Free Republic

Five Chicago teenagers are being charged with murder after a 14-year-old who was with them was shot and killed by a homeowner during an alleged burglary attempt, according to authorities. Deputies from the Lake County Sheriff's Office were called to a home in Old Mill Creek, Illinois, about 47 miles north of Chicago, Tuesday around 1:15 a.m. following the shooting, Detective Sgt. Chris Covelli told reporters in a news conference. The 75-year-old homeowner told deputies he went outside after noticing a suspicious SUV in his driveway and several people on his property, whom he believed were attempting to break into...

A number of years ago I came across a good image of the above Slave's Friend abolitionist pamphlet.   It was published sometime between 1836 and 1860, most likely in the earlier years.    Freeper Ruy Dias de Bivar was kind enough to send me the image above, which is from MAN AT ARMS, published by the NRA, August, 1997, page 12. I intend to make this pamphlet easily available on the Internets, but I need a better image than the one above.   I know at least one better one exists, because I saw it in a reference book on weapons...

Bowie knife (pronounced /ˈboʊ.iː/ BOW-ee[1][2][3] or /ˈbuː.iː/ BOO-ee[3]) is a style of fixed-blade knife first popularized by Colonel James "Jim" Bowie in the early 19th Century. It was first made by James Black, although its common use refers to any large sheath knife with a clip point. The "Jim Bowie knife" first became famous due to Bowie's use of a large knife at a duel known as the Sandbar Fight. The knife pattern is still popular with collectors; in addition to various knife manufacturing companies there are hundreds of custom knife makers producing Bowies and variations.

Who paid nearly $300,000 for a historic Bowie knife? A Dallasite - but he's not talking 12/28/2002 By KIMBERLY DURNAN / Dallas Web Staff When a Dallas businessman paid nearly $300,000 for a historic Bowie knife, it came with Texas-sized bragging rights. Only there has been no bragging. Secrecy shrouds the identity of the man who bought the sturdy knife that carved itself into Texas history in 1836. It rode into the Battle of San Jacinto with Gen. Sam Houston, a victory that secured independence for Texas. After 60 years of display in the San Jacinto Museum in La...