Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-23
"T0T|NG" Of AGUN
MAY Be AFE[0NY
CONGRESS Asked to Pass DraS-
tic Law Against Con-
CeaIed Weapons.
MAJ. SYLVESTER WANTS
OWNERSHIP DIFFICULT
Favors Registration as Means of Re.
ducing the Number of Those
Who Keep Arms.

Carrying OF concealed weapons in the
District of Columbia will be made q
felony, punishable by heavier fines and
longer imprisonment terms than those
now provided by law, if Congress adopts
recommendation of the District Com
missioners regarding the need of legisla-
ton of this character.
A bill for this purpose, introduced by
Representative Sims last year, and re-
introduced during the present session
OF Congress. is now awaiting action by
ported on by the Commissioners
Aroused over the number of recent &C.
cidents due to the careless handling of
firearms, the District heads are consider
tons around the sale and handling OF
dangerous weapons
For Increase in Penalties.
The present law, the Commissioners be-
lieve. is about as comprehensive and
practicable as any measure of it's kind
could be. They are of the opinion, how
ever, that its effectiveness would be in
creased If it were amended to provide
that violation Of it's provisions should
constitute a felony rather than a mis-
demeanor.
AS now constituted, the law pro-
hiDfts persons from carrying concealed
weapons. such as daggers, pistols
dirks. blackjacks. swordcanes. slune
shots, brass knuckles, etc. The pen
atty for violation of this provision is
fine of not less than $50 or more
than 500, or Imprisonment of not more
than six months. For the second Of
tense the penalty is Imprisonment in
the pentitentiary for not more than
three years.
The Sims bill provides that a person
found guilty of carrying a concealed
weapon shall be fined not more than
$1,OO or imprisoned not more than three
years, or both
Other features Of the present law pro-
hibit persons from selling, hiring, lending
or giving to any minor weapon of the
cnaracter described above. and require
dealers in firearms to obtain permits for
carrying on their business. 1t is pro-
vided also that dealers shall keep a
written register of the names of pur-
chaSerS of firearms.
Aroused by Recent Shootings.
Two accidental shootings, each involv-
ing the taking Of human life, have &C.
Cured in this vicinity the past ten days.
In one instance. that involving the shoot
ing of James Wright by Mrs. Katherine
Bauer. 1t was strictly a case Of the
didn't know it was loaded" kind, while
in the case of Monte Jones, the small
boy who was killed at Takoma Park
Saturday night by Earl Allen, q COM
panion, the fatality resulted from the &C.
cidental discharge of gun.
Police Chief Richard Sylvester has
recommended a new weapon law, max
Ing 1t necessary for persons possessing
weapons. such as pistol, revolver. der
ringer, bowie knife, dirk or other similar
weapon that might be concealed on the
person to obtain a permit to enable
them to hold them. His idea Is that
they should be required to pay for such
permit. and to furnish certain in
formation to the authorities respecting
the possession Of such weapons.
Under the provisions Of the law he
proposed 1t would be unlawful for any
person to loan weapon to another
without first having gone through Ger
tain legal formalties. Persons of known
dangerous character and persons who
have been convicted of offenses involving
moral turpitude would not be permitted
to own such weapons
1t is the opinion of the members Of
the police department that the enactment
of the proposed law would largely de.
crease the number of weapons held by
residents of the District of Columbia,
tmany Of them not being willing to pay
the proposed license fee or to make pub
lie the fact that they wanted to possess
a weapon.