The age-herald., 1897-12-26

Alderman Ashford met MT. Brown, commercial traveller and former neghbor of his in the village of Courtland on the Tennessee, on Twentieth street, between First and Second avenues, last Thursday evening about sunset. Mir Ashford, as re- port goes, saw imagined MT. Brown had placed his hand on his hip and, there upon, MT. Ashford drew his revolver and continued to shoot bullets into the really unarmed MT. Brown until he had seriously wounded him in three parts of the body. Especially at the hour, that square in the streets is well filled with pedestrians and with vehicles. The principal hack stand is there all lines of street cars pass there, six in number
 There are jewelry stores, drug stores re- tail cigar and tobacco stores, pawn shops, restaurants, doctors and lawyers offices, the oldest bank in the city, two or more saloons and other kinds of stores and shops on this space, 900 ineal feet by 80. There were probably 800 people within easy range of Mir. Ashford's pistol, men and women and children. Probably there is no evidence to show that Mr. Ashford might not have stepped into an open door, the moment he saw Brown and thus have avoided him: probably there is nothing to prove that Brown would have harmed Mir. Ashford had he stood in his tracks thrown up his hands and cried out: f'fSot here, Brown, for Gods sake, another place and time"
 The main point in the case Is the revol- yer. It is the acme of cowardice malice sneaking revenge, conceived and material ized in this little weapon. A bad custom gives it to some good men. When man wishes to shoot birds. he carries a shot gun; when he proposes to go for wild hogs or bear. he takes rifle; when he intends to kill fellow human being he slips revolver in hip pocket that easily con ceals it. The revolver is specially useful for nothing in the domain of the earth but the destruction of human life. No man carries revolver without premeditated purpose to maim to sh ct to death hu- man being.
 Is the revolver necessary to safety of person in Alabama? Certainly it is not. Hundreds of men in Birmingham never wear one In the last legislature of this state, 1S9495 hot words passed between Senator Albert J. Goodwin and another on the floor. Goodwin was accused then and there of putting his hand on his hip and thus justifying the conduct of the other party. Goodwin resented the in- situation. He assured the senate he had never worn pistol since the war. Here is a case in point. For six years Good wyn had been occupied in cauvassing Ala bama under circumstances highly calcu- lated to excite personal conflict but brave man that he is he had gone always un- armed. There is probably not one county in the state where he had not appeared, in controversy of bitter character, one or more times
 
 edy just cited, The Age-Herald published a highly instructive and scholarly article from the pen of Alex T. London Esq urg- ing call for a constitutional convention. The concealed weapon nuisance may be left to statute law, but the organic law needs amphcation that will uproot condi- tions of degradations in society now exist ing which are too potent for the courage of legislatures and juries
 Seventeen years ago MT Edward Me Grady member n be Co legislature from Charleston was the leader of the anti-dueliing movement in that state and notwithstanding an intelligent and ardent and persistent opposition, sue ceeded in legislating the ancient practice out of it's foothold. About six weeks ago MT. McCrady published an article in the Sunday News and Courier admitting that in each and every year. since the anti duellng act, more mon had been killed by revolvers in South Carolina than in the two centuries of the dueling practical
 Duelling Is certainly wrong but human nature and human conditions are to be con- sidered. It is paradoxlcal, apparently, that the annual floods of the Mississippi shall be decreed by nature. sweeping off life and the fruits of toil The drouths of India and the resultant plague is a power of nature ruthessly demonstrated. Noth- ing is more wonderful in the scheme of nature than the necessity of human valnr. The Chinese, being towards. will assufedly be partitioned among the nations of Europe and become abiect slaves until exter- minated The world combined could not conquer the 70000,000 Americans. The cowardlv Chinese do little or nothing for the glory of God; the valorous Americans do more than all other people to aDproy- mate in their daily lives the mind of the Creator
 The revolver pistol is a reproach to the American people. and especially the people Of the south. Alabama should tax every