Monday, January 2, 2012

World War I Machine Gun Found

From the March 29, 2011, Chicago Daily Herald.

Workers clearing out some stuff at the Catholic War Veterans Post 379 on Illinois Highway 159, south of Belleville made an interesting and possibly criminal discovery. They found a Lewis .30 caliber machine gun manufactured in 1917 by the Savage Arms Co. of Utica, NY.

It had originally been kept in a Quonset hut where they kept grass cutting equipment. I guess they planned to "mow" the grass down. At some time later, it was placed in a closet where ceremonial gear was kept and then they just forgot about it.

But, they really started to worry when they found that it was illegal for them to have it with a possible $250,000/ten year prison term. To say the least, it was quickly turned over to the county sheriff who sent it on to ATF.

It was given to the post in 1927 by a local banking association.

Honest Officer, I Didn't Know We Had It. --Cooter

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