The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-01-30
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Carrying Concealed Weapons and
Increasing the Chain Gangs.


the bill Of MIR Cooper Of Laurcns to re
gulate the sale, manufacture and carry
ing Of firearms.
The bill prohibited the carrying @
pistols, concealed or exposed, less tha
80 inches in length and weighing les
than three and q half pounds.
MIR. Cooper answered number o
questions put to him by members o
the house He had carefully considered
the constitutionality of the bill and ha'
consulted member Of the circuit court
These had all told him that the b II il
constitutional, and does not violate th'
fundamental right of citizens TO heaI
arms.
Mr. Ga'luchat saw merit in the bill. /
is constitutional
Mr. j. c. Robertson favored The bill
1t would keep rullans from going tc
town salesdays with pistols strapped
around them. Nobody but "niggcrs and
towards carry pistols"
Dir. Beamguard spoke in its support
He wanted to offer an amendment that
man could carrying ".stol on his own
premises
Mr. MCGOWAN favored the bill.
Mr.. Spears opposed the measure Hc
refutcd the charge that nobody but
towards carry pistols. Brave mon carry
them to protect their persons. q 8 a
magistrate, he had been forced to sen
tence people for carrying concealed wea-
pons, and he had always done so rcluc
tantly, knowing that the informant was
prompted by prejudice.
The bill in question will create re-
gular system OF espionage.
Mr.. Sinklcr and MIR. Hardin favored
the bill Mr. Sinkler who had intro
duced bill to this effect two years ago
op5 hob ua p6 hp constitutional
ty Of MIR. Cooper's b Il, pronounced it
sound
Mr. Fraser said that the bill had been
reported unfavorably not to sanction the
carrying Of weapons, but to give law
abiding citizens a chance to protect
themselves against those men who carry
weapons concealed and will continue to
do so. There are cases of dire necessity,
when man must arm himself, for in.
stance, when mad dog is going
around, or in the case Of a county trea
surer or other such men carrying large
sums Of money.
Mr.. Cooper exp aimed that the prcsil
ing judge could throw out the case if it
be shown that circumstances jusLiti, d.
Mr.. II. b. A. Robinson said that q
pistol in ne pocket and bottle Of liquor
in the other is a bad combination A
man with two arms and two legs don't
need pistol. He can fight or foot it
(Laughter)
Mr.. j. 9 Robertson maintained his
statement that nobody but q coward car.
ries pistol habitual!y. The man who
continually carries a pistol must be ter
ribly afraid somebody is going to hurt
him.
Mr.. Morgan said that this bill would
strengthen the law against concealed.
weapons.
MIR. Weston said that all measures
against this evil had fallen short He
believed in absolute prohibition Of the
sale Of pistols. This bill would force
people to go to great deal OF trouble to
get them.
MIR. Dorroh opposed the bill because
the people who now carry pi tolls con
cealed will continue to do it anyway, and
good citizens will not be allowed TO
carry them in any way.
MIR. Richa rdson said that the bill is
not altogether perfect, but some features
Of it were excellent.
Mr. Dodd, of Spartanburg, made quite
speech in favor of the bill. He touch
ed up lawye, little bit in his remarks
The vote, on the motion to strike out,
resulted 30 to 65 against the motion and
in favor Of the bill.
Those who voted in favor Of the mo
ton were {: Speaker Stevenson and
Messrs. Bacot, Banks, Butler, Dean, dc
Loach, Dominick, Dorroh, Durant,
Fraser, Gourdin, Halle, James, Kecls,
Laughln, Morrison, Moss, Murchison,
Patterson, Rucker, NJ. l.. Smith, Spears,
w. j. Thomas, Wells, Whaley and Viii
son.
Those who favored the bill and voted
against striking out the enactlng words
were: Messrs. Ashley, All, Austin, Bates,
Beamguard, Ovens, Bolts, Brooks,
Brown, Bryan, Campbell, Carter, Cog
geshall. Colcock, Cooper, Cosgrove,
Croft, Crum, Dantzler, DeBruhl, Dennis,
Dodd, Dunbar, Efrd, Elder, Estridgc,
Fox CASTOR, Galluchat, Gunter, Hardin.
Hill, Hollis, Humphrey, Jarnigan, j ohm
son, Kibler, Kinard, Kinsey, Little, Lock
wood, Lomax. Lyles, Mayson, Mcleod,
McGowan, McMastcr, Jno Mishoe,
Morgan, Nesbitt, Nichols, Parker, w. l. +,
Prince, Richardson, Robinson, Il. B. A.,
Robertson, Stackhousc, Sinklcr, Smith,
j. B., Strom, Stroman, Theus, Thompson,
Vincent, Webb, West, Weston, Wingo,
and Woodw rd
Mr.. Beamguard offered an amendment
prescribing the limit to the SIZE Of the
weapons which were outlawcd. This
amendment was adopted, and keeps 3
man from carrying even rlnlc OF
shotgun except on his own premises in
accordance with another amendment
offered by Mr. Beamguard.
Mr.. John McMaster moved that the
proviso exempting rcace officers be
stricken out. This motion was voted
down.
Mr.. Butler moved to strike out the
clause offering one half OF the fines
and forfeitures to informant. This was
voted down. The bill as amended by
Mr.. Beamguard then passed second read
ing.
THE CONVICT QUESTION.
The House then took up Mr.. Strom,
bill relative to the eligibility Of convict
to the select society Of county chair
gangs.
Mr. Strom and Mr.. Stackhousc spok
in favor Of 1t. Mr.. Wingo made goot
speech recitng the necessity for skille,
labor in operating machinery on public
works. This labor is usually employed
when convict labor would do as wei
But convicts, If sent up for short tcrmt
are discharged by the time they get t
working welE The counties which bav
the court expenses to bear should &.
the proper return in labor.
Mr. Tatum said that his opposition
the bill came from sense Of humanity
DR.. Pope who was for % years ply sicia
at the penitentiary says that convic,
cannot live for ten years on count
chaingang. II the camps be properl
equipped 1t might be feasib o.
Mr.. Stron asked II it would not resu