Advances in the research on electricity create revolutionary new opportunities to detect astral and undead creatures. In particular, the German inventor Nicola Tessla is making great progress in this area.

Dr Cagliostro´s Cabinet of Curiosities has one of the world's finest collections of specially designed weapons against the horrors that lurk in the shadows. In this article, we are proud to present Count Rakoczi's famous vampire hunting gun.

In 1725 Emperor Charles VI launches his successful war against Europe's vampire nation. The previously so powerful eastern European vampire clans are heavily depleted and weakened. Many vampires have since chosen to follow wars and conflicts to help cover their tracks. An epidemic of vampirism therefore often follows a great war. 

The first great vampire epidemic in the New World passed through North America in the aftermath of the American Civil War. One of the greatest fighters in the war against the undead in North America was a legendary philanthropist who called himself Count Rakoczi. The numerous strange rumours surrounding the Count are in many cases credible, but very little can be said about the mysterious Count Rakoczi with certainty.

During the years 1867-1903 Count Rakoczi funded a number of campaigns against the powerful vampire nation that managed to sink their claws in the throat of North America. The Count and his hunters operated mostly in the areas surrounding the city of New Orleans and in Louisiana's swamps, from where the epidemic seemed to spread.

The medical doctor Jean Alexandre LeMat was, until his tragic death in 1883, one of Count Rakoczis closest associates. Dr LeMat designed and manufactured most of the equipment used in the war against the undead, including the remarkable holy water pistol, which came to be both hated and feared among the American vampires at the end of 19^th century.

Dr LeMat calls his creation Le comte Rakoczi canon à eau bénite, but it becomes better known as Le tueur de vampire, the Vampire Slayer. The weapon is 15 inches long and weighs about 2,2 pounds when loaded. It can fire a beam of holy water of a range up to 50 feet.

 With the help of a powder charge, it can also fire a 7 inches long oak-wood stake, which allegedly has an effective range of up to 35 feet.

Many people claim that Dr LeMat stole ideas for the weapon's design from the Werdel brother’s holy water pistol from 1860. But since the Werdel gun was a well-kept secret until the early 1900s, LeMat would have needed very special connections within the Jesuit Order to be given the opportunity to study the Werdel brothers design.

Count Rakoczi's private war against the undead meets a bloody end in 1903, when vampires attack his headquarters in New Orleans. Most of Rakoczi's group is killed and one of the count's deputies, Jacques St. Germain is accused of murder and cannibalism.

Count Rakoczi and St. Germain are forced to flee from the authorities, as well as undead and vigilantes. They do not appear again until many years later, and then in completely different circumstances

LeMat's vampire-killing gun was donated anonymously to Dr Cagliostro´s Cabinet of Curiosities’ along with a card that read:

 Parce que tel choses vous amusent.

G.

Please, also read about Brothers Franz & Josef Werndl's holy water pistol, that was secretly made for the Order of Jesuits.