Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-07-06
7 JACK CHiNN'S KNIFE
Handy Weapon For a Deadly Encounter
A Sketch OF "Coi" Jack Its Inventor.

When the courts In Kentucky have
nothing else to occupy their time and
attention they indict Colonel Jack"
Chlnn for disturbing the mental peace
of his neighbor, and you can gamble
that the neighbor is In the wrong.
Because he is broad -shouldered, and
big and strong-hearted, petticr men
find fault with him, and Chnn like
big Newfoundland dog, finally takes
umbrage at the jackal and maltreats
him, IL that can be called maltreat-
ment.
With him the use of knife is not
intended as a Joke, and Is only reSOrtcd
to when he thinks a life wager has
been made. Nor does he use II
Bowie knife. but always weapon
made from Ideas of his own and which
some day will bear his name, just ns
the famous American dagger has hand
cd down to posterity the cognomen
of that famous Kentucky colonel who
carried his knife at the back of his
neck
But why does he use Il knife?
The narrator will answer that as
Chinn once answered him when he
put the same question. Chiun is
man larger and more powerful than
John l.. Sullivan. He has the shOul.
dcrs of nm OK. After the news had
been received OF the doubly fatal en-
counter between GoodlOc and Swope
In Lexington, Kentucky, in which the
latter used a pistol and the former
knife, the narrator was talking to
Chinn about the dramatic encounter,
when the latter was handed Il tcle-
gram, which. after he had opened and
read, he handed me. 1t contained
simply these words:
He used your knife.
Chlnn being looked Mt inqulr,nGly,
said: You wonder what that means
| will tell you. More than one year
ago my friend, Colonel Goodloe, and
Sw0pc had wordy encounter, | told
Goodloe at that time that the other
man would attempt TO kill him and
that he should he prepared for such
an onslaught, and that he owed 1t TO
his fnmily-he having quite Il large
number of cbildren-to arm himself.
He said that he would do so. and
that he would at once provide himself
| with Il pistol. | laughed at him. You
| should know that Goodloe had been
| paSicd for a number of years and that
his hands We're continually trembling.
| said to him: What can you do with
a pistol? There can be no certainty
about your aim. You must carry n
knife He rather shivered at the sug.
gnstion. and said he did not know
how to use one. Then | taught him.
| had two knives made. Their han.
dies We're Of horn with grooves cut in
them to fit the hand, In order that the
| grasp could not slip. The blades
which fitted into them exactly-not en-
tending beyond, like the Bowie knife
| fully iuh Of tI,ia,r
at the top, narrowing to an almost
rnzor,like edge. The steel was moved
by n spring which, when touched. not
only sprung the weapon into place.
but held it there, so that when plunged
into body II could not double up on
the hand as an ordinary penknife
| would. This spring also served an
other purpose. Colonel Bowie had to
reach down his back to pull out his
weapon. and then afterwards get the
blnde into position.
My knife, however, could be carried
In the breeches pocket, and as the
owner drew 1t, by touching the spring
the blade would throw itself into place
even before the knife came into sight
and Its wielder would be ready for
battle. | had two Of these knives
made and presented one to Colonel
Goodioe, and taught him how to use
it. He said that with such n weapon
he would have no show against n man
armed with revolver. | quickly
showed him that he was mistaken. |
handed him an empty revolver and
told him to try to place 1t against my
breast and pull the trigger. AS he
moved his right hand forward with
pistol I grasped the cuff of his coat
with the fingers of my left hand, and
with the powerful grip which thus
obtained twisted backward the hand.
holding the weapon in such way
that he was pOwerless. Then with my
right hand sprung my knife from my
brcerhes pocket and made n score or
more of mock stabs into his defense.
less breast. Again and again l show
cd him how to accomplish the feat.
and that is how he killed Swope"
1t was after this and after Chinn
had made the narrator's blood run
cold by using him rs II model upon
which to exemplfy the graceful use
of this Kentucky tooth pick, that |
said to him: But why Use knife?'
lie answered: Different countries
have different customs. Why use a
pistol? Why use anything to defend
yourself? If n man is seeking your
llte, why take any chances In the mat
ter? Why not mt once put stop to
the menace? You OF the east look up
on the use of fists as preferable to n
pistol, and the latter is far less blood
thirsty than the employment of the
knife.
But ii Is all matter of custom
In Kentucky men carry weapons
hahitually, and | think he who uses
the knife Is far more courageous
man than the one who engages in the
lOngrange attack of pistol. With II
knife you must he close to your foe;
If YOU use it on his back you are n
bastard and should hang for it, but
should YOU meet him face tn face and
plunge II into him after fair warning
and for proper cause, there is no rca
son why a true man should not take
you 10y the hand"
Reward of Virtue