New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-28
THE DANGEROUS BEAN-SHOOTER.
MUCH DAMAGE BEING DONE ABOUT THh
CITY BY THE SMALL BOY AND
THIS SORT OF WEAPON.


poys ,ro,o time imnnemoria have sought 10 possess
something which would destroy life. and this has
heen excused on the score that Il was natural. Ever
since firearms were invented boys have had great
desire to own a gun pistol Fond parents however
have tried 10 keep such dangerous weapons away
from their hopefus until they became old enough 10
be trusted with them. In the mean time the boys
have ever looked for substitute. and they have set
their Young minds to work to develop one In turn
they have tried bows and arrows, bowguns ana
variety OF other things and when all such Inventions
failed 10 please them they evolved the bean-shoo'ef
Where they first got the idea OF the bean-shooter -
hard TO say but Il Is sufficient TO know that the
bean-shooter has now been In existence for long
time although not in its present state OF efficiency
The bean-shoo;er of to-day is far more perfect
and dangerous weapon than the bean-shooter OF
few years ago. and this Is due 10 the fact that mas
become article Of commerce and is manufactured
by men who care not what they put into the HANDS
OF boys, so long as they make money out OF H.
few days ago The Tribune printed story OF the
new danger that menaced the passengers and en-
ployes on the elevated railroads, and told now TWO
windows had been broken in a car on Sxth-ave'
line train trip by bean-shooters. Since then
complaints about the bean-shooters have come In
thick and fast, and q number OF stories have oeen
printed regarding them Complaints have also been
made to the authorities and the Board OF Aldermen
has been asked to pass an ordinance prohibiting the
sale and use OF the bean-shoo,er The request was
made by manufacturer, who declared that the WIN
dows In his factory continually being broken
by missiles hurled from bean-shooters. Complaints
also made that the birds in Central Park and
the smaller parks were being KILLED on by bean
shooters and two boys arrested In Central
Park for killing sparrows with the weapon. Upon
investigation 1t was found that II was not the pleas
OF killing that alone prompted the boys 10 de-
the birds. but that coupled with the fact
that they could make money out OF the murderous
slaughter. They said that they sold the birds 70
Italian merchants in hottest. who used them for
trimming women's hats. These merchants paid the
boys five cents for every bird brought them.
Tho bean-shooter of to-day is made in differ
ent way from those first remembered by the writ
er. The village and country boys used to make
them of forked twigs Of trees To these forks they
bs Ibber lands wePe tied 10 snail peee Of
leather. In those days the weapon was not called
sugs pebbles and any small hard missiles then
just as they do now. Boys in the larger towns and
wigs Of trees used single piece Of wood on
which they fastened the rubber bands. These
they would no, thTo% d nearly so far
effective those Of to-day, because the
boys could not obtain the rubber bands; Toy man;
began 10 make the modern bean-shooter al a price
which brought It easily within reach OF the aver
has become an article OF commerce and is sold in
al toy ehoPS from the Battery TO r6G Harlem "a b
statements of the dealers the trade is large one
ana most pIOnldDle 10 lnOsr WHO ensdScu III
IT, The present beam shooter Is made out Of wire
ar to essaPh ou T peSf Gi S6gh, 10
serve as a handle The ends are then spread out
to make the fork to which the rubber Is fastened.
A single piece of rubber is used, and in the middle
of 1t there Is sewed small bit OF leather in which
the missile is placed. Several sizes OF these bean
shooters are made-selling at from to 10 cents
each. The weakest Of them Will send pebble
Is said that the larger and hgher-prced ones Will
carry 300 yards with quite deadly effect They
will shoot ~ strongly cheap shotgun, ana
are just likely 10 shoot around The corner The
| boy merely pulls back the rubber band with all
| his strength shuts his eyes and the weapon does
| the rest. Who is killed what else happens after
| he let's go the boy probably never discovers un-
| less he Is given to reading tho newspapers.
But in all seriousness. the so-called bean-shooter
/ Is regarded by many people by far much TOO
| dangerous weapon 10 be used in the streets Of a
| city and some think its sale and use should be
| prohibited quickly as possible.