Texas Man Discovers Civil War Artifact on Desk is Live Explosive
A Texas man, Steve Martin, discovered that a Civil War-era artifact he had been using as a paperweight on his desk was actually a live explosive. The artifact, a Parrott artillery shell, was identified as a live round by a truck driver with a military background. Martin contacted the Atascosa County Sheriff's Office, and explosive disposal experts from Lackland Air Force Base confirmed the shell's status as a live explosive. The shell, weighing approximately 20 pounds, was safely detonated at a firing range near San Antonio. The Parrott rifle, for which the shell was designed, was used by the Union during the Civil War with significant impact. 
