NEW PHILADELPHIA -- A relic of the Al Capone era that has been sitting in the Tuscarawas County Sheriff's office for 83 years will be sold at auction next month to help pay for modern policing equipment for deputies in the northeastern Ohio community.

The office will auction a Thompson Model 1921 machine gun on Sept. 11. It was purchased by Sheriff Abe Laird on May 13, 1934.

Current Sheriff Orvis Campbell is unsure why Laird bought it, but Campbell speculated that deputies might have been used it during riots at deep mines in Tuscarawas County during the Great Depression.

Proceeds from the sale will be used to buy new guns, weapon-mounted lights, holsters and magazine pouches for deputies.

The weapon recently was appraised by Tracie Hill of Newark, an expert on such guns, who fixed the value at $37,000. But Campbell said it could go for a much higher price.

"I will be shocked — and I mean absolutely shocked, because we're having serious conversations with very wealthy people — if it doesn't bring $50,000," Campbell said.

One potential buyer will be flying in from Wyoming for the auction, which will be held at 7 p.m. on Sept. 11 at the Tuscarawas County Justice Center, 2295 Reiser Ave. SE, New Philadelphia. Other items for sale will include two 37-mm tear gas launchers and several rifles and shotguns.

The weapon was exhibited last Friday in Newark at an annual meeting of Thompson enthusiasts. "To these enthusiasts, the moment they saw it, they're like, are you kidding me?" Campbell said. "This is almost the Holy Grail of Thompsons."

The weapon is nearly original. The only thing missing is the original carrying case, which is a good thing, said Lt. Brian Alford. If it had been left in the case, it would have likely rusted. Instead, it has been stored in the open air in the department's armory and has been cleaned several times a year.

Also, the Thompson's serial number (2575) is low, which means it is an early version. "That's what's got people excited," Campbell said.

"We always knew, for as long as I've been here, that this was a special Thompson, but we didn't know to what rate," he said.

Alford said the Thompson was something that all members of law enforcement wanted at that time. "You put a 50-round or 100-round drum in this, it'll empty a 100-round drum in less than 8 seconds," he said. "It was a game-changer."

Alford was also the last person to fire the weapon. That occurred about five years ago during SWAT training.

Normally, when the sheriff's office conducts an auction, the money goes to the county. But Tuscarawas County commissioners agreed to let the department keep the money to buy guns and use what is left over for future weapons-related needs.

"Otherwise, we wouldn't have sold it," Campbell said.

The commissioners approved a resolution Monday for the sale.

"Sheriff Campbell is doing his best due diligence to make more proceeds for his office and to protect all of us," Commissioner Joe Sciarretti said. "So those monies, as the resolution stated, are going toward new firearms."

Campbell noted that members of his department buy their own firearms.

"That can be problematic," he said. "One, it's a problem for ordering ammunition, and it's also a problem for training."

One year, 10 or 12 deputies got together and bought new weapons, but the sheriff's office had already ordered ammunition of a different caliber.

There's another reason."When we start here, we have young guys who don't have much money, and they might be using something not as reputable and good," he said. "So we're just going to issue weapons."

The possibly of getting new weapons is behind the sale of the Thompson.

"That's the only reason we're doing it," Campbell said. "And it does bother me. But the second part of it is, when we found out there was such a group of aficionados, it probably belongs with one of them. The government's good at a lot of things, we're not good with antiques."