The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-04

Of life. What was lawful and necessary In
1857 is wholly unlawful inexcrsable and
criminal now. The time has come beyond
qucstion--it came long ago-for the poo
pie, The executive officers. the courts and
the law making power to give this matter
their most serious attention. Now that
thought is awakening on this subject IL Is
earnestly to be hoped that IL will not sleep,
not only until the law as IT stands is fair
ly enforced, but until the legislature en-
acts a statute fixing a punishment justly
relative in Its severity to the deadly con-
sequences OF the offense. Perhaps a law
should be passed making II an offence pun
ishable as a felony for any person under
any circumstances TO carry a pistol, dagger
or the like, unless carried cpnspicuously--
outside OF the outermost garments-and
also making Il an ofense punishable in
the same way TO carry such weapon even
conspicucusly except in cases OF the plain.
est necessity, such cases to be ascertained
and defined by the legislature. II is also
important to enlarge and clearly define
the powere and duties Of peace officers
with reference TO arrests But what the
law should be must be left TO the wisdom
OF the legislature and for the present the
concern OF courts and jnries Is with the
law as it liz.
There is a general impression that 1t Is
only forbidden to carry a pistol concealed.
but this Is an error.
When the grand jury presents TO this
court bill OF indictment for violation
of this statute 1t must. on account of the
smallness of the penalty, be transferred
to one of the Justices for trial. But It is
your duty to inquire into these offenses
nevertheless and 10 present indictments
when the evidence before you satisfies you
that the offense has been committed At
lacking 80 grave an evil with so weak
a weapon may seem like charging n ten
inch gun with parlor rifle. but until an
other Is reached every effort should be
made 10 enforce the present law
In this connection your attention Is par
ticularly called TO the following statute:
ARTICLE ~. Any person violating any
OF the provisions OF articles 1893 and $40
(denounclix the carrying of weapons) may
be arrested without warrant by any peace
officer and carried before the nearest
justice Of the peace for trial; and any
peace officer who shall fail or refuse to
arrest such person on his own knowledge,
or upon information from some credible
person shall be punished by fine not ex-
ceeding $500"
You should make most thorough In
vestigation to ascertain whether any
peace officers Of the county have been
guilty OF failure to perform the duty
required of them by this article
The rending was listened 10 with deep
attention by a court room fun of people
AS general thiag district Judges give
only the usual statutory charge. but in
this instance Judge Gavin went far be
yond that and called specific attention t.
the habit of pistol carrying and the re-
suits that grew ont OF 1t.
Following Is the grand Jury for this
term OF court.
Colonel W NJ Stafford foreman; II
Tiernan A. G Youens. A. yohen. Harry
Devlin. j. C. Mcdonald George Dnherty,
r, Mcdonald. w ]. Duhg u ]. May, r.
rullacher aud Clifford Howard.
when the members Of the grand jury had
been sent to their room To begin work
petit Jury was drawn and the trial Of
cases began There are no very import
ant cases 10 come up ut this term Of courr
The sessions are mold In the new court
house for the first time since the building
waS finished,