Bisbee daily review., 1908-11-14
POLICEMAN OF PHOENIX AIMS
 GUN AT AUTO
Machine Was Breaking All Kinds of Speed Ordinances, But the Crowd Liked 1t, and Suppressed Officer.
(Phoenix Democrat.) )

By drawing his revolver and order ing one of the Los Angeles auto racers to stop speeding, Captain HI Mcdonald of the night poiice almost cause ia riot on Washington street last night when 800 excited and an gered fair eelebrants showed tAeir disapproval by hooting and jeering the officer.
 Mcdonald explains his action by saying that he was doing nothing more than performing his duty, ana acted as he did at the request of citi- Zens who feared that the local nor que would be filled today if the al;- tomobiies were allowed to longer ex- ceed the speed limit on the main streets of the city.
 To give the Arizonan an idea if what an automobile can do and 10 add to the gayety of the occasion seveal of the expert drivers, who made the long run here from Los An geles, got their machines out early in the night and began to do stunts
 Hundreds gathered until there were probably 2000 people lining Washington street in the center of the city to see the fun. Up and down the streets the machines raced, neck and neck, time and again, aptil uiio excitement became as great as it will . be this afternoon when the real races are begun at the fair grounds at o'clock
 People pushed and fought for post tions along the sidewalks, eager ,u see the visiting daredevi1s take their lives in their hands, and race like mad through the street The e.i- thusiasm was contagious until the en- , tire crowd was yelling ana eheerlng like carnival crowd.
 | In the midst of the fun, Captain Mcdonald appeared and, approaching one of the machines, ordered the driver to halt, at the same time drawing his revolver and pointing it directly at the driver told him lc ! stop exceeding the speed limit. Quick to see the gun and unar:- standing the motive of Mcr.onald's
 action, fearing also that it meant the spelling of their fun, the b.g crowd O. people in the immediate vicinity oi Mcdonald began to boot and tee1 tollipg the autoist to contia .a as he bad been and to pay no attention 10 the officer, some going so far as co threaten to mob Mcdonald if he did
 not put his gun up and pay no more tattention to the technical violation ol the city speed ordinance.
 A bystander added to the wild
 western air of the whole proceeding by drawing his revolver and showing Tit into tile abdomen of MeDionald
 told him to put up his gun Seeing
 that he had aroused a hornets nest,
 Mcdonald wisely decided to let the
 matter drop.
 While technically Mcdonald ras acting within his rights, and doing
 nothing more than attempting to en- force the law, he did not reckon with
 the enthusiasm of the big crowd
 which entirely forget the speed limit
 in it's desire to be thrilled by the speeding automobiles.
 Mcdonald evidently thought that if
 the onlookers could not realize that the breaking of a wire might send one of the machines into the crowd what fearful results he should act for ! them and immediately stop all cnauce of an accident that would have turned i the fair from time of joy and merry making into a funeral.
 ! All those in any way concerned in the affair greatly regret that it had to happen, but as long as no harm was done anyone it should not leave any sore spots.