Shells Destroyed In Petersburg

[CarlS]

Jack Melton shared this news story with me:
      http://www.nbc12.com/Global/story.asp?S=14007376
regarding what sounds like a couple mortar balls from a collection blown up in Petersburg.   As always, it's a shame when such drastic measures are taken and it makes you wonder if they do it for the hype.  You have to believe the Petersburg police and the Park Service should know better.

[speedenforcer]

This is a shame. I think the Politically Correct crowd has something to do with all of the destruction of valuable historical artifacts.

[scottfromgeorgia]

I think it is the over testosteroned public security services, who are hopped up on zero risk since 9/11.

Last time I heard the PC talk (we get together regularly for PC coffee klatzes), no one mentioned blowing up relic artillery as a priority issue.

[Dave the plumber]

    beyond the shame it is to destroy a relic, any relic, the fact that it was possibly live shells is another nail in the coffin to collecting artillery in Virginia.

[Pete George]

Dave the plumber wrote:
> the fact that it was possibly live shells is another nail in the coffin to collecting artillery in Virginia.

  I don't think so, Dave.  The story is the result of the execution of a search-warrant at the house of a guy who was under investigation for repeatedly digging (and suspectedly, selling) relics dug from Petersburg National Battlefield Park property.  The two shells (which a later report ID'ed as Schenkls) were among a great many other dug relics (apparently, mostly Minie-balls) confiscated as potential evidence of the guy's suspected theft of relics from park land.  Local TV-news video showed the cops carrying several boxes of dug minies out of the house.

  None of the news-reports give any indication that the cops were specifically seeking artillery shells.  The shells just happened to be among the multitude of relics at the guy's house.

  I'd like to know how the law-enforcement folks are going to prove the relics are from the park.  Analyze the dirt on them, to hoping prove it is a specific, UNIQUE type of dirt found ONLY on the P'burg park ...rather than dirt which is common in the Petersburg area?  Good luck with that.  [Derisive Snort]

Regards,
Pete