Ordinances of the Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of the City of New York, in Force January 1, 1881; Adopted by the Common Council and Published by Their Authority 214-215 (1881)

Sec. 264. Every person, except judges of the federal, state and city courts, and officers of the general, state and municipal governments, authorized by law to make arrests, and persons to whom permits shall have been issued, as hereinafter provided, who shall have in his possession within the city of New York a pistol of any description concealed on his person, or not carried openly, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be punished, on conviction, by a fine not exceeding ten dollars, or, in default of payment of such fine, by imprisonment not exceeding ten days. Sec. 265. Any person, except as provided in this article, who has occasion to carry a pistol for his protection, may apply to the officer in command at the station-house of the precinct where he resides, and such officer, if satisfied that the applicant is a proper and law-abiding person, shall give said person a recommendation to the superintendent of police, or the inspector in command at the central office in the absence of the superintendent, who shall issue a permit to the said person, allowing him to carry a pistol of any description. Any non-resident who does business in the city of New York, and has occasion to carry a pistol while in said city, must make application for permission to do so to the officer in command of the station-house of the police precinct in which he so does business, in the same manner as is required by residents of said city, and shall be subject to the same conditions and restrictions. Sec. 266. If, at the time of the arrest, a pistol of any description shall be found concealed on the person of, or not carried openly by any one arrested, the officer making the arrest shall state such fact to the police magistrate before whom the prisoner is brought, and shall make a separate complaint against such prisoner for violation of the provisions of this article. Sec. 267. The commissioners of police of the police department of the city of New York are hereby authorized and empowered, for reasons appearing to be satisfactory to them, by a vote of a majority of a quorum of said commissioners on ayes and noes, to annul or revoke any permission given under this article. All persons to whom such permission shall be given are hereby declared to be individually responsible for their own acts, or the consequences that may arise from the use of pistols carried under the permission to be obtained as provided in this article.