The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-05

Recklessness of Boys-Was a Disgrace.
The patronage made by Wichita to
the Chinese government for several
hundred dollars worth OF ire crackers
and other worthless and useless trash,
resulted in many accidents throughout
the city yesterday and last night.
AS a result over a score of persons
were more or less injured and the ac-
ton of the boys and certain young men
IN Wichita last night would have been
disgracefuI 10 a band Of drunken Kfowa
Indians let alone intelligent American
citizens who desire to revere the mem
ory Of the heroic signerS Of the DecIa-
ration of Independence.
Young men or boys forgot seemingly
ali rules Of decency and were seen upon
the sidewalks carrying lighted packs of
fire crackers through crowds OF ladies
and children.
Not content with this they threw the
lighted crackers in passing carriages
and under the horses, into the faces OF
persons, and behaved in way Whlch
would not be dreamed of by gentlemen
Their conduct last night was not only d
disgrace TO themselves but TO the par
ents who raised them
The police gave notice that they would
strictly enforce the ordinance against
The firing of fire crackers, but they who'll
" failed TO carry out the ordinance
Doubtless there are scores Of accidents
which are not here recorded and IL IS TO
b. hoped that the disgTaceful scene upon
the STREETS last night will never be re-
peated again in the city of Wichita.
Arthur KiIliam had his right eye fill
ed with powder, and the member was so
badly injured that DR.. Dorsey gave IL
as his opinion that the chances were
against saving the eye.
Willie Cell, diving at 356 Indiana ave
nue., was walking along the street last
night and when in front Of Herman az
Hess clothing store, he stopped to pick
I'D what he believed to be an exploded
cannon fire cracker, when 1t went on IN
his right hand, tearing his little hnger
completely off, and seriously injuring
his entire hand. He was taken TO Dr.
St Johns office where his wounds were
dressed. He viii be manned for life.
Frank Buckley almost lost his right
hand by the premature explosion Of q
cannon fire cracker. The doctors
thought last night they might save the
, thumb and two fingers.
Charley Bennett and Eddie Jackman
were both severely burned by fire
crackers being thrown upon them
Fred Denton, while attempting 10
cross Main street near the Kansas
news stand was struck with a team that
gave lunge by some loafer throwing e.
bunch of fire crackers under them from
the pavement. He was knocked down
and his arm broken and otherwise SER
iously injured
Mr. Duncan. d farmer, was driving
with his family in q carriage and when
near Second street some thoughtless
person threw a bunch Of crackers in the
buggy and the team started TO run- Nj
racuIously nobody was run over, but
The buggy was broken by hitting the
cur-bing near Central avenue
Ed Gray had his bicycle broken and
was badly bruised by being run over by
a team which was frightened with
crackers
A Miss Tartar was standing on the
pavement near Billings store when two
boys came along and threw a bunch Of
fra crackers against her and her cloth
ing was set on fire.
MT Grain and wife were on the street
with their infant IN = baby carriage
when someone threw a bunch of crack
ers into the baby buggy and the child
was seriously injured
Howard Jackman, 1874 F'sirvtew, was
badly burned by Fourth Of July acci-
dent. He had a small cannon. which
ne was about to load, when a little girl
lit a cracker and threw It away from
her Unfortunately il landed and ex-
plOded in a can containing powder.
Young Jackman received the discharge
and was terribly burned. His clothes
caught on fire and his skin was singed
from his hips to his neck along his
breast.
Thus the disgraceful scene was carTi-
ed on throughout the day. In some
cases, as the KiIliam, Jackman and Ben
nett boy, the police could not be blamed.
as the accidents occurred near their
homes. but IN the other accidents they
cannot be held blameless, as a word
from them would have put stop to the
WDOlA fling