The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-02
Many Citizens Go Primed
for FOOtpadS.
Recent H0ldups Responsible
for the Practice.
Applicants for Permission to Carry
Concealed Weapons.

A thin man leaned over tho counter of a
store where guns, powder and pistols form the
| bulk of the stock, and wanted TO know IL
they had firearms 10 sell that could be
handled without danger.
'You Sec" said the thin man, 'Im not
| used tc carnal weapons and I'm rather afr6id
OF 'cm. My brother is the only member of
our family who is at all warlilEe. He belongs
to the First Light Infantry, and he has adj
viscd me 10 carry pistol. I'm out late oc
casiorally, an j don't propose 10 DC scared by
amy Of these highwaymsn that's going around
now."
The storeSeeper sold him harmless wea-
pom and he went out with a bulgng hip
pocket.
reporter standing rear waiting for the
duplicate of n lost key had his curiosity
aroused and i'm answer 10 his question Mr..
Pope said that trade in revolvers was little
better than the average. Just at present the
sale was at its best. In explanation he said
that the "hold-up' scare was responsible for
it, People read The papers and certain indi.
viduals were influenced by the idea that IL
was the proper thing to go armed.
IF well-regulated highwayman should de-
mand their money they would be in moie
danger from themselves tnan they would be
from anything else. IL takes % cool head to
handle pistol properly The state of bust
ness during the past three years has had a
tendency to make people more ungodly, and
some of them have resorted TO desperate
means for getting possession of money. The
law has no terror for a desperate man, and If
money can be obtained at the point OF re-
yolvcr there are plenty of men ready TO take
the chance. This Is one of the elements that
has contributed TO the general increase in the
trade in small firearms during the past two or
three years"
A good many more revolvers are being car
ried In the street than heretofore. They are
in possession of men who have owned the
weapons: for long time, but having no espec-
ial use for them they have been left at home
or some other place. Since the genera, alarm
these weapons have been polished up and put
in commission, TO speak Men who never
thought OF such thing before go about the
streets now ready to defend their poclSetbooks
mt a moments notice. Tho lot of the nigh
wayman is, therefore, much harder than il
was The rascals are wary about the sort of
man they tackle. The favoriie victim is the
chap who has the had tastSro get helplessly
drunk. He is ready made victim. and the
first crook that happens along relieves him Of
his cash with the greatest of ease and free
dom. This has been the with about all
the roberes of late.
Another indication of the influence the
scare has on cetain individuals has been
brought TO light in the Office of the chief of
police. That custodian of the general peace
and tranquility Of the municipality has been
besieged by persons anxious to carry reyol-
vers IL is against the law TO carry concealed
weapons without permit from the chief Of
police, and all sorts of persons have made the
necessary application since the desreradoes
in fossncr's saloon said Hands up
''Of cours'," said the chief of police, per.
mission was only granted 10 responsible per.
sons II every applicant had been allowed
to go armed that wanted to, the town would
have bristlei with death dealing nipple.
ments."