"When the case has been disposed of, the owner may get his gun"

200 Confiscated Guns in Locker at Police Station.

   What becomes of the revolvers and other weapons confiscated by the police?

   A glance into the big locker in the desk sergeant's office will furnish part of the answer.

   This locker contains about two hundred revolvers of all makes and sizes. Some of these "gats" are hardly big enough to kill a mouse, while others are large enough to down an elephant. There are many fancy pearl-handled guns in the lot.

   When, persons are arrested for carrying concealed weapons, carrying a gun without a license and the like, the weapons are confiscated and held as evidence. When the case has been disposed of, the owner may get his gun--that is, if he is out of jail. Although there is an old ordinance in the city code providing for the destruction of such firearms, it has lain dormant for years.

   In some instances, the state's attorney is given the gun to use as evidence when the case comes up, and given the police a receipt for the weapon. Such weapons are turned over to the county officials when the case is disposed of, or returned to the police.

   The accumulation of weapons at police headquarters shows, however, that few persons want to regain possession of the firearms that got them into trouble. It is understood there is a similar "collection" of weapons at the court house, some of which were used by the owners with fatal results.

   Negroes are particularly averse to claiming guns confiscated by the authorities.

   Besides the 200 revolvers, the police have on hand a number of shot guns and rifles which probably never will be called for.--Augusta Chronicle.

[Edgefield Advertiser, Edgefield, S.C., Wednesday, December 21, 1921. Vol. 86 46 Pg. 1]

    Pretty good scam, eh? Arrest people for exercising a Constitutionally secured right. Imprison them, fine them, and then steal their lawfully owned property through intimidaton. Public servants? More like theives wearing the clothing of authority.