The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-12-07
REQUIRE LICENSE
TO WEAR HATP|hS
Such Is Proposition of Lon
don Legislator Dang
erous as Pistols.

LONDON, Dec IA hatpin is as
dangerous a weapon in the hands OF a
woman as a revolver in the hands of a
man"
This strong statement was made by
A. c. Plowden, the wellkoWn magis-
trate, in discussing a hatpin stabbing
case which came before him during
the weekend. and in which he said
that it would be a very good thing If
one had to have license before being
allowed to wear hatpins
ut is true that l stated that hatpins
ought to be licensed continued Mr..
Plowden, but, as matter of fact.
doubt if this would be actually practi-
cal At any rate. some steps or other
should be taken to guard against this
danger.
And it is not only in this kind of
way that hatpins are dangerous. In a
crowd there is always peril l have
even heard of cases of people losing
an eye through an injury from wom-
ans protruding hatpin.
| "A few years ago women managed
to keep their hats on without hatpins.
Why can not they do SO now?'
! BY coincidence a letter from
wellknown Australian doctor. at pres
ent in London. points out the dangers
of hat-pins and urges that some legis-
lation should be made in regard to
them
THE other evening took my wife
to picture theater, and during the
performance she was stabbed through
the arm by pin which was driven
through the back of the seat by a
woman behind u.s." writes this cores
|pondent
MY wife has suffered much pain in
consequence, and / think some steps
should be taken against women who
Icarelessly use hatpins in public. The
present long pins are very dangerous
weapons indeed, unless carefully guar
ded Hatpin guards can be bought by
any woman, but few, if any women
bother to buy or use them"
There are many cases of accidental
injury by hatpins on record. In Chi
cago some little time ago, Mrs. Maud
Rollins, of New York, stepped out of a
train, and, brushing against country
woman from Wisconsin, her hatpin
jabbed him in the face. The man
screamed with pain, and the woman
was arrested and fined. The police
kept her hatpin, which was fifteen in
ches in length.
Another case occurred in London
this month. A woman took another
Womans seat in the gallery at Drury
Lane, and on the first occupant pro
testing turned round and stabbed he1
with her hatpin For this she was finet
30 shillings and so shillings cost.
In many countries stern measure:
have been taken against the hatp1
danger.
In Chicago there is an ordinance for
, bidding the use Of pins which protrudt
, more than half an inch from the hat
In Indianapolis a similar law is il
, force. policemen being provided will
foot rules for measurement while OF
duty.
In Kansas a bylaw provides for thu
, imposition of fine of 500 on wome1
who are found wearing unguarded hat
, pins, longer than the diameter of tn
hat and with unguarded points ma,
=, be fined four pounds.
, "A woman who wears hatpin will
:, the UNPROTECTED point sticking on
several inches from her hat is simpl
:. q criminal said distinguished Lor
p doner 81 do not mean that she is in
?. tentionally doing a criminal act, bu
p her carelessness in not thinking wha
the results of such course may b.
=. amounts to criminality. Guards for tn
points are sold in many diapers shops
O and there is no excuse whatever TO
=. their not being worn. They should b
4 made compulsory by law. The quic
turn of woman's head with an ur
). protected pin may easily mean tn
\ loss Of an eye. l had my hat Stable
4 through in this very way not long ag
f and now l refuse to go out with m
!, wife unless her hatpins are protecte
9 or do not protrude. 1t would be we
a if all husbands and brothers did tn
same"