The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-04-11
BY. ROBERT L. NORTON

When JOnn M. Drowning
walked through the big arms
plant in Hartford, Conn.,, the
other day, the foreman, turning
to an inspector, said: "There
goes the Hun killer. That man
will do more to defeat Germany
than any other man in Ameri-
ca. He walks at the right hand
side of the god of war. He is
the genius of the gum
Invents Tools Also
livery eye in the big shop turned to
see the great inventor who has design
ed the most deadly small arms in his
tory. He stopped now and then to
watch the men working and to speak
a pleasant word of greeting. Brown
ing is tall and thin, the typical yam
lkee type, straight as an Indian, and
finely preserved at the age of 81. Back
OF his shaggy white eyebrows are
pair of keen blue eyes from which
no. detail escapes amid the Whir Oh
the machinery, for he has invented
the tools of the industry as we'll as
the guns. He has the thin, tightly
compressed lips of the silent breed.
Self-repression and modesty are the
two most distinguishing features Of
this man.
John Browning just hates to talk
about himself.
ADoer, Not A TaIkeF
His modesty is the candle to his
merit" It is the keynote to his car
eer He is a doer and not a talker.
Although he obtained his first patent
in 1879, and since has been the great
est inventor of small arms in the
world, his name is practically I'M
known except to the men intimately
identified with the business. 1t was
typical of Browning that in all these
years his name should never be iden-
titled with the wonderful implements
his brain created. All his life he has
lodged publicity and with success, I'M
til the present war found him out
when the government adopted the
machine gun bearing his name. Up to
this time practically all of his inven-
lions have been put out under the
names of the firms which manufac-
tured them. Browning was willing
that the name and the fame should be
theirs.
Kings have sought him out, and
wherever men sit around the wal
board the name and plishments
of John Browning are known and dis
cussed.
Kings Decoration in Drawer
For years the secret agents of al
.
watchfuI eye on this man. But the
homage of the great have not under
mined his native simplicity. Kicking
around the top drawer of his bureau
is the Belgian order Of Leopold, pre-
scented to him at big banquet b!
King Albert of Belgium. It never
adorns the lapel Of his dinner coat
He was given this honor at a bis
banquet on the occasion of the turn
ing out of his millionth vest poke
automatic made by the Fabrique Ma
tionale at Lege, Belgium. AND
strangely enough If the Kaiser carrte
a gun in his back pocket it is prob
ably Browning automatic for afte
his banquet the King of Belgium pre-
scented cousin Wilhelm" a. replica O
the weapon tnlaid with gold.
Germans Using His Gun
The Kaiser owes Browning a lot O
money, just how much will probabl.
never be known for since the captur
of IAege the Germans'have been turn
ing out Thousands of guns on his pat
ents. The inventor does not expect
however, that the Germans will tax
the trouble to find out what the roy
altieS amount to.
Browning lives In a.,Quiet apartment
in Hartford. Most any night he ca
be seen in thenlobby dressed in a plat
ready-made blue suit and wearing a
old-fashioned high collar. He is sal
to make reasonably accurate com
ments on the weather but when tn
subject of2his inventions is mentione
he is as close mouthed as Cape Co
quohog.
Nobodyt1las ever seen Browning 6
the movies. When the days work
over he amuses himself by twangtn
the banjo and hUmming old tunes lik
the "Suwanee River" 1.-THE Blue Bel
of Scotland and other ancient melc
dies.
Is a Crack Shot
When he can get away from til
smoke and noise of the great factoi
les he takes the fastest train West ar
gets the old gun out; one made wit
his own hands, for a try at the bird
Or maybe he visits the traps, for tt
old inventor is a crack shot and low
the sport. Or else he wall take his re
and go up in the mountains, whe
the steel-headed trout plays in IL
brooks. He is fond of reading Izas
Walton and often quotes the old ma
ter from those famous lines whit
run:
I'VE may say of angling as Dr. b.
tier said of strawberries: 'Doubtle
God could have made a better berr
but doubtless God never did, and
If might be judge, God never d
make a more calm. quiet, innoce
recreation than angling"
Father a Gun Maker
Browning is essentially product
the West. bone and sinew of the G
pioneer stock. He inherits his kno
ledge of guns from his father, W
was gunmaker. And5 IN this come
ton it is interesting spgknow that t
great inventor has never had a
technical education, He was il
born to it, as the saying goes
As aa illustration OF his gent
some years ago the experts of a III
arms company lapored rcr ma
months to reproduce in a smaller ca
bre p revolver from a Browning pi
ent, Finally the inventor was call
-.