Evening star., 1914-11-13
157DEATH WEAPONS
SOLDLAST MONTH
Names and Addresses of Buy
ers, in Most Cases, Thought
to Be Incorrect.

One hundred and ffty-seven instru-
ments of death, some designated as re-
volvers and some as pistols, were sold
over counters of local business houses
during the month of October, and two
blackjacks were sold during that pc
riod.
Names and addresses given by the
purchasers were reported to the police
at the close of the month.
"And," said a member of the police
force to a reporter for The Star this
morning, II wonder how many of the
names and addresses are correct"
Some months ago the police made an
tious names had been given, and, it
Is stated. not many of them were
found to be correct.
Had Maj. Sylvesters proposed law
been enacted and become effective"
said the officer, such a showing would
not have been made.
But he added, without proper
supervision there Is no way the deal
ers or the police can prevent the giving
of fictitious names and addresses by
purchasers of weapons
License Not Even Required.
Inquiry at police headquarters this
morning developed that dealers in
weapons are not required to do so much
as to pay license All that is re-
quired of such dealers is the giving
OF bond of $1,000 as a guarantee that
they will well and truly keep and per-
form all and each of the provisions of
section S57 for the District code.
provides that ANY person or persons
who shall, within the District of Co.
iumbia> sell barter, hire. lend or give
to any minor under the age of twenty
one years any deadly or dangerous
misdemeanor and shall. upon conviction.
be fined not more than $100 or be inn
prisoned not more than three months,
or both
1t is further stipulated that the CIV
ing OF bond in the sum Of $1,000 and
compliance with certain regulations are
all that Is required. the law specifically
stating that no license fee is to be
charged. One requirement is that re-
ports OF sales be made at the end of
each month.
That it Is an easy matter to purchase
deadly weapons and that the would-be
purchaser has many places where he
can make his selections is shown in
the large number of stores, new and
second hand, where revolvers are dis
played in windows.
Stores Are Plentiful.
A stroll of twenty minutes from the
office of The Star, Pennsylvania Gsl-
nue. and 11th street, means the passn
of a store in which weapons may be
purchased on an average OF each min
ute. In most of the store windows
weapons were displayed, tags attached
to some of them indicating the prices
at which they might be purchased.
1t is stated that at one or more auc-
tion houses permits to sell weapons
are held, and in such instances, IL Is
stated, the reports Of sales have to be
made the same as those maze IN the
stores at private sale.
"The present condition under which
weapons are sold In this city, said
member of the police force this morn
ing, ''is sadly in need Of remedying.
It has been only a few months since
young man came here from Baltimore,
purchased a revolver and blackjack
and proceeded to participate in hold
up game. He was only eighteen years
old, but 1t was impossible to institute
Some Stores Only Buy.
1t is said by the police that there are
at which weapons are purchased and at
which they are not sold, the owners
not being bonded to engage in such
business Some time ago, the police
say, a dealer was prosecuted for max
ing a sale without having furnished
the required bond and was fined $50.
The campaign of The Star to regu-
late the sale of firearms and other
deadly weapons in the District was
heartily indorsed by the Original Car
field Citizens Association. and reso-
luton will be forwarded at once to
the Commissioners asking that they
ask Congress for a suitable law to ac-
compliSh this. The members expressed
themselves as believing such a restric-
ton would work much benefit, es-
pecially to their section because of its
isolation.
SAFETY ASSOCIATION MAY ACT.