The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-14
THE SULLIVAN LAW.
A Snapshot Of Its workings IN Thi,
City.

To THE EDITOR or HI SuN-Sfr. ]
beg leave to oYer to tho readers OF THE
SUN a one q farcical interlude entitled
The Workings of the Sullivan Law"
cHARAcrKRs.
Tue Spirit Of Law a. Applied. This n
IN allegoricAi person with eyes severe
and beard OF formal cut: full Of wise saws
and"-4nany influences. He wears . Judges
robe and r~oundsman's shoes.
A Law Abiding American citizen. Hum
bly, consideration. and c~onsc1entaously hum =
bic.
A Gsnsster. Who will oommis murder
at 70 much n murd and a white SLAYER on
the side.
A stickup Man. Who will rob anything
from a baby carriage 10 . trust company
~ he has his "s,inger" with him ana a
getaway plan ready.
Court attendants. hangers on AMI po-
licsmen. all of whom sneer at Law Add
ing American Citizen.
Scene. any court of injustice.
Spirit Of Law. having mounted the
bench First case! oh. you" to Amer
lean Citizen. who has stepped Onward
You are charged with a violation OF
the sullivan law in that YOU have In
your Possession and keep in your home
a dangerous weapon. a loaded revolver.
What have YOU to say in your defenco?'
law Abiding American Citizen: III
your Honor please. | do keep a loaded
revolver at home. l tried TO get a per-
NIT. but the mere facts that We 1--we iN
a sparsely settled section of the CITY
where robberies often happen and tina;
l have a wife and ana children TO pro-
tect did not seem TO the authorities q
suffica ent reason why I shout have q
permit. Notwithstanding my good char
acfAr an a. u1aa 1apiaA ms yy1rvnvar
your Honor. l hold the sullivan law to
be unconstitutional ecaus the Consti-
tuition Of the United States in Article
II. of the amendments says, a well
regulated militia being nece<Sxary to the
security of a free state. the right of the
people to keep and bear arms shall not
be infringed,' and j am an American
citizen"
Spirit OF Law rs that all you've
got to say? I%Iaven't YOU got any more
sense than to come To his law court
and plead any rights under the Consti.
ution of the United States AZ a de.
fence what's the Constitution of the
United States to a State made law like
the Sullivan law. anyway You your
self admit a violation of the Sullivar
law. which is a felony. 80 that you are
a felon. l find you guilty and remand
o for sentence. Next case"
SuckOp Man. az ne ana Cangstcr ster
Onward Yer Honor. me an Cans
ster here Is both charged with breakin
tn Sullivan law. an IL you don't mind
I'll speak for me an him. Now. you
Honor. you know us both and what kin
OF guys We Is. We never carry no guns
Never An when we do It's because
We need UNI in our business. We ain't
like that other guy. We don't keep nc
loaded revolvers at hoine cause We
ain't got no homes. Anyway. there's
no evidence that We was usin' our guns
when we was p!nched. Now was there
Spirit Of the Law Yes, ] know
both of YOU. and sometimes | am alinos
suspicious that YOU may, now and then
carry dangerous weapons, In fact. there
Ia some evidence to Justify me In tina,
belief. However, as you say, you were
not actually using our reviewers at the
time Of your arrest. 50 on that techni.
cality I discharge YOU. Rut I ask yo,
IN the name of our fair city not 10 dis,
charge your weapons unless YOU think II
absolutely necessary. 1t gives the t"wI
such n bad name" r. +.
NEW YORK, December II.