The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-04-28
A CURIOUS OLD WEAPON.
OLDEST TYPE OF THE MAGAZINE
ARM IN THE WORLD.
Made I'm London I'm 1850 and Found
at Baltimore After tho War-Its
Romantic History.

Romantic History.
THE oldest type of magazine gun
in the world is the John Cuck-
son, which was made in London
during the last part Of the Six.
teenth Century. The only arm of this,
kind in the United States now known to
be in the possession Of collectors is held
in Hartford, Conn.,, by the connoisseur,
A. f. Brooks, and can only be seon by
the collectors favorites. !.
A number Of inventors, including
II. K. White, OF the United
States Navy, have been afforded access
20 the arm, which Is one Of romantic
interest. The story of its loss and re-,
.overy in the city OF Baltimore during
The war is in itself fascinating one, not
20 speak Of the mystery that surrounded
t for years prior to the attack on tho
Federal troops in 1851 in the city
founded in honor of Lord Baltimore.
This ancient gun bears the name aud
date "Johu Cuckson, fecit, London
1886" The magazine was calculated
Tor ten shots aud rested at the left of the
breech mechanism. The bullets were
:ouud and were elected into place stimuli.
:aueously with the powder. The use Of
! flint lock necessitated a device that
wo lid carry the powder into the pan,
where it could be ignited by the spark
from the steel. This was accomplished
oy peculiar mechanism that carried
enough powder from the magazine to the
tight Of the guustocS, from which point
he distribution supplying the basin took
place.
The magazine was operated by lever
IN the lett side of the stock, which
moved in a semicircle at right angles
With the magazine itself. The motion
threw the left hand out and away from
tho 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
,djoined the powder when loaded, the
paper wadding that was regarded as in
lispensible iu 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 aud attached to the shell con-
tanning tho pnwder.
The sight, which isperhap3 six iuches
from the muzzle, is a crescent in form.
The muzzle shows plain bore half an
inch in diameter. The stock, which is
ii ,ely preserved, shows rare aud curious
carvings. The heads of the screws even
are embellished with figures Of dragons
and wild animals.
The cost of this old arm must have
hnan ,,arficlo Of
connected with it. must have been exc.
cuted by hand. Tne gun was so expen.
sive in design aud workmanship that it
could have been owned at FIRST only By
the rich and powerful land owner or
military leader Of the time =of its manu-
facture. 1t is plausible theory, at
least, that it was brought to America by
one of the wealthy colonists under
Lord Baltimore. While there are no ex-
act data at hand at present sustaining
this notion as fuliyias could be desired,
there is unmistakable reason for ad-
herring to IL as the only tenable one.
- The history of the gun during the last
thirty years is not destitute OF exciting
features. After the attack on the Union
forces that were marched through Balti-
more in April, 1861, the oity was ordered
to be searched by the Government
forces, and arms of every nature were
contiscated by the Provost Guard. These
Nrms were rendezvoused at a central
point, where they were kept under guard
Tor four years. AT the conclusion OF hos
tilities, the residents of Baltimore, from
whom tho arms in question had been
70 in 1891 oil -
them. They were rusty, aud the seles-
tions were generally Of small value.
Strange as it may seem, the old mag
aziuc gun of the Sixteenth Century, was
so unprepossessing in the rust and de-
Element of its long servltude that no one
cared for it enough to take it home. In
the end it was actually thrown away and
left to be carried off by q ragpIoker al
old junk. 1t was purchased from tho
ragpicker for half dollar aud taken to
an old German gnnsmith in the city, to
be transformed, if possible from the
iintlock to modern piece. Weeks af-
terward the German gunmaker decided
that the job could not be- done aud that
the old gun should have no better fate
than the junk heap. A second trade
was effected, aud the rcpairer of old
muskets became himself the owner, pay
ing $3.50 for the privilege.
1t occurred to him one day, after
assuming the proprietorship, that he
would attempt TO disassemblc the qua.
The process was slow and intricate. The
more the man worked, the more he be-
came absorbed with interest AMI dc.
light. Eevcu lays were actually spent
in the process. The rust was removed
and 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
iuto his hands. 1t was fonnd to be
veritacie Cuckson, with possibly not
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 Baltimore owner for three years at
least, trying to buy the arm. 1t was
not until within few months that terms
L..