The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-06-08
THE FIRST REVOLVING GUN MADE.
Colonel Colt Not the Inventor-The state.
ment of John Pearson.


Mr.. John Pearson is one of our Oldest
and best citizens. He has worked all
his life as gunsmith, and has
resided in this city forty-three years.
Known as an expert, and re-
liable in his work, his services in that line
have always been sought for by sportsmen.
Pearson was born in Nottinghamshire,
England, in 1903. He came TO this country
IN 1882, and is now 10 years old, and is
becoming feeble from aye; but his mental
powers are unimpaired and his mem
DRY clear, and his integrity and truth.
iulness have never been questioned.
IL has been known for many
years that he had some connection with
Colt in the invention of the revolver pistol,
aud Was the real inventor OF the single bar
with our old subscriber on the facts in the
case, and other interesting items in gun
lore.
who was the first inventor OF the
breech.lOader?
"A man named Hall completed the
breech-loader. 1t was first made. | be-
lieve, at Harper's Ferry, by the Govern
ment, and was designed for the United
States soldiers in the Florida war. The SOL
diers and Seminoles ambushed in the high
grass, and when the soldiers stood
up to load and ram down their
Old muskets the Indians would shoot them.
When they were armed with Halls breech.
loader, they could load lying on the ground,
and they got away with the Seminoes."
What revolving pistol was first made?"
ALIENS six-barrel pistol now called the
'pepper-box,' was, think, the first pistol
used but when | was l6 years old and work
ing in gunshop in England, there was
an old gun brought in to be cleaned of the
rust-it was brought in by gentleman of
the neighborhood, who kept it as u curios-
ity, 1t was a short, clumsy gun, with
single barrel. The muzzle was trumpet.
shaped, like the old blunderbuss. 1t had a
revolving set OF chargers. They were made
of six pieces of barrels, about four inches
long, soldered together. Each one
OF the chargers had a tlashpan, and on the
breech there was one ilint-loCk. The cylin.
der of chargers had to be turned by hand
and catch.spring held them in place. This
gun had been used by the guard that rode
with the mail coach, and IL was this Old
six.shooter that first set my mind to study
ing in that direction"
Where and when did you first meet Col.
ColtP"
came to Baltimore from England and
worked for gunsmith named Baxter. ia
the month OF February, 1884, as near as
can recollect, Colt came in with a broken
rifle gun which had revolving
cylinder for using percussion powder.
lie wanted this gun repaired.
This was the first time | met him,
and the commencement of our acquain-
lance. This gun was examined by Colt,
Baxter and myself, and we had much argu-
ment over it, l repaired this gun, and it
laid around the shop for some time.
finally told them that, if they would allow
me, | would make one of my own idea and
make it work. After some time
Colt agreed to let me make one
and pay me wages. then
cylinder. This did not operate we'll. for it
was liable to fire Off more than one charge
at a time. Colt then proposed to hire me
by the day o work at these experiments
We needed a private workshop and Baxter
rented me one in the rear of his own.
After this l made three pairs of re-.
vOlvers. one pair were mounted with
a dirk, and | made a shotgun with
six charges. l then completed pistol
with six charges in the cylinder and one
one barrel. The pistol was success and
did good shooting. Colt took:th pistols to
Washington and showed them to General
Sa,hooh, Who Woo pltuotu anu utllHultu
with the invention, and Colt had them all
patented in his own name while | was
working for him. told Colt that he had
no right to the patent, and | asked
him what he had invented. He could not
answer me. told him that the perfected
cylinder was my invention, but he consid.
cred it was his, because | was under his
pay while working at the experiments.
Colt never gave me any credit whatever fc {
the inventions nor ever acknowledged |
that ! had any interest in it,"
Was Colt gunsmithP"
mo, he was a chemist, and while was
working on these inventions, he was travel. |
ing and lectnring on chemistry, and exhib-
iting the effects of nitrous oxide Laughing |
gas). When he was away from Baltimore |
on these trips, often went to
the chemical works and got the
material for him to use IN the lee.
lures. lie would be gone for months, and
and had to work for others for wages |
Dudley Selden, a wealthy and eminent
lawyer OF New York, was relative of Colt, |
and backed him with money. often drew
my wages from him by Colts orders. | |
was stranger and poor. | had no back. |
ers, or would have applied for the nat.
ents,. and could have easily proved my in
vention.