The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-29
CHINESE SWORDSMITH';,
Some Remarh able Products OF TAeIr Kill.
lwn-b' aided -SvDId..

Though DR.. Bedloe, the United States Con-
sui to Amry, China ha. started back to his
the delays incident to the shipping OF goods
from such inr-oif lands and In getting them
through the custom House. some OF his most
interesting and valuable relics arrived only q
lew days ago.
In his room at the Bellevue reporter found
the genial Consul resting conte after
his breakfast. rs his eye roved contempt atively
over numher of the most deadly and awful
wcanons ever conceived or executed by man.
When asked about these curiously ugly swords
the Doctor sad:
II was asked to execute n commission for
the Rev. DR.. G. ~ Shepherd. the distinguished
nebraska divine. a gentleman who. though
weapons in Tie world; This led to my exam
ln,nS s%V"ra uHnFnu tir" ana curious Teap;
these are few ui those | selected. No two
are alike and not one but what displays rare
,"Th. handsome,,t Of Al is a Generals sabre
point that would eNtort admiration from Col.
the thickest part Of the b!n 10 is the centre.
This gives great weight to the weapon. joined
scaILar! is made Of hard. tough wood. lac
mo,hsT, pGarl ;o ING hi i q black iTSa
petals OF which have heon drilled with small
holes and these filled with bright brass bars,
The most curious OF the lot to my eye 10
the so-called warriors two blaIed sword from
Holman. 1t is only about two feet long and In
net OF our own army. The scahbard is plain
hut very neat and covered with white sha.
m?Hntings. Wien You you" draw It the tiade di.
yides into TWO, each II fac simie Of tho other.
cuEe edged and spear G"n,.t The twin
drill ling seven holes about an inch and half
and and put in "a zigzag line from hit to point:
These arc filled with pur" copper which Is
win tho steel and polished to trighttnEeSs:
found in nearly all the martial weapons Of Ho-
nan and .rn relies Of the old astrol3Gic faith
hod hold /. So strong hat Il the COPPER falls out Of
one OF tho sword holes il is accepted as q SURF.
precursor OF death. ana the lucklr; wiclder OF
mo blade usually commits SUICIDE TO escape
further trouble
The short stabbns dos:ors which find
favor chiefly with pirates ana reyolutionists
form n strong contrast with the weapons de-
scrhcd, They are gcn"rniy, SO ugly that they
poses to which they are applied, have one
which locks like II lucrTly made ace OF spades
s trsts"'n h ! n1t T'T ct ~ tia wSapo the
arm"rrr hn' huii wed out a shal 10y. spoon
s anh ca It IN WITH ca 1s 'fhs s
"i tr u which whrn su! l"n!y drawn
+ u, black sheath is very, startling:
,lN ,h ar is l''' popular o' IN tn" Mopso.
IT," mi4, have nnih%r weap9nT WnoSI nlaas
#ro1ni down TO an ilmost 'oncnvc edge, and
Ia" nlai' is made hidoous 10y Chinese RED lac;
@ S4s u gSrt T. @ nm"h n,%7 lager 9G is
rhmri ne rrnmei, It ailnir Of the klnd ever
hInI"d. The altdr IS loot long. ah2ut three
inches wide ana half m incn thick. With
it. heavy bras, LIT an! gigantic guard 1t
" 81 oyer itrn" bounds. If -"i with long
lar ilr it couth be used AS an axe 1t is used
chlHNy ~ the Ea,h Flags and other Celestial
Outlaws. who. in addition to us!ng it in the or
hl,mry mnnn"r. throw It with tatiil precision.
ihr on i"sidont Of Tonuuin told mo that
ia IN: Mo lat" war h" had known instances
IN winch the knives were thrown with such
tor that they would gOthrOu-,h u inan's body
Pr sh ~ 'Wp inches Of no"iy steel beyond
Lis ha"k. ThH lYn:les Of many o. these In
cai' pistol grips. The most dreadful looking
weapon Of all was the cNecutioners sword
used my he late henIsmhn of Annoy 1t is,of
very Lroyy. and kcrnly edged. 1t is used with
on" baud nnd u shaped and wound so no. 20
",ar.m tprn the blade near the hit are
t8in",r rl .r4ctcr- recording the tragi events
IA which 7 has taken au,!ve part. Ny inter-
1913 h,mA" lives VIII ,ih il las taken out OF this
World llt". record "nihnres its. value. a
UGw -wu'h - the = an, Kind could be bought
I + so q" ~, bat Tor This sword with it's
Giu"tIy II ~;hT IA" tNiIly broker wanted $500
rH-,D II" rNiJriIy Thought. although IL
"am" tigb, mIct have il. and accordingly
r'irrl th"qn'e, II" Wa; y very .hcarhroken
lllw 50 iainIWr t. the sprias poet. Declined
with thnnks.' word OF caution as TO those
pr"na! swords and aaggcrs. Very many Of
them are l!psunGGd, 50 that moro scratch will
cause death. Ths venom is produced BY
logical science