The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-13
WITHIN HIS GRASP.
HOW JAMES ARMSTRONG CAME TO
MISS A FORTUNE.

Augusta (Ky) Letter, in Louisville Cou-
rier-Journal
The son of the inventor of the first sue
cessful breech-loading rifle will sit as
Bracken county's representative in the
next Kentucky State Legislature. The rep
resentative-elect is the Hon. T. Armstrong
of Augusta, and fiction seldom presents a
more remarkable story of devotion and
sacrifice than an incident that has been
related on good authority in the life Of
his father. James w. Armstrong. Yet
the latter was prominent citizen of Ken
lucky, one of the greatest inventors Of
his time. preferred honor to wealth and
fame, and, strange to say, died without
his name creeping into the newspapers.
The life of James Armstrong is replete
with experiences that should interest ev-
cry Kentuckian. He was born at West
Union, o., but soon moved to Augusta,
which is about fifty miles east of Cincin-
natl, on the Ohio river. His wife was for
merly Eliza j. Marshall, a daughter Of
the Hon. Martin Marshall, who was a
prominent lawyer and landowner Of Ken
lucky. and whose father was a near rel
alive to Chief Justice Marshall and cousin
to Representative Humphrey Marshall of
Louisville.
Life in the Bluegrass State soon lmbued
Armstrong with the principles for which
the South fought the North. The male
members of his wifes family--the Mar
shalls of Virginia and Kentucky-were
then regarded as among the foremost sons
of the Confederacy. Thus associations
and other tendencies caused his sympa-
thieS to go out strongly to the South at
the beginning of the civil war.
At that time he was a carriage manu-
facturer and the most prominent merchant
of Augusta. He lent financial aid in
equipping soldiers, whom he sent to the
front to fight for the Confederacy. Soon
the loyal residents of the community learn .
ed of this practice. The provost marshal
of the town decided to cripple Armstrong S
business so that he could no longer make
money to furnish the enemies of the North.
An order was issued forbidding him from
receiving or sending out any goods dur
ing the progress of the war. His once
fiourishing business was now broken up.
He then began to think of other ways
to aid the cause he loved. Although not
a mechanic, he early saw that rifle, load
ing at the breech, would be an immense
advantage to either side in the struggle.
He put his ideas into execution, and soon
had completed the plan of the gun. The
plan and instructions he put in the
hands of George l.. Reese a mechanic en-
ployed by Armstrong in his carriage
works. Reese soon made the new rifle, ac-
cording to directions.
The next moVe-and the most difficult of
all-Was for Armstrong to get his new IN
vention patented. The authorities of the
United States patent office were well ac-
quainted with the inventors southern
sympathies. From this they inferred, and
rightly, too, that he intended placing the
new rifle at the disposal of the Confeder-
ate leaders, It's great superiority to the
gun in the hands of the union army was
plainly seen. 1t was more easily loaded,
lighter and far more effective In execution.
II would have given the South a great adj
vantage over the North Armstrong was
baked at every turn, and his patent at
first refused.
But he had a friend in George ii. PEN
dleton, Senator from Ohio Pendleton
thought that any man, whatever his ideas
on slavery, should be treated justly by the
United States. He used his influence In
Armstrong; behalf, and the new rifle was
finally given patent.
Armstrong was elated. He Immediately
went to Richmond, taking his specimen
breech-loading rifle with him. He offered
to sell the right to manufacture to the
Confederate government at reasonable
price. All admitted that it was a valuable
weapon, but the South had no money to
pay for It, But the inventor was not dis
couraged. He was bent on seeing his
new firearm in the hands of the Southern
soldier, for he realized its Importance as
a factor i'm the struggle, and offered 10 re-
linquish all claims to the patent, allow
the Confederates to manufacture all the
guns they wished, and take not a cent in
return. But stlll the offer was refused
sN,.s,t, al To IA
home at Augusta somewhat detected.
The Norwich Arms Company learned of
the new invention and wrote to Armstrong
about it, The company wanted to buy
the patent right, and the inventor was
asked to name his price.
BY this time the order of the Provost
Notwithstanding Armstrong; trans
acting business-had had a telling effect.
He was nearing bankruptcy. He had
already been forced to sharpe partnership
in the new invention with one Taylor in
order to get funds to place the rifle on the
market. IL he could sell this invention to
the Norwich Company he would become
rich and famous man.
He replied to the Arms Company's let
ter, and correspondence between them
continued for some time. Armstrong was
asked to come to New York city and sign
an agreement turning over his patent
right to the company. He went to New
York and engaged Samuel j. Tilden, af-
forwards Democratic candidate for the
Presidency, as his attorney. The Nor
witch representative agreed to give Arm
strong 100000 for the exclusive right to
manufacture the new breech-loading rifle.
They came TO an oral agreement. SO far,
all was well. Shortly afterward (March
1860 the following description of the rifle
appeared in Harper's New Monthly Mag
azine in an extensive article headed, "The
Norwich Armories."
The breech-loading rife is a new inven-
ton of Messrs. Armstrong and Taylor, of
Augusta, KY, and Is made in this coun-
try only at the Norwich works It is adap-
ted 10 the use of the metallic cartridge
and can be applied with equal ease to the
rife, carbine, the fowlng piece or the
pistol. The breech is open by pressing the
thumb on a spring on the small of the
stock. This spring half cocks the piece
And, at the same time, raises a latch and
Secret of Beauty