Thursday, May 24, 2012

1947: Peter Arno in Pistol Charge

How many times has a cartoonist not only carried a gun, but had that weapon registered at the address of the magazine he sells his cartoons to?

Here's an incident from 1947 involving the one and only Peter Arno:


Above: NEW YORK, Nov. 1, 1947: CARTOONIST AND ACCUSER IN PISTOL CHARGE -- Peter Arno (left), cartoonist, was released in Felony Court here today for further hearing Nov. 3 on charges by Andre Lepeletteir (right) doorman of the Drake Hotel, that Arno pressed a pistol in his stomach, Oct. 22, and declared, "I don't like your laugh."

According to The Evening Independent, November 1, 1947, Lepeletteir offered to get Arno a cab and Arno was reportedly to have replied, "I don't like your face and you're not a good American either."

But this was my favorite bit:
Police said that Arno had a pistol permit and that the permit bears the address of the New Yorker magazine which publishes Arno's cartoons.

According to a New York Times headline the next spring:

2 March 1948, pg. 21, "Peter Arno Case Dropped; Cartoonist Freed as Doorman Fails to Press Pistol Charge"

One day we will get the full story, when Michael Maslin's Peter Arno bio ("Mad At Something – The Life & Times of The New Yorker’s Peter Arno") is published. In the meantime, he's posted an excerpt here.

3 comments:

Srini Bhukya said...

Apparently, Mr. Arno thought pistol is mightier than pen.

Brian Codagnone said...

When was the last time a cartoonist dressed that well?

G.G. said...

Yesterday. Seth stepped out for a light lunch.