Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-07-09
TERRIBLE WEAPONS.
A PAIR OF THEM WHICH A TRAVEL
 ER PICKED UP IN PARIS.

Gnd Perplexing Manner.
 Two of the most beautiful and at the same time murderous objects I have aver seen in all my travels I picked up in Paris during my trip there last sum. mer, said J. V. Atkinson of Savannah to friend
 TT bought both of them from an old gunsmith i'll the Quartier Latin, and he assured me they were, without doub 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 whe had spent most of his life i'll the South American countries.
 ''I 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 murderous purposes.
 The first, as you see, looks innocent enough, and when 1 ask you what you think it is you will reply'i-
 !" A silver matchbox" answered the reporter as he gingerly handled the beau tifully chased silver object.
 Touch that spring. U
 At an easy touch the lid of the box flew opon on powerfully hinged spring and disclosed the interior, and ill com. partment about one-half of the capacity of the box were dozen wax matches.
 Now you'll find tiny button on the side next you and near year thumt, Just press that lightly"
 As the suggestion was followed lit tie, sharp pointed, creamy white, curved object popped into view from that DOT. ton of the box not occupied by the matches.
 s,What is that?"
 That, " said Mfr Atkinson, lis 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 to ichthyologists You will notice that the fang is sharp as needle at it's point that it is slit for distance up tie middle, and that it k hollow. You will also observe that fine, amber colored, jellylike substance Is iOnS2i!4G3 W4blllIi l4lB AOAlOH OL bIid fang. That is nothing less horrible than the vohom of the crotalide, and the rankest poison, the most deadly Of agents known to man. 4 couple of scrapes on a mans hand or face mean g certain and horrible death-nausea and vomiting, retehing, eonvuIHions, semiparalysis, complete paralysis, state of coma, death in most horrible form and the swelling to horrible proportions of the corpse IS II rapidly turns black from the virulenee of the venom. You may take the fearful agent, bake 1t be. tween bricks. freeze it between blocks of ice, and it will still retain it's terrible power. You may inoculate rat with the venom, and he will die in few moments, A dog ill five and man in from ten minutes to an hour, according to the amount received and tue eondi- tion of his system at the time. The blood of the first rat can be inoculated into second, and the blood of the second into 6 third, and so on down through 100- yes, 200 ubjeots-without recourse to the original venom, and the last subject will die as quickly and conyulsively aa the first, for it's virulence is absolutely fatal.
 You can readily see what terrible weapon it would be in the hands of an interruptions villain. A scratch or two, and the deed would be done, while ths victim would simply imagine that hs had been scraped by pin. Yet in close fight with some of the despioable footpads and murderous thugs who ara infesting your fair city do not think would have any seruples about using il on one of them myself
 It would De difficult even for first class physician 10 discover at the first sight just how the man met his death.
 It's companion pieee, of devilish in genuity, is needle gun. Peculiar look. ing thing is 1t not?" asked Mir. Atkin- son as he passed richly engraved and silver mounted object that looked like cross between miniature double bar. reled shotgun and revolver to his friend, who handled it with extreme caution.
 That little gun is about five inches over all, and yet 1t contains withia those cham bers. in the boxlike part be. tween those fine watch spring steel bar. rels and the pistol grip, enough of fiend- lsh mischief to lay out dozen strong men.
 The charge is strong but powerful cartridge made of highly explosive chemical which, by the peculiar con struction of the chambers makes so lit tie noise that it could not be heard by person ten feet away. The instrument of destruction is bunch of fine csmbrio needles that have had their heads slight ly hattened to offer resistance and catch the propelling force, and their points have lain i'll the very same sort of ven. om of which spoke until they are thor oughly corroded with it.
 "As they leave the gun they scatter and penetrate to the most vital spots,