The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-12-29
TERRIBLE WEAPONS.
A PAIR or THEM WHICH a TRAVEL
ER PICKED UP IN PARIS.

and PerplsHing Manner.
1.-TWO Of the most beautiful and at
the same time murderous objects have
ever seen in all my travels picked up
in Paris during my trip there last sum-
mer." said J. v. Atkinson Of Savannah
20 a fiend.
II bought both Of them from IN old
gunsmith in the QUARTER Latin. and be
assured me they were. without doubt.
the only ones in existence. as far as his
knowledge Of death dealing instruments
went, and he also told me thts he had
purchased them Of an old Spaniard who
had spent most Of his life in the South
American countries
"I am sure he must have had them
made 20 his especial order. for. as / havo
already stated. during all my travels /
have never seen anything that would in
any way approach them for villainous.
murderous purposes
The fret. as you see. looks innocent
enough, and when I ask you what yuu
think IL is you will reply
"A silver matchbox, answered the
reporter a. he gingerly handled tho beau
tifully chased silver object.
Touch that spring"
At an easy touch the lid Of the boI
few opon on q powerfully hinged spring
and disclosed the interior. and in n COM
partment about one-half Of tho capacity
Of the box We're n dozen wax matches
Now you'll end n tiny button on
the side next you and near year thumb
just press that lightly"
AS the suggestion was followed lit
tie, sharp pointed. creamy white. curved
object popped into view from that pO-.
tion Of the box not occupied by tue
matches.
What IL that7'
That, said Mr.. Atkinson. els not
more nor less than the fore fang OF the
Crotalus horridus, the great American
rattlesnake. and one OF the most venom
ous Of serpents known 70 oichthyologists.
You will notice that the fang Is sharp
as n needle az its point; that IL is slit
for n distance mp the middle. and that
il is hollow. You viii also observe that
n fine, amber oolored, jellylike substance
Is contained within the hollow Of the
fang. That is nothing less horrible than
tho venom Of the crotalide, aud the
rankest poison, the most deadly Of
agents known 70 man. A couple Of
scrapes on n mans hand OF faoe mean
a certain and a horrible death-nausea
and vomiting, retching, oonvulsions,
semiparalysis. complete paralysis, state
Of coma, death in a most horrible form
and the swelling 10 horrible proportions
of the corpse n it rapidly turns blaeE
from the virulence Of the venom. You
may take the fearful agent. bake IL be.
tween bricks. freeze it between blocks
Of ice, and IL will still retain its terrible
power. You may inoculate n rat with
the venom, and he will die in a few
moments. dog in 1--WE and q man in
from ten minutes TO an hour, according
60 the amount received and the condi.
tion Of his system at the time. The blood
of the first rat can be inoculatet into
second, and the blood Of the second into
q third. and 90 ON down through 100
yes, 500 ubjects-without recourse &C
the original venom. and the last subject
will die as quickly and convulsively "A
the first. for its viFulenoe is absolutely
fatal
49, @@@ AN&AAAAN HeA MAAk n ANNNAUA9
weapon 10 would be in the hands Of an
unscrupulous villain. A scratch or two.
and the deed would be done. while the
victim would simply imagine that he
had been scraped by pin. Yet in a
close light with some Of the despicable
footpads and murderous thugs who are
infesting your fair city do not think
would have any scruples about using 10
ON one Of them myself.
1T would be difficult even for n irst
class physician 10 discover At the irsi
nght just how the man met bis death.
Its companion piece. Of devilish in.
Benuity, is needle gun. Peculiar look.
ing thing. is it notG" asked Mr.. Akin.
son rs he passed a richly engraved and
nlver mounted object that looked like
cross between q miniature double bar.
relied shotgun and n revolver 20 bis
friend. who handled it with extrens
caution
That little gun IL about Eve inches
over all. and yet it contains within
those chambers. in the boxlike part be.
tween thosr hne watch spring steel bar.
rels and the pistol grip. enough Of hend.
ish mischief 20 lay out q dozen strong
men.
The charge is q strong but powerful
cartridge made Of n highly explosive
chemical which. by the peculiar con-
struction Of the chambers. makes 30 lit
tie noise that it could not be heard By
person ten feet away. The instrument
OF destruction Is q bunch Of fine cAmbric
needles that have had their heads slight
ly hattened to ofer resistance and catch
the propelling force. and their points
have lain in the very same sort Of ven.
om OF which spoke until they Ars thor
oughly corroded with Il.
"As they leave the gun they scatter