Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-09-22

is now experimenting. Instead of shoot
ing bullets. this revolver. which is a Ger
man invention. discharges suffocatinS
gases. In appearance and mechanism the
arm closely resembles a double-action,
Gfty-caliber .'shotng-iron'' Of the old
type. the only noticeable difference be ng
that the cylinder is trifie longer. The
bulletless revolver holds five cartridges
each loaded with small quantity OF
coarse-grained powder. on the top of
which a dose of red pepper mixed with
lycopodium and little saltpeter is
placed. The charge is contained in a car
fridge of the ordinary type.
When fired. the weapon emits report
and a flare which, combined with the gem
eral appearance of the gun itself. leads
the victim to think that he has been shot
in the conventional manner. His eyes and
mouth open with fear and surprise, just
in time to be enveloped in the gases gen
Grated by the chemicals. with the result
that he is knocked cold for some tf-
teen minutes.
Even in the rare instances where the
victim does not suffer entire insensiblity
for this period he will at any rate be
practically blinded for some time, while
the temporary irritation induced in the
mucous membranes of his nose and throat
will also bring on fit of choking and
sneezing so that he will find it almost
impossible to breathe. Chief Wilkie has
found that the discharge from this revolt
yer at a maximum range of twenty feet
will render any one temporarily helpless.
However. as the weapon is intended only
to disable, rather than to MAIN or kill
the charge of poisonous chemicals has
been SO compounded and regulated that
no after-effects remain when the victim
comes TO.
Our experiments seem to prove the
practica bility Of the bulletless revolver
for certain USES" said Chief WiIkie
Nevertheless 1 am inclined to believe
that the day of the old ashioned revolver
has not yet passed. The United States
secret service will probably continue to
shoot UP malefactors when necessary, in
the oldfashioned way for some time to
come, though there are undoubtedly oc-
casions when the bulletless revolver will
be very useful
So far as is known the vapor gun i'm
the possession of the secret service is the
only weapon Of its type in the country
In Germany Its sale is closely supervised
owing to the fact that evildoers would
find 1t as handy weapon as would the
officers of the law. while at the same time
1t would be much less risky arm to
use than the ordinary shootng-iron
When obtainable, the weapon sells for
$40 in Germany. while the cartridges are
priced at 81 hundred.
William p. Richards. the District as
SCISSOR. in company with several other
Washington men. enjoyed an extensive
tour to Atlantic City by automobile
Although the party pronounced 1t fine
trip and found great pleasure in the
ocean bathing, the return journey was
pretty literally puncuated with what are
known to the autOmobilist as blow
outs" 1t was after struggling with two
or three refractory tires in anything
but a delightful road that the party
stopped. hot and dusty at a farmhouse
for refreshments.
I'VE were welcomed very cordially and
gladly presented with water and cold
milk by the farmer aid number of
small boys that apparently appeared from
all directions" said Mr.. Richards. "ln
fact, there were many of the latter
that one member of the party remarked
upon it
"'Oh. / have ten of 'em, and all boys