Semi=weekly graphic., 1897-03-17
TERRIBLE WEAPONS.
4 PAIR OF THEM WHICH A TRAVEL
 ER PICKED UP IN PARIS.

'Two of the most beautiful and at tho same time murderous objects l have ever soon in all my travels l picked up in Paris during my trip there last sum- mer, said J. V Atkinson of Savannah to Q friend.
 "I bought both of them from an old gunsmith in tho Quartier Latin, and he assured me they were, without doubt, tho only ones in existence, as far as his knowledge of death dealing instruments went, and he Blso told me that he had purchased them of an old Spaniard who had spent most of his life in the south American countries.
 1T am sure he must have had them made to his especial order, for, as l have already stated, during all my travels l have never seen anything that would ln any way approach them for villainous' murderous purposes.
 ''The frat, as you see, looks innocent enough, and when I ask you what you think it is you will reply
 A silver matchbox, " answered the reporter as he gingerly handled the beau bifully chased silver object.
 Touch that spring.
 At an easy touch the lid of the box flow opon on Q powerfully hinged spring and disclosed the interior, and in a eom- partment about one-half of the capacity of the box were a dozen wax matches
 Now you'll find a tiny button on the side next you and near your thumb Just prass that lightly.
 As tho 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 Nr. Atkinson, IS pot moro nor less than the fore fang of tho 0rotalus horridus, the great American rattlesnake, and ono of the most venom oas of aerpants known to oiohthyologists. You will notice that the fang is sharp as Q needle at it's point; that it is slit for a distance up the middle and that it is hollow. You will also observe that q fine, amber colored, jellylike substance is contained within the hollow of the fang That is nothing less horrible than tho venom of the crotalidaa. and the rankest poison, the most deadly of agents known to man. 4 couple of Rcrapea on mans hand or face mean Q certain and a horrible death-nause0 and vomiting, retohing, oonvulsionss aamiparalysis, complete paralysis state of coma, death iH q most horrible form and the swelling to horrible proportions of the corpse as it rapidly turns black from the viru1enee of tho venom. You may 70 the fearful agent, bake 1t be- tWeou lioks, freeze 1t between blocks Of ice, and i6 will still retain it's terrible power. You may inooulate q rat with the venom, and be will die in q few moments, 0 dog in five and man in from ton minutes to an hour, according to tha amount received and the eondi- tl of his system at the time. Tho blood of the first rat can be inooulated into 8 second, and the blood of the second into third, and so on down through 100- yes, 300 suhjeots-without recourse td the original venom, and the last subject will die as quickly and convulsively as the first, for it's virulenoe is absolutely fatal.
 You can readily see what a terrible weapon it would be in the hands of an unsorupulous villain. A scratch or two, and the deed would be done, while tha victim would simply imagine that he had been scraped by pin. Yet in a close fight with some of the despioable footpads and murderous thugs who are infcsting your fair city do not think ] would have any e8ruples about using # on one of them myself.
 It would be din3oult even for a first class physician to discover at the first sight just how the man met his death.
 Its companion piece. of dovilish in. genuity. is Q needle gun Peculiar look. ing thing, is it not?" asked Mir Atkin. son as he passed richly engraved and silver mounted object that looked like a cross between a miniature double bar reled shotgun and revolver to his friend, who handled it with extreme caution
 That little gun is about five inches oyer all, and yet it contains within those chambers, in the boxlike part be. tween thoso fine watch spring steel bar. rels and the pistol grip, enough of fiend- lsh mischief to lay out q dozen strong men.
 The charge is a strong but powerful 7artridgo made of Q highly explosive chemical which, by the peculiar con- straotioD of the chambers, makes so lit sle noiso that it could not be heard by a person ten feet away Tho instrument of destruction is a bunch of fine cambrie needles thut hayo had their heads slight ly aattened to offor resistance and catch lbe propeling force, and their points have lain ill the very same sort of ven. oln of which I spoke until they are thor oughly eorroded with it.
 As they leave tho gun they scatter and penetrate to tho most vital spots. where their terrible work is quickly done, Nothing short of a post norton examination of the most rigid kind would betray the oause of death. ''-st Louis Republic
 An Experiment..
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