Semi-weekly herald., 1911-08-07
STRAY TOPICS FROM
LITTLE OLD NEW YORK

NEW YORK.-During recent years
the number of crimes in which fire.
arms were used showed an increase so
tremendous that the authorities
throughout the country realized the
necessity of putting stop to the prac-
tice of carrying guns. Efforts to reg
ulate and control the sale of fire arms
by law were made in several states,
but owing to the difficulty of framing
these laws so that they would stand
the test Of constitutionality the re-
suits were not particularly satisfac-
tory. In this city the police authori.
ties, in their epdeavor to put stop
to the carrying of concealed weapons,
made number of raids in different
parts of the city and the number of
guns and stilettos confiscated at a
single raid in the Italian quarter of
Manhattan was simply appalling.
Since the last raid, which was few
months ago, the inhabitants of Little
Italy must have found means to re-
pienish their stock of firearms, for
scarcely day passes that does not
bring the report of one or more shoot
ing affrays in the Italian quarter of
the city.
1t may have been the extremely
hot weather, or some other cause that
had tendency to bring the mur-
derous instincts of Unbalanced indi-
viduals to the swapping point. What
ever the cause may have been, it
brought about perfect epidemic of
crimes Of similar nature. Appar-
emily without sufficient provocation
men in different parts of the country
began to "shoot up" things around
them. Within one week there were
three cases of a similar nature in
this country: that of the Syrian in
Massachusetts, of the Hindu in Chi
cago and of an American in this city.
Human ambition is a queer thing
and apt to run in the most peculiar
directions. There are individuals pos
sessed by the ambition to become mil
lionaires, while others want to become
president of the United States, sena-
tor, governor, mayor or coroner; still
others are consumed by the ambition
to become great singers, musicians,
artists, poets or novelists. In many
cases these ambitions are rather abb
surd, because the individuals concern
ed lack the proper qualifications, but,
after all, such ambitions may be
classed among the normal and reason
able ambitions. The craving of some,
usually youthful individuals, to kill
Indians, to become a famous bandit
or to blow up some man of political
or financial prominence can be ac-
counted for in some measure by the
nlmpressionable nature of the youthful
mind and the suggestive power of the
dime-novel literature.
1t is more difficult to explain, how.
ever, why the head of big business
concern and millionaire in the bar.
gain, should be obsessed by the am
bition to beat the bass drum in q
street band. That seems absurd, yet
this very same thing was the all-con.
suming ambition of Simon E. Bern.
heimer, the millionaire brewer, who
died here the other day, at the very
moment when he had finally reached
the goal of his ambition. He had be.
come a Mason and had worked hare
to realize his fond ambition and wher
the happy moment came, for which
he had longed, he fell dead, with tn,
drumstick in his hand. At all events
he must have died happy.
When the present subway system Of
New York was completed few year.