TEAR GAS

Hokitika Guardian, 21 May 1929, Page 8

TEAR GAS

A -UYSTEKY WEAPON. FOUND BY SYDNEY POLICE, SYDNEY, AI ay 9. One of the queerest devices that lias ever been found by the police in Australia was discovered by Sydney police who raided a sly-grog shop in Woolloomooloo the other night. It has gone into the police museum, hut whether it remains there depends 011 how the authorities view the claims of a Swedish sailor who says that it is his property. Until the Swede made his claim the police were properly puzzled. The weapon was neither shot-gun, rifle, nor revolver, hut in some respects it combined the characteristics of each. It does not fire a bullet or even lead pellets, but discharges a cloud of brown powder, the composition 'of which was ■1 mystery. It is not gripped like a revolver, for it docs not possess a butt, It is held, instead, like a circular electric torch. In the course of the raid the police made eight arrests, hut they Had little idea that they were going to dd to the collection of curiosities al•eady held by the police. It was two days after the find that he mystery was solved. The owner ’roved to he .Joseph A. Sorum, a lowcrfully-built young Swedish seanan. who said: “ I only bought it in ■self-defence. The police will have to rive it back to me, I think. It is mine. nd my family at home, they have not ■•. eon anything like it. 1 want to show t to them.”

file police found some small cart-

ridges with the weapon, but these con‘ained neither shot nor bullet. Sorum d no hesitation in calling on the olice with a request that the weapon :‘i on Id he returned to him. He, it is •lear, had no erimin il intent. He said bat a couple of years ago lie was at i ; i in burg, and it was there that lie aw the strange weapons for sale. The •artridgo.s, lie explained, contained ,er ges, and are declared to bo in ■apable of inflicting any physical injury whatever, even at the closest

•:inge. Sorum declares that Australians have no idea of the dangers which •neiinee seamen in European ports. A shipmate of his was murdered in the \ntwerp docks at night for*the equivaent of sixpence which he had in lrs possession. Every night, almost, a man was picked up murdered on the Antwerp watoriront. ctermined to learn from the tragic .ate of his mate, Sorum purchased the unique revolver. He has had cause t > use it only once. When his ship was last at Antwerp, a Swede used to coma on i hoard begging, and Sorum got to know him. One night, Sorum says, ha was returning to his shop “Joust a littl ■ drunk,” when the Swede, a big man. vttaeked him, evidently intending to roh him. Sorum fired his patent iiistol at point blank in the man’s face. “ His face went all black,” says Sorum. ‘‘He tell down and lainted. it was fifteen minutes before he came •mind.”

To-day Sorum knows just how the weapon should he vused. It should be aimed at the assailant’s chest lion) a distance of about three feet, and the cas will render lm.i as harmless as a child for about five minutes, giving th • user plenty of tiino to escape lrom the footpads. As it is the shape and size of a small, circular electric torch, it can easily he carried without being seen. Sorum regarded Australia ns such a peaceful country —a man is reasonably safe, it would seem, unless he is a loyal timber worker —that he bad 'no intention of carrying the “gun” when he went ashore here. When his ship was in Atclbournfe, however, ho heard about the operations of the razor gang in Sydney—exaggerated accounts—and lie thought that the weapon might he a good Jriend i" case of emergency. He put it in his hip pocket when he went ashore at Sydney, and that night he had tea :n the house that was later raided by the police. After he had had his tea ho decided to go to the pictures, and be left the revolver and the cartridges in the house. In the meantime the police conducted the raid, and when he returned his unique weapon had disappeared. _ ~ “ 1 only carry it in self-defence, pleads Sorum. “ The police must give it back to me.” it remains to he seen whether the policp are willing to comply with the request.