New-York tribune., 1903-06-21

who carries a revolver. Sometimes he asks FOR
a legal permit. More often he does not The
permit costs 50 30 and at the present time some
delay Under Tammany il cost few dollars
more and no delay If "vigilante" defes the
law and is caught, he loses his weapon and IS
fined from 81 to so. The majority would rather
run the risk of the fine AS one said TO a Tribune
reporter: When man wants pistol. he wants
il quick If l ask police captain for per-
nit my enemies are likely to hear about IL
Then 1 might better go unarmed. It's cheaper
for me TO pay the fine
OF the twenty thousand ''vigantes'' only six
, hundred have pistol permits.
This small standing army is recruited from
both the over and the under world. There are
some for example who carry, besides a pistol,
slungsnot of brass knuckles or d knife,
SO that should the bullet miss they have slower
but more trusty tools of violence Then there
is the swarthy immigrant from Southern Eu-
rope who finds himself more suspicious Of evil
here than at home. Search him. if you can. and
you will find knife in his belt. Sandbags, bill
lies. knuckles and knives warrant the arrest OF
the possessor whenever discovered It takes
keen sleuth ofttimes to find them.
But the great majority Of "vigilantes" are not
criminals Should one ask them why they go
armed they go into details far enough to say:
In f-defence-'
Some are towards, who do not trust in their own
bodily strength. Some have wronged friend and
fear that they will some day be confronted with
their enemy. Many "vigilante," on the other
hand is simply armed with gun in the spirit
of braggadocio. He carried revolver when a
lad and the boyish love Of firearms has survived
to his naturer years. They exaggerate their
own Importance, and had they been corn III
some high station Of royalty they would have
ov77 Ioy1d 1denT1 1ITli-
formed sentries.
ITn+iI recentlv II was an easy matter to obtain
nistoI perrnit Under Devery. the police cap
tains issued them to whoever came The re-
srecta ble citizen who showed he actually needed
= revolver in his business paid the license lee
of 50 80 which was turned over TO the police
pension fund. The applicant who had "otheF
reasons for a gun simply presented the captain
with q contingent fee" and nothing was sald'
Cracks Malta assassins and members OF the
rourderous Monk Eastmans and 1akey 4akes
paaxs were legally licensed to carry reviewers
"a death became more and more the sequel OF
a fight or holdup.
A. italian was killed about two months ago
and his body was cramned into barrel ana ieIt
ON the East River 'front.' Detectives secured
the Malta resorts IN Elizabeth and Mulberry sts''
and arrested q halfscore Of Sicilians. lmpu-
Gated they said in the murder All were afIheu
with revoIvers What more, all mao Deeh
dulv licensed TO carry revolvers. and In eA-
tenuation they showed pistol permits. Ihere
was q conference at Police Headquarters anu
Commissioner Greene said: There are too many
men armed with pistols in New-York We must
take their guns away The fewer revolvers the
fewer murders.
ONLY a few days after the Commissioner SAID
these words a murder was committed IN the
Criminal Courts Building. negro poicy RUNNER
with q criminal record shot and kiiled ShaiieS
F. Macfarlane. superintendent OF the anu
-. cooi.t, ard severely wounded Philip