Talk:Sullivan Act

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Contents 1 Gaynor statement moved 2 Unclear 3 Not just guns 4 Timothy Sullivan?

[edit] Gaynor statement moved

Moved from article page, as it does not constitute either a "pro" or "con" position on the act: (It could go elsewhere in the article, though)

In 1910, mayor William Jay Gaynor was shot and seriously wounded by a disgruntled former public employee, prompting calls to regulate guns in New York.

--snoyes 00:19, 9 Dec 2003 (UTC)

Yeah, I could of wrote some of it better. I wanted to get a quick dirty stub out there. Seems to have been fixed; fine with me. -- dino

[edit] Unclear

A quick question: The following sentence is unclear: "Upon first passage, the Sullivan Act banned the ownership of pistols in New York, more formally, it required licenses for New Yorkers to own guns small enough to be concealed." Does it mean that pistols were outright prohibited at first, but then allowed if licensed? Was it not in fact a ban, but rather a mandatory licensing? --snoyes 00:22, 9 Dec 2003 (UTC)

Yes it was a de facto ban, because anyone who already owned a handgun was immediately in violation until they could get a license; in fact two of the first-day arrests were of pawnbrokers – one had five revolvers displayed in the shop window, the other had several in a desk drawer. --CliffC 11:29, 4 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Not just guns

I expanded the list of weapons cited by the law. While working on "Mad Bomber" George Metesky I was surprised to discover he was also charged with Sullivan Law violations for carrying the thirty-odd bombs he placed around town. The law also makes having a cute little gadget called a slungshot a felony; I thought it was a typo for slingshot, but it's not. --CliffC 11:29, 4 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Timothy Sullivan?

It's attributed to Timothy Sullivan, but I couldn't find anything solid saying it was his act, though this reference makes a bland statement about gun control. Sullivan is a common name. So was it Timothy Sullivan? Some other Sullivan?

dino (talk) 01:42, 14 February 2008 (UTC)

It was Timmo all right, here's the lead paragraph of a January 17 1909 NY Times editorial titled "THE POLICEMAN'S CLUB" about himself, stating that Timmo wants to disarm the police, link here, he was a fine fellow and a model crook.

TIMOTHY SULLIVAN, major, introducing in the State Senate a bill to deprive policemen of their weapons of offense and defense, yclept clubs, stands forth as a true representative of his constituency. A disarmed police force is one of the cherished dreams in the district of Mr. SULLIVAN, the larger.

--CliffC (talk) 03:31, 14 February 2008 (UTC)