The chronicle=news., 1913-03-24

New York. March lS.-Ap effort
, has been made in the state lcgisla-
tur. TO have the sullivan Gun
Law" one of the most idiotIc laws
on ire sin,ut" book. 80 ns 10 r"inov"
at least some 81 III. objectionable
features OF il. The Sullivan law has
bc"n In fore" long enough to prove it.
self not only n failure but IA posiiiv.
help to tho lawicss elements against
which II WAS intended to operate.
Highway robbers. burglars and other
| criminals have continued 10 carry
and 10 use guns In spite OF the law
and tn" number OF shootings by crin,-
| inlls and iOuIhs has been M grea, ~
ever since the Sullivan law went into
| effect. On the other hand hundreds
OF law abiding and peaceful citizens
| who were the possessors OF guns In
tended only for their own protection.
were arrested by tho police nnd pun
ishcd under the law. while tho law
less owners of firearms were not In
,.rf.r"d with 20 any extent. The law
was undoubtedly prompted by good
Intentions hut IL should never have
LccH passed, as II could not bc cn.
forced 10 the proper way and In an
effective manner and. for thar reason
was bound To do more harm than
good. How futile tn" law IL WAS clear
iy illustrated the other day. when q
hoy Of eighteen years. on his way TO
tho hous" OF his aunt. was made
blind In both eyes hy q pistol shot
fired by some hoodlum who was prac
tIcinE his marksmanship on the pub
lie street. Tn" Scamp who fired tho
shot WAS not arrestcd.
After falling through an elevator
shaft from the seventeenth floor ~
the new Municipal building where he
was ut work. John Rurnnen. u mar
bl. worker was found sitting In the
base ii-nt OF the shaft. calmly light
ing a cigarette which he had Just roll
ed. Brunnen. who must he man OF
iron nerve. had sustained fractures
of both legs and probably Internal
injuries. remarked to the mon who
found him tina; he must have had
close shave" /.
Thomas Stevens. - years old. u
cfcnnd cabin Passenger who arrived
tho other 'iay on n white Star liner.
WAS sent 10 Ellis Island bcrausc h.
had no funds. Tie was born In Eng
land. hut had lived IN the United
States thirty-;wo years. Two years
ago Mr.. Stevens went to bristol to
visit his brother. 81 years old. who
was ~. Just before Mr.. Stevens ar
rival In bristol his brother died and
Mr.. Stevens spent all his spare cash
IN payment for the funeral and ~
monument upon his brothers grave.
The old man has IA prosperous ncph-
cw In San Francisco and unless the
latter should come to his assistance.
stevens will lie dcportcd. This casn
furnishes another illustration Of the
nbsWr,.iiy Of our Immigration laws.
which permits criminals aud outlaws
from Italy and other countries to
com. to the United States hut hars
n decent and hard working mnn he
cause he happens to have no money
upon landing.
Pu,roiman Kelly OF the Fifth Ave-
nue. station. brooklyn. is in very bad
humor at present and ready to cN-
plodc when ,vcr the word dummy"
In mentioned by anyone within ear
shot. Their" Is u reason. Juat before
dawn the other morning Kelly was
startled by the cry Of burglars"
coming from n house on Eleventh
street occupied by n drcssmakcr.
The woman had been awakened by
rome noisc. and. believing there were
burglars In her house. cried for help.
Kelly. with the trusty club In his
strong right hand. madc his way into
the front room on the lower floor and
In the dim light he saw three figures
standing notionlcss. Hold up your
hands," comma nded Kelly and when
tha figures still remained motionicss.
he made rush for them with his
club. "Bin!" Swat" SLAM" his
club landed. upon the heads OF the
figures and they collapsed. When the
occupant OF the house reached the
room and lit the gas It was found
that Kelly had effectively fioorcd
three dressinaker's dummies. There
was. no bmrglnr.-in in. the house and.
.considering Kelly's mood at that
time. II was fortunate thing for tho
burglar.
New Works Chinatown. one of the
most picturesque show places in The
bOwery district and the scene of in
ifumcrable crimes. is to be wiped out
o' existence by the latest plans for n
civic center. Tho report of the Court
house board. jus. filed. provides for
tho acquisition Of the property eS-
tending from the City Hall Park to
Bayard street which the city does not
already own. This district includes
town. The proposed civic can-
ter will he tho largest of its kind in
tho world. and includes new feder-
al courthouse. a new United States
general postoffice building, Il build
ing for the use OF the New York state
officials in this city. a new state
courts building and broad plaza
entrance to the Manhattan bridge
The police authorities evidently
have their own. most peculiar way of
interpreting the Sunday closing laws
Vaudeville houses are permitted to
give performances to which admis-
sion Is charged every Sunday night
and are never interfered with. The
other Sunday n performance OF play