Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-04-21
A CURIOUS OLD WEAPON
OLDEST TYPE OF THE MAGAZINE
ARM IN THE WORLD.
Made Ia London IN 1889 and Found
at Baltimore After the War-lts
Romantic History.

during t e last part of the Six
teenJn Century. The only arm OF this
kind in the United States now known ia
be in the possession of collectors is held
in Hartford, Conn, by the connoisseur,
4. +. Brooks, and can only be seen by
the collectors favorites.
4 number of inventors, including
Lieutenant II. X. White, OF the United
States Navy, have been afforded access
to the arm, which is one of romantic
interest. The story of its loss and re.
cOvcry in the city of Baltimore during
the war is in itself fascinating one, not
to speak Of the mystery that surrounded
it for years prior to the attack on the
Federal troops in 1861 in the city
founded in honor of Lord Baltimore.
This ancient gun bears the name and
date "JOhn Cuckson, fecit, London
1856 The magazine was calculated
for ten shots and rested at the left of the
brecch mechanism. The bullets were
round and were elected into place stimuli
taneously with the powder. The use Of
a tlnt lock necessitated a device that
would carry the powder into the pan,
where it could be ignited by the spark
from the steel. This was accomplished
by peculiar mechanism that carried
enough powder from the magazine to the
right OF the gunstock, from which point
he distribution supplying the basin took
place.
Tue magazine was operated by lever
On the lett side of the stock, which
moved in n semicircle at right angles
with the magazine Itself. The motion
threw the left hand out and away from
he gun until the quadrant was com
pleted, when the hand in operation was
drawn back to the butt or stock.
1t is an interesting fact that the ball
idjoined the powder when loaded, the
paper wadding that was regarded as in-
1ispensble 10 the cartridge that was
used for 100 years before the war being
conspicuous by Its absence. The car
fridge OF the present date is Identical in
principle, with the exception that it is
elongated and attached to the shell cen
tainlng the powder.
The sight, which i5perhaps six inches
from the muz2te, IS n crescent in form.
The muLA,e SHOWS a plain bore half an
inch in diameter. The stock, which is
ii ely preserved, shows rare and curious
carvings. The heads Of the screws even
are cmbeIIisned with tisures of dragons
aud wild animals.
The cost Of this old arm must have
been great, as every particle OF WORK
connected with it must have been exc.
cuted by hand. Tne qua was 50 expen.
'ivc in design and workmanship that it
could have been owaed at first only by
the rich and powerful land owner or
military leader .! the time Of its manu-.
facturc. 1t is plausible theory, at
least, that it was brought to America By
one OF the wealthy coioaists under
Lord Bsllmorc. While there are no ex.
act data at hand at present sustaining
this notion rs fully as could be desired,
there is unmlstaHlble reason for al.
heriu. to it As the only tenabc one.
The history of the gun during the last
thirty years IS not de-titute OF exciting
features. After the attack on the Union
forces that were marcie through BAlti-
more in April, 1861, the city was ordered
to he searched bS the Government
forces, and arms OF every nature were
contiscated by the Provost Guard. These
arms we're rendezvoused at a central
point, where they were kept under guard
Tor four years. At the conclusion OF hos
Utilities, the residents OF Baltimore, from
whom the arms in question had been
taken in 1851, were allowed to recover
them. TAcy were rusty, and the seIec-
tionS were gencr!.y OF small value.
S,rIu e as it .r3; seem, the Old mag
azne gun of the >lxteauth Century, was
50 uuprepos>esslng in the rust and de-
hiement Of Its long servltude that no one
cared Tor it enough to take it home. In
the end it was actually thrown away and
left to be carried oil by a ragpicker as
Old Junk. 1t was purchased from the
ragpicEcr for half dollar and taken to
Az old German gnnsmith in the city, to
be transformed, if possible from the
hintloCk to modern piece. Weeks af-
tcrward the German Guumaker decided
that the ioD could not be done aud that
the old gun should have no better fate
tnal the junk heap. A second trade
was elected, and the repairer of old
musketS became himself the owner, pay
inE $50 Tor the privilege.
1t occurred to INN one day, after
assuming the proprletorshlp, that he
would attempt to disassemble the gun.
The process WAS slow and intricate. The
more the man WORKED, the more he be-
came absorbed with interest aud de-
light. Eleven days were actually spent
in the process. The rust was removed
AMI the barrel polished to the old surface.
For the first time the guumaker, as he
deciphercd the inscription, began to
understand the treasure that had come
into his hands. 1t was found to be a
vertaEle Cuckson, with possibly not a
duplicate on this side Of the Atlantic.
SO far as known, there is not one in the
United States.
Mr.. Brooks was in negotiations with
the Bati more owner for three years at
least, trying to buy the arm. 1t was
not until within few months that terms
could be made. A personal visit from
the collector to the old German gun.
smith was the only way that led to sue.
cess in the negotiations. A large check
was made payable to the Baltimore dis.
coverer before his consent was obtained
to the removal of the ancient weapon to
Connecticut.
The army men and inventors who
have seen the gun have gone into
ccstasies over it, considering 1T one of
the most interesting mechanisms known
of in gun manufacture. New York
Times.