Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-03-11
TERRIBLE WEAPONS.
4 PAIR OF THEM wHlcH A TRAVEL.
 ER PICKED UP IN PARIS.

EoWef4uA Poison Known The Needle
 That Does It's Ready Work In a silent
 and PerpIexing Manner.
 Two of the most beautiful and al the same time murderous objects I have ever seen ill all my travels I picked ID in Paris during my trip there last sum. mer, y said J. V Atkinson of Savannah to friend.
 T bought both of them from an old gunsmith in the Quartier Latin, and he assured mo they were, without doubt. the only ones in existence, as far as his knowledge of death dealing instruments went, and he also told me that he had purchased them of an old Spaniard who had spent most of his life in tho South American countries.
 am sure he must have had them made to his especial order for, as I have already stated, during all my travels have never seen anything that would in any way approach them for villainous, murderous purposes.
 The first, as you see, looks innocent enough, and when ask you what you think 1t is you will reply''-
 1 silver matchbox, answered the reporter as he gingerly handled the beau tifully chased silver object.
 Touch that spring. ''
 At an easy touch the lid of the box few opon on Q powerfully hinged spring and disclosed the interior, and ill com. partment about one-half of the capacity of tho box were dozen wax matches.
 Now you'll find tiny button on the side next you and near your thnmk Just press that lightly"
 As the suggestion was followed lit. tic, sharp pointed, creamy white, curved object popped into view from that DOT tion of the box not occupied by the matches
 What is that?'
 That said hfr. Atkinson, IS not more nor less than the fore fang of tho Crotalus horridus. the great American rattlesnake, and one of the most venom ous of serpents known to iohthyologists. You will notice that the fang is sharp as a needle at it's point that 1t is slit for a distance up the middle, and that it is hollow. You will also observe that q fine, amber eolored, jellylike substance is contained within the hollow of the fang. That is nothing less horrible than the venom of the orotalidae, and the rankes6 poison, the most deadly of agents known to man. A couple of serapes on mans hand or face mean 8 certain and horrible death-nausea and vomiting, retehing, eonyulsions, semiparalysis, complete paralysis, state of coma, death in Q most horrible form and the swelling to horrible proportions of the corpse as 1t rapidly turns black from the virulenoe of the venom. You may take the fearful agent, bake it be. tween bricks, freeze it between blocks of ice, and it will still retain it's terrible power You may inoculate a rat with the venom, and he will die in few moments, a dog in five and man in from ten minutes to an hour, according to the amount received and the oondi- ton Of his system at the time. The blood Of the first rat can be inoeuia6ed into a second, and the blood of the second into q third, and so on down through 100- yes, 200 ubjeets-without recourse tG the original venom, and the last subject will die as quickly and oonvulsively as the first, for it's virulence is absolutely fatal.
 You can readily see what terrible weapon it would be in the hands of an unscrupulous villain A scratch or two, and tho deed would be done, while the victim would simply imagine that ha had been scraped by pin. Yet in q close fight with some of the despicable footpads and murderous thugs who arc infesting your fair city do not think ] would have any scruples about using is on one of them myself.
 .'It would be difficult even for'a first class physician 10 discover at the first sight just how tho man met his death.
 Its companion piece, of devilish in- genuity, is a needle gun. Peculiar look. ing thing, is it not2" asked Mr Atkin- son as he passed richly engraved and silver mounted object that looked like 6 cross between a miniature double bar reled shotgun and revolver to his friend, who handled it with extreme caution.
 That little gun is about i've inches over all, and yet it contains within those chambers, in the boxlike part be. tween those fine watch spring steel bar rels and the pistol grip, enough of fond ish mischief 10 lay out Q dozen strong men.
 "The charge is a strong but poSessai cartridge made of Q hipklT explosive chemical which, by thg lecaljar con- struotion of ,a siiat <, makes so lit tic noise ta..! | e.saau not be heard by person taH feet away. The instrument of destruction Is bunch of fine cambrio needles that have had their heads slight ly hattened to offer resistance and catch the propelling force, and their points have lain ill the very same sort of ven- om of which I spoke until they are thor oughly corroded with it.
 LAS they leave the gun they scatter