Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-11-10

.,rong stocking filled with sand The advan-
tage OF this primitive affair, if such things
can be said to have any advantages, is that
the moment after it has been used, the
sand can be thrown away and the empty
stocking kept without exciting any suspicion.
Similar in principle to this is the Continuance
used by French sailors, who tie up a half
pound of sand III stout handkerchief nap
kin or towel and use it as billy or slungshot.
"Morc efficient are these sandbags which
are made In the shape OF clubs, or, as some
facetious person calls it. in the form of Bo-
logna sausages. In making these the robber
has exercised every sort of ingenuity. So
far as the material employed is concerned, he
has used cotton and wooden cloth, bed tick
ing, crash, heavy silk, sausage skin, eel skin.
leather and even snake skin. A number of
famous sandbags, which have been captured
by the police, are worthy Of mention. One
was a handsome eel skin, filed with sand
close up to the end, and thence with bird shot
to the end itself This arrangement gave the
effect Of a slungshot TO the affair and added
to the strength of the arm which welded it
the awful effect of q swift rotary motion.
Another. owned by French murderer, was
of silk, handsomely enbrcidered and finished
with Alk-wound leather thongs. A third. Of
Spanish origin, was Of fine sheepsl1in, SO care
fully finished as TO be as soft as the best
channels.
In giving weight to slungshot, equal
variety has been shown bv the malefactor
The last one caught in New York, negro
desperate named James A. jackson. had in
closed in his sandbsg pisoe of lead pipe
The weight was such that, when welded BY
\ muscular arm, it would shatter q human
skull like egg she'll Stones. bullets shots.
pieces OF metal and balls Of tinfoil have been
pus to the same purpose The heavier the
contents of the bag, the smaller it can be
without diminishing its efficiancy. At the
name time the wrongdoer's safety is greatly
increased
"A hichwayman bearing what looks like a
fair sized club In his hand would attract the
notice Of passershy and particularly Of the
police, while on tins other hand he could carry
heavy, small affair partly in his hand and
partly IN his sleeve without being detected by
Mybcdy. Even when seen it would produce
the visual impression Of An injured wrist or
forearm
This necessity for concealment has given
r4e 20 two varieties of sandbags which are
very ingenious In the one case the bag is
eeved almost across It's width every Inch or
two. When flled with sand OF shot liz forms
= series OF compartments somewhat similar
to the arrangement used in ordinary life
preservers. This shape does not impair ia
usefulness as . weapon, and on the other
hand enables the owner to fold il or roll !.
and carry IL IN tle pocSes- More orlginsi
was the utilization OK one Of the rubber life
preservers which are inflated with air and
fastened around the neck They vary from
ten to fourteen inches in length and one to
two inches in diameter when fully inflated
The rubber cloth Of which they are made is
extremely strong and flexible. The sand
Dagger dis 1t nearly full with water. seals
the end, and has q bag which can no, be eS-
called for deadly work. The water being