Sheriff’s office to auction century-old machine-gun

NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio – A northeast Ohio sheriff’s office is auctioning off a nearly century-old machine-gun to help pay for new weapons for deputies.

The Dover-New Philadelphia Times Reporter reports (http://bit.ly/2us3bJ2 ) that an expert has estimated the Thompson Model 1921’s value at $37,000.

The weapon was purchased by Tuscarawas County Sheriff Abe Laird in 1934. Sheriff’s Office staff is unsure what the machine-gun was originally used for. Lt. Brian Alford says the Thompson was a popular law enforcement weapon during Depression-era mine riots.

Alford says the weapon is nearly original and is cleaned several times a year. He says he was the last person to fire the weapon five years ago.

Sheriff Orvis Campbell expects the gun to fetch nearly $50,000 at a September auction.