The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-08-28
The Air GGn.

The recent assassination of man in
Brooklyn, New York, who, while walk
ing along the street, was killed by a
bullet from an air gun, will give an
interest to the annexed description of
this dangerous instrument:
The invention of the air gun is claim
ed by French, German and English
which of these is entitled to the credit
of it is not a matter of easy determine
ton. 1t is generally conceded, however,
that the date of the invention followed
close upon the year of the first manu-
facture of gunpowder.
There are various patterns of the ar
ticle now manufactured by the people
of the nations above mentioned, but 1t
is the purpose ofthe writer to call at
tention TO what is known asthe "cane
gum This weapon is simply tube OF
about three feet in length, hollow
Throughout and made of highly wrought
iron. 1t is divided into two nearly
equal lengths, the upper part forming
the air chamber, and the lower half the
barrel from which the projectile is dis
charged.
The two sections are screwed together,
and when united fit SO closely that the
seam is not apparent, except upon the
closest examination. When it is to be
prepared for use the sections are separa-
ted, and by means of pump, which is
! for the time being attached to the up
per end of the tube, the chamber is
filled with compressed air. This opera
tion complete the pump is removed,
tight fitting cap is screwed upon
the open end, the barrel is attached,
and the weapon is then, so far as the
motive power isconcerned, ready for
use.
The bullet known to the trade as
"size No. 140," or about twice as large
as common pea, is then passed into the
barrel and "rammed home," where it
remains until discharged by an ingeni-
Gus contrvance. Upon one side OF the
barrel. Just below the joint of the two
sections, is a small hole, into which the
key is fitted, and turned until q 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The key is then withdrawn, and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 rails
ed, aim is taken by means of sight pins
upon Gn0 DarTtl, tuo huOu 10 piCeoOu ny
the index finger of the left hand, a
valve in the air chamber is thereby
opened and just enough air is released
to discharge the bullet. The air chamber
once filled, thirty bullets may be dis
charged without replenishing, but not
more than the tenth one may be relied
ON to penetrate the object The dis
tance at which the weapon is effective
is from fifty to one hundred and twenty
five feet. Many of the air guns of Eng
lish manufacture have rifle barrels, and
are loaded at the breech.
The noise which accompanies the dis
charge of the weapon is scarcely per
ceptible, the report being similar to the
swapping of small whip lash. This
fact makes the alr-gun an exceedingly
dangerous instrument in the hands of
the assassin.
The surface of the gun tube is highly
polished, and wears the appearance of
an ordinary walking-cane. In Euro
pean countries the sale of this danger
Gus weapon is restricted by law, but
many of them are found on this side of
the Atlantic, where none are manufac-
tured. .--...--