The Shasta courier., 1867-08-03
COURIE r
The Air Gun--Its Mechanism and De-
structiyenesS.

The murder of Mr. Carr, of Brooklyn.
New York, the other day, an air gun being
the fatal weapon, gives temporary interest
to the following description of this deadly
instrument, which we find in the New York
Times:
What is known as the cane gum is
simply tube of about three feet in length,
hollow througout, and made of highly wrought
iron. 1t is divided into two nearly equal
lengths, the upper part toward the head
forming the air chamber. and the lower half
the barrel from which the projectile is dis
charged. The two sections are screwed to.
gether, and when united fit so closely that
the seam is not apparent, except upon the
closest examination. When it is to be pre-
pared for use the sections are separated, and
by means of pump, which is for the time
being attached to the upper end of the tube,
the chamber is filled with compressed air.
This operation completed, the pump is re-
moved, tight-fitting cap is screwed upon
the open end, the barrel is attached, and the
weapon is then, so far as the motive power
is concerned, ready for use. The bullet,
known to the trade as size No. 140,' or
about twice as large as n common pea, is
then passed into the barrel and 'rammed
home, where it remains until discharged by
an ingenious contrivance. Upon one side
of the barrel, just below the joint of the two
sections, is small hole, into which the KEY
is fitted. and turned until small steel knob
is forced to stand out from the opposite side
OF the barrel. The key is then withdrawn,
and when the bullet is to be sent upon its
destructive mission, the weapon is raised,
aim is taken by means of sight pins upon
the barrel the knob is pressed by the index
finger of the left hand, n valve in the air
chamber is thereby opened and just enough
al. is released to discharge the bullet The
air chamber once filed, thirty bullets may be
discharged without replenishing, but not
more than the tenth one may be relied upon
to penetrate the object. The distance at
which the weapon is effective is from 80 to
l25 feet. Many of the air. guns of English
manufacture have rifle barrels, and are load
ed at the breech. In an experiment made a
short time since, in n shooting gallery in this
city, bullets were driven from an air gun
cane, through German whitewood plank an
inch and half in diameter, and that at the
average distance of thirty yards. The noise
which accompanies the discharge of the
weapon is scarcely perceptible, the report
being similar to the swapping of a small whip
lash. This fact makes the air gun an exceed
ingly dangerous instrument in the hands of
the assassin. In the Brooklyn murder re-
ferred to, had not the police officer been in
close proximity to the scene at the time and
observed the fall of the victim and the flight
of the murderer. the deed might have re-
manned forever an insouble mystery The
surface of the gun tube is highly polished
and wears the appearance of an ordinary
walking cane. In other countries the sale
of this dangerous weapon is restricted by
law, but that many of them are found this
side the Atlantic, wnere none are manufac-
tured, may be stated upon the authority of
Messrs. Blunt & Syms, gunsmitLs, of this
city, who have the only establishment in the
United States which employs a mechanic
who is familiar enough with the construc-
tion of air guns to be able to repair them.'