The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-23

factory to those present, but the clergy
man somehow forgot to ask who he was
The evening service had begun. Just
as the paeacher was about giving out the
second hymn a big Kentucky natboat-
man staggered up in front of the pulpit
and gave a Choetaw warwhoop. In a
second the little man had him by the col
lar with his left hand, aud in his right
had knife, with its point against the
boatman's brawny throat. If you say
another word or make the slightest noise
by God, I'll drive this knife through your
neck from ear to ear The big man
trembled like leaf and silently took
seat, while the other, putting his knife
out of sight, joined with great fervor in
the singing of the hymn. There was
never a quieter meeting held than that
was thereafter. Who was the gentle
man who so speedily settled the difficulty
to-nightp asked the minister when the
service was ended. Don't you knowp
his friend replied. That was James
Bowie F"
THE DEADLY DERRINGRR.
Next to the bowie knife, the most cele-
brated of the southern. small deadly
weapons in the old times was the Derrin-
ger pistol, usually called "the Derringer I"
From 1910 to 1865 part of every southern
gentleman's personal equipment was
pair of Derringers. Hardly over more
than four inches to the barrel and carry
ing about sixty bullets to the pound, by
reason of a popularity in the manner Of
boring and the arrangement of the powder
chamber, no small pistol of the time ever
drove a ball at short distance with the
terrible power and deadly effect of the
Derringer. They were intended for close
quarters, and at ten or fifteen feet or
PAGES their bullets would smash an arm
or leg into splinters. Because of this
smashing quality they were called "bone-
breakers" and they well deserved the
name.
About 1880 there lived in Philadelphia
a gunsmith named Derringer. He was
noted for the exquisite fineness of his
work on firearms and its general excel
lence, particularly in pistols. The aint
lock WAS then used, and TO insure its not
missing fire the lock work especially had
TO be done with a great deal of care.
The locks for a double-barrel gun Of the
finest kind in those days cost $50 alone.
"Old" Joe Manton says in a little book on
gunnery, printed in 1912, that he habitu-
ally paid el0 for all his gun locks.
In 1888 the contract was let for the pis-
tolls with which to arm the First regiment
of dragons, Just created by act of con-
gress. Two thousand hostler pistols.
carrying thirty bullets TO the pound,
were wanted.
Derrlnger got the contract. The Off
GERS Of the regiment also wanted pistols,
but of finer quality than those Of the
rank and file. So Derringer made thirty
six pairs of officers pistols. From that
time until 1860 he was the first small
arm maker in the United States in
the matter of pistols, or perhaps, of the
world. Some of this work in its delicacy
and beauty was wonderful Prince John
No Aar( tlaal LOT fan orr 70
nous officer of the artillery in the old
army and a confederate major general)
owned the finest and most elaborate pair
of small pistols that Derringer probably
eVer,made. They had two sets of barrels
fitted TO each stock. One set was four
inches and the other six inches in
lenghtn. Each carried sixty bullets TO
the pound.
MAGRUDER's FINE WEAPONS.
The pistols were gold-Inounted, with
beautiful inlaid work wherever it could be
placed in silver and gold. The locks were
made by BraZier, the most famous maker
of gun locks in England, and they cost
$50 alone The arms were a present 10
Capt. (as he then was) Magruder who
was just going TO Mexico TO take command
Of his battery of the First artillery. He
would never tell the giver's name, but IL
was believed they were the present of a
very wealthy New York lady who was
greatly attached to the handsome, gallant
and graceful officer He still owned them
in 1882, when in command on the PENN
sular, and he said they had saved his life
three times.
At fifteen PAGES the 4-inch barrels
would send bullet through an inch oak
plank, which no small revolver made in
1850 would dr.. The pistols were hair-
triggered, and with 6-inch barrels Col.
Magruder was accustomed 70 cut the
spots out OF the four Of spades at twelve
PAGES distant. Another very handsome
pair Of the Derringer pistols were pre-
sented TO Gen. Beauregard late in 1850 by
a creole gentleman OF New Orleans. They
were also 4-inch barrels, hair-trigRered,
and beautifully inlaid with silver work.
What the cost was Of course, no one
knew but the maker and purchaser, but
including the case and loading itsruments
IL could not have been less than $3.50.
The modern revolyers do not afford
much opportunity for the fine work, de
luxe, that the single shot pistols Of former
days did.
Derringer also made very fine rife,
that same Philadelphia gentleman pre-
scented 10 Davy Crockett Of Crockett's
Bluff, on the White river In Arkansas.
Some beautiful pairs Of duelling pistols
were made also by Derringer, but they