TEAR GAS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 128, 4 June 1929, Page 8

TEAR GAS

A MYSTERY .WEAPON

FOUND BY. SYDNEY POLICE

(From "The Post's" Representative) . : : SYDNEY, 23rd.May. One of the queerest -device? that has ever been found by the police in' Australia was discovered by Sydney pdli.co, who raided, a sly grog shop in Wooloomooloo the-other night. It has gone into the police museum, but whether it remains there depends on 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 shotgun, rifle, or revolver, but 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 a mystery. It is not gripped like a revolver, for^it does not possess a butt. It is held, instead, like a circular electric torch. In the course of the raid the police made eight arrests, but they had little idea that they were going to add io tho collection of curiosities already 1 held by the police. It was two days after the find that the mystery was solved. The owner proved to be Joseph A. Sorum, a powerfully built young Swedish seaman, who said: "I only bought it in self-defence. The police will havo to give it back to me, I t'ink.< It is mine. And my family at home they have not seen anything like it. T want to show it to them." --.-■. ■• ■

; The police found some small cartridges with the weapon, but these contained neither shot nor bullet. Soruin had no hesitation in calling, on the po-1 lice with a request that the weapon^ should be returned to - him. He, it is clear, had no criminal intent. He said that a couple of years ago he'was at Hamburg, and it was there that he saw the strange weapon for sale. - The cartridges, he explained, contained tear gas, and are declared to be incapable of inflicting any physical injury whatever* even at the closest range. Sornm declares that Australians have no idea of the dangers which menace seamen in European ports. A shipmate of his was murdered in tho Antwerp Docks at night for the equivalent of sixpence, which he had in his possession. Every night, almost, a man was picked up murdered, on", the Antwerp waterfront IJetermined to learn from- the tragic fate of his mate, Sorum purchased the unique revolver: He has'had cause to use it only once. ■- When Ms', ship was last at Antwerp a Swede used to come on board begging, and Sorum got to know him. One night, Sorum slys. he was returned to his ship, "Joes/At* tie drunk" when the Swede, a big man, attacked him, evidently intending to rob him Sorum fired his patent pistol at point blank in the man's face. <<§ IS ?n c, c 7 eut all black," says Sorum. He fell down and fainted." It was fifteen minutes before he came round." J. o-day Sorum knows just how the weapon should be used. It should be aimed at the assailant's chest from a distance of about three feet; and the g£?,;. Wi ll render him as harmless as,a child for about -five minutes, giving the user plenty of time to escape from the footpads. As it is the shape and size oi a small,, circular electric torch, it can easily bo carried without beinir seen. feorum regarded Australia as such a peaceful country-a man is reasonably safe, it would seem, unless ho is i a loyal timber worker—that he had no i intention of carrying the " gun when he went ashore here. When his ship was in Melbourne, however, he: heard i about the operations of the razor gang in Sydney— exaggerated accounts—and he thought that the weapon might bea' good friend in case of emergency. He put it in his hip pocket when he went ashore at Sydney, and that night -he had tea m,the house that rwas later I &f- / t. h6 P°lice- After he had had his tea he decided to go to the pictures, and he 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. v "I only cany it in self-defence," pleads Sorum. "Tho police must give wi t 0 "le-" B "mains to be seen whether the police are willing to comply with the request.