#march 1883

The city marshal and Justice Von Rosenberg will receive the hearty approval and co-operation of every good citizen of Austin in the work of closing the gambling houses.

John Black, for carrying a pistol and whooping through the streets, and for an assault, and for being drunk, was fined $44. This is the man who was not going to be taken up last night, but who changed his mind under the logic of three pairs of nippers.

Judge Tegener yesterday found a coffin lying near the road, in a slight “washout” on West Pecan street, near Judge Moore's residence, and he took Dr. Cummings and impaneled a jury of inquest. The coffin contained the remains of a white child in an advanced state of decomposition. Dr. Cummings judged it to have been six months old at its death, which occurred about 12 months ago. The front of the skull was all broken in; but the doctor could not tell whether this was done by the concussion of the coffin in being carried along by the water, or before death. The coffin was a fine, black covered coffin, with silver-tipped fastenings; but none of the city undertakers remembered to have sold any one like it. In accordance with these facts, the jury returned a verdict of death from an unknown cause of an unknown infant, and the remains were buried by the county.

A crazy negro woman created quite a sensation in the neighborhood of Alta Vista Institute last night, displaying pugilistic qualities of a high order. She, among other symptoms of eccentricity, rushed into the yard of the institute with a whoop that would do credit to a sample of Comanche, and nearly scared the fair occupants out of several years growth; and it was only after the most determined efforts of a party of men who hastily gathered, assisted by Justice Von Rosenberg, and the almost total wreck of a light wagon, that the modern amazon was conveyed to jail and locked up. She was, we are informed, in jail at once time on a charge of lunacy, but by some means was again at large. Some of the party of captors received severe bruises, and one of them insisted that the best remedy for her complaint was to knock her on the head at once.

At 3:30 PM yesterday the electric spark wrote the words on the little instrument in the front or telegraph office: "Heavy storm at Lampassas and Burnet; traveling towards Austin at about 50 miles an hour; damage feared. " In less than half an hour afterwards heavy clouds were seen scudding along above, and hurrying, and twirling and driving, as if driven by a relentless master. Soon hundreds of people were seen on the streets, anxiously looking towards the north at the apparent sports of the storm king. In less than 20 minutes from the time the black clouds were seen rolling down from the hills of the north, a cloud of dust told that a heavy wind was stirring things; then the signs began to screech and swing as if trying to tear themselves from their fastenings and escape to shelter; then a sand fog came down, and merchants began to shut up their front doors and windows; people began to hurry hither and thither; hats begin to blow off, and numerous Pickwickian hat chases took place; and then the wind “came down like a wolf on the fold” -- or words to that effect. For about an hour of the wind blew a second-class hurricane, and then the rain began to fall in perfect cataracts; and in ten minutes the streets were flooded.

“Dogs occupying seats in streetcars should be kicked out,” is the way several parties express themselves concerning the too common nuisance here.

The police should give their personal attention to the five musicians now “taking in” the city. They stand on the streets and play, and then go into the yards and knocking doors and ring bells to attract the attention of the inmates, when they ask for money. Complaint is made that when people do not open the door these nomadic musicians go and look in the windows, frequently frightening women and children; and, too, they are said to almost demand money at times.