telegraphed East.
1--WE have mol withheld any cases that have
been reported to US, and surely IL any one ls
held up fhe least one can expect is that he or
she should take the trouble TO report It TO US so
that we might have chance of capturing the
robbers.
with the force have 1 am quite able TO
cope successfully with all the footpads that may
come here, and when find am wrong l will
be the first 10 make complaint and loud one.
'Of all The footpads recently captured by the
police there are only four who are strangers.
The rest are all local men, chiefly of the young
hOodlum element. San Francisco IL too IA II
away to induce many of the Eastern footpads
to come here"
As an Illustration of the danger TO Innocent
persons from the present scare the Chief was
told OF a case that occurred on Sunday night.
A lady stopped of n California-street car at
Sco.t street and seeing man. whom she mis-
took for policeman, standing on the corner,
asked him il he would take the trocble TO ac-
company her TO her door as she was afraid OF
fOotpads. He told her he was waiting for a
downtown car, which was in sight, and as he
was in a hurry she would have TO excuse him.
Just then he saw man walking on The other
side of the street In the direction OF the lady's
house and he stepped briSkly across the street
and asked him IL he would see lady home.
mo you don't,' quickly retorted The man.
and as quickly pulled revolver out OF bis over
coat pocket and presented It at the otner mans
breast. who promptly yelled: Don't shoot.
I'm not a footpad."
Explanations followed and the man with til e
revolver saw the lady safely to her home, while
the other man thanked his stars that he was
not a corpse and went downtown inwardly
vowing that he would be careful of accosting a
stranger at night in the future.
The Chief, with the double purpose OF allay-
ing the fears OF the citizens and Of capturing
footpads, win detail every night special squad
of police officers and detectives TO scour the
city during the hours the festive footpad is
supposed TO conduct his operations.
On sunday night The Western Addition was
selected and the police and detectives In cilI-
zen's attire pairoled The various streets. They
were all surprised at the timidty of The men
they met, who, as rule, gave them wide
berth, and In many instances took to the
middle OF the street. Fortunately, or unfor.
tunately, not one Of them encountered foot
pad to their great regret as they were lust
aching to be held up