Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-11-21
EVENING STAR.
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

accidental discharge Of percussion gun. and
not unfrequently, too, in the hands of tbose
whose experience would seem to be sufficient
guarantee of their safety.
,.s W sO y. Of counsel properly needed, will
cut On the most prolific source of these disa..
ters: and it is this: Nsrsr ca,rv a Ioadsd
g"n 'ctfh the hanin NOR d0tcn upon tie cap.
Almost every injury, perhaps every one.
upon record, from the accidental disch srpe of
the percussion gun, is attributable TO the yio-
!ation OF this important rule growing, in most
instances, out Of want of confederation of its
great danger. This danger will at once be
apparent to any one who will examine a per.
custom cap, its elements and use, the action
OF the common lock, and then the manner in
which accidents occur. The Illuminating mer-
curry In the cap is SO exceedingly sensitive
that small force, quickly applied, is sufi
Gent to explode it. When the hammer is on
the esp, If it be drawn back tovards the hqlf.
cock, but not far enough to catch ut half cock
anG then allowed to fall suddenly on the can
ut Will explode it and again, a smart blow
on and behind the hammer, driving it firmly
upon the cap, will produce the same result.
In either case the gun will be as effectually
discharged as though il had been full cooked
and the trigger pulled.
To illustrate this, take few instances of
death and injury, some Of recent date, in ard
near this city.
A youth, who was hunting in the vicinity,
wished to obtain some berries which hung
over his head out of reach Taking his gun
by the muzzle, he placed the hammer Chen
down upon the cap) over the bough, using it
as hook to draw the fruit towards him. As
he drew it down, the resistance of the bough
slightly raised the hammer from the cap; the
bough slipped from its hold, and the young
man received the whole charge in his bosom
lad the hammer stood at either half or full
cock such had not been the result.
A lad, hunting on the water, attempted to
place his gun (hammer down On the cap) into
the boat; as he slipped it along, the hammer
was struck behind and towards the cap, by
some part of the boat with sufficient force 10
he was killed. Had the hammer stood at
either half or full cock this would not have
occurred.
Not long since We had an account Of one who
was standing upon a porch, resting his gun
near its edge; it slipped from his hand, and,
in its descent, both hammers (which were
down upon the caps) were struck against the
porch so forcibly = 10 discharge the gun the
loads were lodged in his head. Had this gun
been half cooked, he would not have been
hurt.
Another, standing behind his buggy, uu-
dertook to place his gun in front, by reaching
over the back Of the seat; in passing, the
hammer, which was down, struck the front
edge Of the seat, discharging the gun He
was not hurt, but his friend, standing near
him, had a hairbreadth escape. Had this
gun been either half orfull cooked, neither mis-
friends life nor his own would have been in
perilled.
Within few days, one of our most valuable
citizens was seriously damaged by the explo-
sion Of his gun. Drawing it through a fence,
hammer down, the hammer was slightly lifted
from the cap by the rail above it, aid being
suddenly released, exploded the ca p, which,
Of course, discharged the gun. Had his ham
haaU set IN oil ho hal Or "a fin cos
lie would not have been hurt.
Instances need not be multip!ied-eyery
community in our land can furnish its proper
ton. They will be found everywhere Of the
same character, ell occurring from this i'm
proper mode or carrying the hammers. There
are many who have always carried them thus
under the impression that it is the safer way
and it is surprising how extensively this i'm
preston prevails; to such and all others who
wish to do right, this article will be aecep-
table.
If gun-lock be perfect, and mona other
should ever be used, the hammer, at the half
cock. may, By striking it violently behind, be
broken off, but the gun cannot be thus dis
charged or If struck in front sufficiently hard,
may be driven to the full cOck-Or, failing to
catch there, il will fall again to the half-cOck,
it can 20 no further; If il reach the full cock
the trigger must then be used before u dis
charge can occur; but in no event can a ham
mer, at either half or full cock, be made to
explode a cap by force applied to the hammer
either before or behind application, il these,
cases, must be made to the trigger.
Young men Keep your g@Its at Me half
cock! full cock them if you will-but if yOn
would avoid injury to yourself or your neigh
Dor, case carry your hammer on the cap
or suffer anybody, who 50 carries it, to hunt
with you. "
\ CAPTURE On Monday night officer J f
Wollard, and several members Of the Auxjl-
larry Guard, made descent ON an unlawful
aSsemblags of free colOred persons, who were
enjoying themselves in what is known the
Astor house Of Cat-tail row." bidding adicu
to al care, and not for a moment, probably,
dreaming that "the best laid schemes Of mice
and men gang aft agley." In vain they
sought to escape from the agents of the law,
and had to surrender Themselves as unwilling
prisoners, and without the preliminary Of
written terms of cspitulation. They were dis
posed OF in the following manner Thomas
Proctor, Ellen Hall, and Louisa Hill sent to
the work house, and Sarah Jane Norton and
Jno. johnson each paid fine and costs, which
secured their release from custody james
Hays was required 10 ''fork over" six dollars
and forty-f9ur cents as punishment for in
Patrick Mccarthy, drunk and lying in the
streets; fine and costs.
CoURr OF CLAINs.-YestAriay IN the case
of III. l.. Thistle who claims compensation Tor
taking charge Of government timber in Flori-
da from the 18th Of July to the 1st Of Decem-
Der, I645, motion was made for an order from
the court upon the Fourth Auditor Of the
Treasury for certain papers; which was grant
cd.
In the case of II. e. Emery, who claims
compensation for removing marble from the
highway and public grounds, tine petition
having been amended in accordance with the
decision Of the court heretofore made in this
case,) the court ordered the taking of testimo-
ny.
The argument in the priyateer Armstrong
case was resumed by Samuel C. Reid, jr.,
ESQ who concluded his remarks, and the court
adjourned. -
The kIRKwoOD HOUsE.-This popular es-
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