The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1906-03-28
rAt VA. Win rNs VOC LEO.

ia his charge to- the srsnd Jury,
judges Townsend. AZ hc shouJd. tool,
notice Of the growing evil " "nistol
toiinF" ~ follows.
"Th";e aie a great many OTcnscs
that are very paicnt TO every citizen
IN This community which stOtld be in.
vcstigafed presume each member OF
the grand jun 10 fully ~ conyersant
vith them az am myself; but my ox.
poricncc uTsn the bench has taught
( me that the offcnse that Is perhaps the
! cause OF more serious crime than any
thing else, IL the carrying of weapons
I by people who hayo no right 10 carr
them In q country iiko this. whore
law and order prevails, and where
good citizenship is the 'I'c. there IS
no necessity for q man to 20 armed
And whenever yon find anybody that
hl. violated the law iu carrying woap.
ons. lt is your dlty a. indlct them ans
sec that they are prosecuted. 10 the
cyldonc" is sufficient. In your iudg
mont. to convict. u is simply folly Tor
man to be- permitted TO 20 armed In
this country They have no moro use
FOR a pistol. 81 gun. as they call IT,
strapped on them. than O. dog has for
two tails.
You let anybody IN this country
be armed With gun or pistol. and
then let him get a little had whisky,
and ho Is In a splendid condition to
commit murder ! am sorTy to say that
In this district there have been great
many murders committed within tho
last six months. and they grow on,
just such conditions.
Hence. men Who violate the law In
tho introduction and sale OF whisky.
and men who violate the law in car.
rylng concealed weapons. ought espc.
cially 20 receive your attention. and
wherever you find the evidence IS sun.
Client TO convict. you should certainly
indict aud see that they are punished.
Tho responsibility. after you get
through With them, IS up'n the district
attorney ana upon the court"
Good Tor judge Townsend!
That human life ia held to- uhcaply
In almost every section Is propos..
tiou upon which an thinking men
agree. and u Is a problem that docs
not seem 10 have been very easy ot
even in the states ha"
Ing power to place q tax upon the trait
fic as would make II prohibitory as
nearly a. possible Ever since the com
mand came ringing down from Monnt |
Sinai. Thou shalt not KIN" man has |
been steadily trying to legalize mur.
der by toleraiing the obnoxious "pis. !
tol toting' habit Il Is the pistol totcr
who On the slightest pgovocation. with |
the speed Of light line, thrusts ais !
hand 10 hiH pistol pocket 20 kill or !
ntmidatc his adversary. and this poor
fellow thinks d" Is brave. So he IS !
with whisky and deadly weapons. The |
public good o. not served oven with !
The shotgun. but thoy are really more !
Tor use IN IN emergency than |
a hog les" and tho man who carries |
a shotgun has 10 get out into the open. |
Men cannot conveniently wag around |
with shotpnns concealed under their |
coat tails. viii any one bc found who |
IL 30 tase az 20 contend that men
have n right TO lug six-shooters about
ON tholr persons? Officers charged
with the enforcement OF the law can
do much toward diminishing the evil.
Complaints Of non-enforccment of the
law should be- made 90 the officials
and not against thu Law. because II
- tho duty 0f the officials 10 enforce
the law and tho law cannot enforce II.
self with new state laws regulating
tho pistol traffic the people can find
one effective remedy and that is o
discharge at the elections the officials
who will not do their duty. Surely, tho
day Cf triumph over tho pistol ,otcr"
il coming
-----Osso o.
Presumably Missouri knows whore