Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1858-04-10
From the Cinclnnatiti Enq nirer 81 inst
Another Internal Machine Case.

A loud report was heard between eight
and nine o'clock yesterday morning, in the
cellar Of the Cincinnati Type Foundry cor
ner of Vine and Longworth streets, greatly
alarming the inmates of the building, who
soon discovered that it had proceeded from
an Internal machine, whose explosion hor-
ribly mutiated an engineer belonging to
the establishment, named Prior p Lee, rem.
dering the un ortunate man. in the event Of
his recovery, useless for life
Lee, who had been employ ed in the foun-
derry for twelve or fifteen years, was in the
habit of going there about six o'clock in
the morning and yesterday went as usual,
and, after building fire in the furnace and
getting the engine into operation, proceed
ed to a carpenters bench. where during
his leisure time, he made type-boxes. Lee
had stopped down and taken box from be-
heath and placed it upon the bench. when
loud and startling explosion took place
tearing his left hand from his wrist, nearly
destroying his right eye, lacerating his ear
wounding him on the breast and setting his
clothes on fire. lie was deprived OF reason
and almost Of consciousness by the accident
and ran up stairs in his blazing garments
A fellow employee look ed at Lee in surprise
and asked him what was the matter. when
he answered: Il have been shot!' Water
was Immediately brought, ard the flames
which the poor sufferer was surrounded
were extinguished.
The Internal machine was much like that
supposed to have been made by the noto-
rious Arrison-being piece Of gas.pipe
about seven inches long, and seven -eights
Of an inch in diameter. welded at each end
with whole drilled through the middle. -
The machine was probably prepared with a
spring or trigger, which on being moved.
struck percussian cap, and ignited the
powder, with which it was filled.
It is . marvel that Lee was not killed, RS
the fragments OF the pipe, or bullets inside
of tit is hardly known. which-hew in all
| directions; one piece struck the wall and
broke off portion Of the stone another
went through two boards, each an inch
thick, and large part of the pipe flew some
eighty feet, the full length Of the celler, and
made deep indentation in box
The wounds of the man were dressed bv
DIR. J. P. Judkins, and his hand amputated
at the wrist, and was taken to his house on
Race street, between Canal and Twelfth,
where at late hour last night, hopes were
entertained OF his recovery; but even in that
event. as We have said, it will be proftless
10 himself and family, consisting Of wife
ana three children; as, about year ago, he
lost three of his fingers by plating ma
chine in the same foundry.
Had Others been in the ar artment of the
cellar where Lee was at the time of the ex-
plosion, the accident would have proved
yet more serious; as they could hardly have
escaped the flying iron.
Lee is said to be harmless. quiet, and in.
| offensive; but, like almost all men, has enc
mics, some one Of whom must have taken
this attrocious and cowardly method Of re-
venge. Who it was, he himself cannot con.
lecture. There is little doubt the machine
was designed to destroy him. as it was
placed in the very corner of the celler and
beneath the bench where he had worked for
many years