Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1894-04-11
a CURIOUS OLD WEAPON
OLDEST TYPE OF THE MAGAZINE
ARM IN THE WORLD.
Made in London in 1886 and Found
at Baltimore After the War-lts
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 thi;
kind in the United States now known to
be in the possession of collectors is held
IN Hartford, Conn.,, by the conuoisseur
\. 7. Brooks, and can only be seen by
the collectors favorites.
! A number of inventors, including
Lieutenant II. X. White, of the United
! States Navy, have been afforded access
/ 70 the arm, which is one of romantic
! interest. The story OF its loss and re.
covery in the city of Baltimore durin ?
the war is in itself fascinating one, not
TO speak of the mystery that surrounded
1t for years prior to the attack on tIe
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
breech mechanism. The bullets were
round and were elected into place stimuli.
taneously with the powder. The use oi
flint lock necessitated a device that
wolld 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
the distribution supplying the basin took
place,
The magazine was operated By a lever
on the LETT side of the stock, which
moved in q semicircle at right angles
with the magazine itself. The motion
threw the left hand ont and away from
the 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
adjoiued the powder when loaded, the
paper wadding that was regarded as in
dispensjble in 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 con-
tanning the powder.
The sight, which is perhaps six inches
from the muzzle, is a crescent in form.
The muzzle shows plain bore half an
inch in diameter. The stock, which is
fiuely preserved, shows rare aud curious
carvings. The heads of the screws even
are ambellished with figures of dragons
and wild animals.
The cost of this old arm must have
been great, as every particle of work
cuted by hand. Tne gun was SO expen-
sive in design and 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 ma u
facture. 1t is a 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 fully as could be desired,
there is uumistakable reason for ad-
herring to it 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-
moro In April, 1861, the city was ordered
to be searched by the Government
forces, and arms of every nature were
coniscated by the Provost Guard. These
arms were rendezvoused at a central
point, where they were kept under guard
for four years. At the conclusion OF hos
tilities, the residents of Baltimore, from
whom the arms in question had been
taken in 1861, were allowed to recover
them. They were rusty, and the selec-
tions were generally OF small value.
Strange as it may seem, the old mag
uzine gun of tho Sixteenth Century, was
SO unprepossessing in the rust and de-
Element Of its long servItude that no one
cared for 1t enough to take it home. lin
tho end it was actually thrown away and
left to be carried off by ragpicker as
old junk. 1t was purchased from the
ragp!cGer for half dollar and taken to
an old German gnnsmith in the city, to
be transformed, if possible from the
flintlock to modern piece. Weeks af-
terward the German gunmaker decided
that the job could not be done and that
the old gun should have no better fate
THAI the junk heap. A second trade
was effected, and the repairer of old
muskets became himself the owner, pay
ing S1.50 for the privilege.
1t occurred to him one day, after
assuming the proprietorship, that he
would attempt to disassemble the gun.
The process was slow and intricate. The
more the man worked, tho more he be-
came absorbed with interest and de-
light. Eleven days were actually spent
in the process. The rust was removed
and the barrel polished to the old surface.
For the first time the gunmaker, as he
deciphered the inscription, began to
understand the treasure that had come
into his hands. 1t was found to be a
veritatle 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 negotiation, with
the Baltimore owner for three years at
least, trying to buy the arm. L 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
ecssasies over it, considering it one of
the most interesting mechanisms known
of in gun manufacture. York
Times.