Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-28
YELL OR GUN
FOR THIEVES?
LOCAL WOMEN DISCUSS THE
HANDLING OF BURGLARS
REVOLVER Is GAINING FAVOR IN
) LOS ANGELES
Some Think Sermons or Hatpins at
Ten Eeet More Deadly, but the
oId-Fashlnod Scream
Is Popular

who has considered the question declare
they. do not The daughters of this city
are the pluckiest in the country In the
newspapers of the last year have been
written a dozen or more cases where
woman has fought burglar and pounded
him to insensl.llity.
In general when a woman awakens and
finds a burglar in the rooms her first i'm
pulse is to scream. In Los Angeles the
greatest number have reached for pistol.
Mrs Claude W. Linder of 439 South
Hope street, an enthusiastic member of
the Los Angeles Revolver club, says:
II think a revolver is much more pro-
lection to woman than a scream. Girls
should learn to shoot as we'll as boys
Burglars are not much afraid of women
because they think they have no way Of
protection There ought to be general
movement in favor of fires ms for wo-
men, Boys are strong physically and yet
they have guns as an added protection,
while girls, much weaker, have nothing
"A scream will only anger .--iel and
he is liable to use violence. If l met
burglar | know l would not be bit
afraid to shoot. Since l have learned to
use gun 1 have felt safe. 1 always
keep one near me-.
Lecture More Effective
+ Mrs. w. ]. Schol of 1876 Maple avenue,
well known society woman of Los An
geles, has different idea. She says:
II would not shoot a burglar because L
do not know how. l would preach him
sermon. l think that would have the best
effect What / would say would depend
upon his appearance. If it was dark and
could not see him l would just start
and talk and 1 would either impress him
or tire him out so that he would leave.
If 1 was too frightened to speak 1 would
pray to myself. l do not believe l would
ever scream.
II never have the least fear of thieves.
We had burglars in our house few
weeks ago and l went all through the
house in the dark, hunting for them"
One of the clever young women writer's
of the city has a startling method that
she would pursue If approached by bur-
glar. She says:
''It is a waste of energy to scream. 1t
lets the burglar know you are afraid.
Blufflng is the best way to deal with a
midnight marauder l would not let him
get within ten feet of me. l would tell
him to stop right where he was or /
would kill him. l always carry hat pin
with me-"
Scream Vent
A woman usually screams not so much
to frighten the burglar or to summon
help but to give vent to her own feelings.
In the majority of cases noise frightens
| the intruder. Unless he is particularly
vicious he will not hurt the woman for
screaming, as an attack increases the risk
of capture and a longer sentence in the
penitentiary
| A thief is more afraid of a woman than
a man If one of the stronger sex is
surprised he will try to shoot. If he can
not reach his gun he will be quiet and
not give any trouble.
A woman cannot be depended upon al
ways to do the same thing. She may
YELL she may scratch him and she may
faint Ane one of the possibilities is hard
on the burglar.
Nearly every woman has thought or
some method of defense she would try If
she saw a burglar. Many have learned to
shoot or to hit the man, and keep
weapon, but when the crucial Woment
comes they fall back upon their old
standby, the scream.
But no other city in the United States
can boast of so many brave women who
have actually defeated their attackers
The race of old maids who looked under
the bed every night has passed away, and
the modern bachelor girl, with her larger
acquaintance with the world, has come
into being. A man to her is nothing to be
afraid Of He is only to be loved, amused
be amusing, or simply exist as neces-
sary evil.
Precautionary Dont's
McClure's Magazine has published list
OF 'Don'ts for Defenseless Women as
precaution so that there would be no ne
cessity for screaming
Don't let mail accumulate in vestibule
mail boxes. Have the janitor remove 1t
when you are away, or 1t will serve as a
notice to fiat workers that you are out
and the coast is clear.
Don't leave directions to your grocer
on the back door. This is another tip to
the burglar that you are out.
Don't open the door to any one after
dark without knowing who it is. Call
through the tube or ask behind the closed
door
Don't trust stranger because he is
well dressed. The immaculate thief is
dangerous; the ragged one generally is
harmless.
Don't trust the locks. Most apartment
locks are toys; a burglar can jimmy
them in a minute without any noise. Get
special bolts.
"Don't leave the house without making
sure that all windows are fastened
Leave all curtains up, with possible eX-
ception of bedroom. This often fools a
burglar.
Don't walk close to q building after
dark; give an alley a good margin"
Detectives Ideas
II congratulate the burglars that have
missed certain houses in Los Angeles
while out on their raids" said Fred Scott
one of the best known private detectives
in the city. II know of society women
living in mansions in the resident section
who handle revolvers like experts and
who are not afraid to use them.
zone of these women never retires at
night without having a loaded revolver
within reach of her bed, and l feel sorry
for any burglar that enters that room.
II have seen this woman in positions
which required the greatest nerve and she
never lost her head. l feel sure II thief
was to enter her room and she saw him
it would be more a case for the coroner
than for the police.
81 know of a number of other women in
Los Angeles who can use revolver to
good purpose and would not hesitate to
do so.
ole of that