The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-01-23
Representative Citizens Express
Their Views on LaWIessneSs
PUBLIC SENTIMENT AROUSED
Various Remedies Suggested and a
Higher Moral Tone Demanded.
city's Reputation Affected
BY Homicides.

/
over the situation that they are practi-
caIly unanimous in the opinion that some
thing must be done to stop the practice
or the reputation of Birmingham will be
seriously impaired, both at home and
abroad They feel that the practice must
be either abolished or regulated and that
the law should be stringently enforced.
While neither criticising. defending or
condemning Mr.. Shugart until he has
been given fair trial by jury, the pub
lie feels that If he had not carried pis-
tol Bonholzer would not have been shot
and that Shugart would not be in the
county Jail.
The Shugart- Bonholzer affair is not the
only shooting that could have been avert
ed had not one or both of the participants
been armed In fact, citizens who have
been taking an active interest in the mat
| ter of carrying concealed weapons insist
that this practice of people going armed
is directly responsible for more than 80
| per cent of the tragedies which have
shocked the people of Birmingham and
placed us in a bad light before the out
side world.
What a Travelling Man Heard.
A travelling man from Dallas, Texas
who is spending a few days in Birming-
ham, says he heard a very significant re-
mark made concerning Birmingham in
front of a hotel in Dallas two weeks ago.
| A well dressed man overhearing CONVEX
sation in which the travelling man said
he formerly lived in Birmingham came
nearer and said in an ugly tone, Il would
not live in that God-forsaken city, and
with an oath continued: "A man can't go
into that town without getting shot or ar
rested before he goes two blocks" The
travelling man says that this is fair
sample of what people think of Birming-
ham, even in the far west. He says there
is not town in the entire state of Texas
where a mans life is in more danger than
in Birmingham. He attributes the trout
BILE to the carrying of concealed weapons
and says such an extensive violation of
the law in Texas would be considered
barbarous. Out there, he says, 1t is
against the law to carry pistol concealed
or uneoncealed and that the law is pretty
well enforced
The question naturally arises as to the
best method of stopping the pistol toting
habit and on this subject citizens have
offered a variety of plans Thoughtful
men say that no law can be enforced so
long as public sentiment Is against It,
Public sentiment is evidently In favor or
carrying concealed weapons, so 1t Is
claimed or such a large number of per
sons would not carry them. Law abiding
citizens feel that If the lawless element
carry weapons they are of necessity COM
PEELED to carry them in self defense.
Continuing the argument it is urged, that
If the sentiment is wrong something
should be done to change 1t. Several
citizens have suggested that the pastors
of the various church preach sermons
against the practice next Sunday. BY all
classes taking this matter up 1t is thought\
healthy sentiment can be created in
favor of the law. With the public against
such lawess practice 1t is felt that
much of the pistol toting will be done
away with.
Legal Difficulties.
The crime of carrying concealed wea-
pons is very difficult to reach by the
courts in view of the fact that it Is not
in accordance with public spirit to stop
a man and search him for weapon OF
course if weapon is found the move
would be fortunate, but in case the per-
son apprehended is not guilty then the
officer would be in trouble. The police
men have Instructions not to arrest men
on suspicion of carrying weapons but il
arrested for other offenses and weapons
are found on their persons the arresting
! officer can prefer the additional charge
of carrying concealed weapons.
The proper procedure under the law Is
| to swear out a warrant for a man who
! it is believed is carrying weapon and
! then instruct an officer to serve this war
rant. While there are many men whom
the ordinary person knows carries con-
cealed weapons such persons do not care
to swear out warrant as the RESPONSE
bility of proving the charge would be
upon them.
To avoid these difficulties a majority of
citizens seems to be in favor of giving
the policemen Instructions 10 arrest any
man whom they have good reason to be-
lieve carries a weapon and search him.
Out of fifty persons consulted about the
matter yesterday more than So per cent
Of them say they would be perfectly will
ling to be stopped and searched. Some
Of these citizens go SO far as to say that
they are in favor of getting up a petit
ton and let all law abiding citizens sign
1t who are in favor of or would consent
to being searched. 1t is believed that
persons would hasten to sign this docu-
ment and that those who did not would
to certain extent refrain from the prac-
tice
A Suggestion.
Others suggest that long as the prac-
tice cannot be abolished 1t should be
regulated. Following out this suggestion
1t is proposed to have law passed allow
ing citizens to carry pistols who will
take out a license and register their
names in the office of one of the courts
Instead of a license some suggest that
these persons be required to give bond
for the protection of the peace and to
show that they are in good standing and
have good reason for desiring to carry
a weapon. This plan has been endorsed
by several judges in Alabama and other
states in the past few years but has
never. been tried in Alabama.
Several leading men have expressed
themselves as favoring a more stringent
law, some going so far as to insist that
carrying concealed weapons should be
penitentiary offense and should not be
punishable by fine except in addition to
Imprisonment.
Below will be found some of the views
Of prominent citizens on this subject:
The judiciary.
Judge N. B. Feagin: What is the best
way to stop the carrying of concealed