The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-06-16
MAxiM's NoIsELEss GUN
A Deadly Weapon Which Will be No
Help to the Soldier But . Price
less Boon to the Assassin
New York World, 13th.)

tNeW 1Ofk WOfIQ, 10tn.)
Hiram Percy Maxim, inventor of the
noiseless gun, which inventors and
military experts have been trying for
years TO produce, gave a demonstra-
ton of its powers yesterday afternoon
in the meeting room of the Board Of
Managers of the Society for the Pre-
vention Of Cruelty to Animals. The
members Of the board and Henry
Bergh. secretary and treasurer of the
society, were present.
1t was in connection with the offer
ing Of prize by Mr.. Bergh several
months ago for an invention to super
sede the present method Of slaughter
ing cattle which led to Mr. Maxim's
appearance in the society's building
yesterday with his noiseless gun. Mr.
Maxim suggested his gun as substi-
tute for the axe now, used in siaugh-
tering houses, asserting that It was
the quickest and most humane means
of dealing death.
The Maxim weapon appeared to
those who attended the demonstration
to be an ordinary Winchester rifle Of
80 caliber. When he took 1t out Of
its case one Of the managers suggest
ed that as several automobiles were
handy they could run out into the
country and let Mr.. Maxim show what
1t could do. There were severai scep-
tics In the party.
There Is no need Of going into the
country" said the inventor. "Tll show
you what the gun can do right here in
this ROOM
Pierees a City Directory
This announcement raised a number
of protests, which Maxim finally over
came. He put two city directories to-
gether against the wall, levelled the
weapon at the center Of the outer one
and pulled the trigger. There was a
slight click; that was all. Maxim
dropped the weapon at his side and
turned to the spectators smiling.
WELL" said one of the sceptics,
what happened Why didn', your
gun go OFF,"
"Oh, 1t went off all right" answered
the inventor. Just take look at
that outside directory"
The sceptic picked it up and found
that it had been penetrated about six
inches by soft-nosed bullet.
"You win, Maxim he said.
Maxim Silent on Invention
Mr.. Maxim is a guest at the Engi-
neers' Club, and when he was seen
there last night he said it was truej
that he had given demonstration at
the Society for the Prevention of Cru
city to Animals during the afternoon.
He declined, however, to show the ri
fie that he had used.
Il should like toilet you see." said
the inventor, "but the patents have
not yet been perfected and in Justice
to myself I must maintain secrecy un-
til they are. I have been working on
this gun for about two years and a
half. i have one under construction
for the government and in month
or two a public demonstration will be
given either at Sandy Hook or
Springfield, Mass.
Il got my idea for the gun from the
muffiers used on automobile engine
exhausts. l figured that if the noise
of the explosion of gas from auto en-
gines could be controlled the noise of
the explosion Of powder gas In a gun
could be suppressed. That Is what 1
have done. Instead Of the gas from
the powder escaping all at once it
leaves the barrel by degrees. Yes, I
suppose you might say that I have
put muffler in the barrel There is
continuance there to carry or the
gas slowly"