Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-14
ARMS AT THE BARRACKS.
WEAPONS TAKEN FROM PRS
ONERS BY THE POLICE.


4 Glimpse at the statIonhouse Arsenal
Pistols and Dirks that Tell tho Story OF
Bloody Crimes-DarIx Histories Hid
den Under the Rust OF MurderOus Dag
gers.
"What becomes Of the pistols and
knives taken from prisoners by the pO-
licef' asked a NEWS reporter at the bar
racks a few days ago.
"Ohiccr O'keefe viii show you if you
will follow him." replied Sergeant
Lee. 1t may not be generally known
that all prisoners who are locked up are
first searched. Pistols. knives, razors,
sandbags and billies are confiscated, al
though pocket kniYes are returned if
called for.
The heavy iron door Of a room on the
second floor of the stati0nhouse in the
rear Of the barracks was swung open
few minutes later with a creak that
rasped the nerves and almost perceptibly
chilled the temperature OF the room. The
room was a veritable arsenal. Along
one side stood a row of muskets thathave
not been used for years. They are the
ones with which the police were armed
before the breeoh-lOaders weT~ bought.
Against the muskets leaned a stack OF
Eeen-edged sabres, which the mounted
police formerly carried.
There are some Of them" said officer
O'heefe, pointing to long pine box on
the floor at one side Of the room.
For size and pattern, the collection is
about as varied as the views in q kaieidO-
scope. 1t was murderOus looking as
sortment Of patented and unpatented,
large and small, loaded and unloaded PTS
tolls, mixed up Unfortunately with
butcher knives, dirks, pocket knives,
razors and stilettos.
One knife mad q blade as long as a mans
forearm,
COVERED WITH RUST AND BLOOD.
For three or four inches above the point
the covering of rust was thicker than
near the haft. The blood stain showed
plainly how deep the blade had been
thrust into somebody. 1t is said that
negro woman was horribly mangled by
the knife two or three years after the war.
The murderer got across the river and has
never been seen here since.
Others Of the knives have histories, but
very few can be identified. Wiping the
dust from stilettO, the blade cleaned in
the sunlight, showing only one or two red
stains. 1t was taken from the aggressor
In a stabbing affrsy several years ago.
The edge has been nicked by striking
against the other weapons in the box.
Pocket knives are scattered all through
the box. Some have broken blades or
broken backs, others dainty pearl handles,
or handles Of Zone, pearl, iron or wood.
The pistols are the greatest curiOsities.
Almost any kind Is to he found, from the
little toy pistol. no larger than ores
thumb, to the big ''navy'' and cavalry"
the latter a foot and a half in length.
some of the largest, with their thick,
heavy cases, weigh five pounds. There is
everything from a single barrel to a
seven-chambered revolver.
THE OLD 'DERRINGERs,"
favorites few years ago, are numerous,
two, three 9nd fOUr-barrelled pistols, I'M
like anything carried now. Some are
cooked just as when taken from the
owners ten years or more ago. Dozens of
them have never been unloaded. Like
the knives, the pistols have variety OF
handles. Some have evidently been
Whitfield out OF pieces OF pine. Two or
three have no handles at all. The dust of
years has covered them, and it is doubtful
if they could be fired of. The cheap
kinds are most numerous. F'RObin
Hoods" defenders" "Challengers, :"
"Blue Jackets" 4SAvengers'' and "BuIl
DOge htelA u nave De6n the IhVOflJeB.
Several Of them have been used in shoot
ing affrays, but there is no way of dis
covering the identity Of these.
Besides the box there is a trunk half full
of specimens. Occasionally a hasketfuI
is taken out and buried, for the stock Is
continually increasing, but not so rapidly
now as it did Is or 20 years ago Notnear
50 many carry concealed weapons now as
then. Citizens recognize the protection
afforded by the police, and in a great de-
gree have discarded the habit OF carrying
concealed weapons.