The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-11-23
ArrEMpr TO blow UP JAMES GonDos


Of Monday contains long account of
an attempt having been made to de-
stroy the life of the proprietor, Mr..
Bennett, from which wc CLEAN the fol
lowing particulars:
1t appears that on the evening Of
the 18th ult., man whose identity has
not been mndc ont, employed a hack.
mali nt tho Park to take him to
the Fulton Ferry. On their way
down, the person stopped the hackman
at the Herald office, and asked him
to deliver IL package. The hacIman
did rs he was requested, and left in
the Herald office small round box.
The box was subsequently handed to
Mr. Bennett, the editor of the Herald
1t was, as is said, marked as follows.
"Native silver and copper ore from the
Cuba mountains, with letter inside the
box. For James Gordon Bennett,
proprietor aud editor. Office, N.
w. corner Of Fulton and Nassau.
streets. Private and with care" Ac.
company the box Was card, ON which
was printed with pen as follows: Sen
or V. Alcazor, Of Cuba, for Mr.. Ben
nett, who will call on his rrttirm to
the city" The outer envelope be-
ing removed it disclosed small
pnstcboard box, resembling those lis
eddy shirt dealers for putting up col
lars. On the side Of the box was
affixed by means Of rcd sealing wax, a
slip of iuolscap paper, on which. WAS
printed in the same handwriting, but
in rcd ink, these words-''Spccimcns
and private documents from Inc
interior Of Havana for Mr.. Bennett
("iIly.) Should he lie ont flown, keep
for him. Island Of Cubn, Scpten.
ber, 1852" AS the box could not
he readily opened, Mr.. Hudson one of
the editors of the Ur,uid. who was
present, made an incision with Il
knife, when some black "".:::::::; OF
some hard substance. rolled out upon
his desk. These grains proved to
be powder, and a subsequent invcs-
tiSation proved that The paper box Was
a most ingcniously contrived torpedo,
or Internal machine, and that it con-
tanned such Il quantity of powder that
its explosion would have been Ger
tain death, to all who might happen tu
he near it. a circular piece OF
piLc wood, half inch thick, was sup
ported by four light pegs, fastened
in the bottom of the box, and about
the height OF an inch and tllrcc-1uar,
ters over it. Ahout thrcc-quartcrs ol
: ar incl above this piece of wood was
another one, but somcw! at less in
circumference. This was fastened to
the bottom of the box by two pieces OF
strong cord, running through holes in
the lower wood. and was supported 10y
Il bunch Of dctonating matches, rest
ing ON a groove i'll the upper surface o
the lower wheel, and forming sort
of column in tic centre. The groove
was covered with sandpapcr, and
the lid of the box was fastened t.
..L-. :.n"ne. .u"ra Of. wood, SD tha,
III attempting to scr,.w oir H.. -
the friction should sliite sM G'i Tue matches
This being all so ingcniously con
structcd, the box was filled with
linc rifle powder by means Of q
hole made in the centre of tn,
bottom, the powder passing through
holes aud inches cut in the lower
piece of wood until the box was
entirely filled with it. About {.
dozen hard paper pellets were found IL.
tnons the powder, which were design
cd t" have acted us bullets. 1hcil
the hole was covered with a circular
piece OF tin, and entirely conccalc
aud secured hy a quantity of black
sealing WAN, impressed with an Am
crcan cent. Altogether, it was IA
most diab"lically constructed ali:.ir.
aud had it exploded in Mr.. Bcnlctt's
hands, would have not only killed him,
but MIR. hudson, and probably anuth-
or gentleman then in the office. But
instead of twisting round the cover as
designed, Mr.. Bcnnct cndcuyorcd to
phil it up aud thus raised the matches
oil the sand paper. The escape, how
ever, was II most miraculous and
/ prUvdrntial one.