The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-04-08
Another Internal Machine in Gin:
Cinn3ti.

A diabolical but fortunately futile attempt
was made, at about 9 o'clock yesterday
morning, to murder Pryor P. Lee, Engineer
Of the Cincinnati Type Foundry, in the en-.
gine room of that establishment, on Centre
street, west of Vine. AN internal machine,
consisting OF piece of gas pipe seven-eighss
OF an inch in diameter, and nearly eight in
ches long, welded with wrought iron plugs
at either end, and filed with explosive ma
terial, VAS the means by which the hideous
crime was sought to be accomplished.
The circumstances coincdent with the
explosion of the machine are but imper fectly
known, but are sustained from incidents
that subsequently transpired, together with
disconnected statements made by Mr.. Lee
after the pains from his terrible wounds were
&C mewhat mitigated by medical treatment.
At the hour mentioned, the inmates of the
Foundry, up stairs, were startled by deton.
ating sound in the engine room, like, the
discharge of heavily charged musket.-
Supposing the boiler had exploded. several
artisans hastened to the head of the stairway
leading to the engine room, and met Mr.. L.
on the tepmost step, covered with gore and
enveloped in flames. Water was thrown
upon his garments, and the fire ex,inguished.
MFR. Lee then tainted, and messengers hast.
ened for medical aid. Meantime it was
discovered that the sufferer was wrechedly
mutilated, his left hand being literally torn
70 shre de, his body, between his thighs and
w,'ist, badly burned, besides being puDctur-
e. with severe wounds, both eyes burned,
ano the flesh about them much lacerated,
and one of his ears shockingly mongled
Surgeons were soon upon the spot, and
Mr.. Lee was removed, his left hand mputa
ted, and his remaining wounds dressed
Yesterday afternoon he was able to con-
verse little, and informed Mr.. Wells, OF
the Type Foundry Company, that he was
engaged in cleaning up shaviDgs and other
litter about q carpenters bench in the en-.
gine room, where he was wont to devote his
spare time to the manufacture oftype boxes,
and picked up the Internal machine from
the floor under the bench. and laid it upon
the bench, when it exploded in his hand
The force Of the explosion was terri6c.--
The thick pipe metal was shattered into a
dozen pieces, and twisted into odd shapes -
Some Of the fragments perforated inch plank,
and imbedded themelves in the plastering Of
the wall. The largest fragment, consisting
Of about one, third of the machine, went
xhizzing through the engine room like a
b. ;ssile shot from q cannon, into an area
eiCh,,- feet distant, and, striking a stone
vsll. reb. nntsd elk or eight feet Two.
thirds of the fragments Of the pipe were
found, and the fabri; cation Of the machine is
conclusive evidence tn. t"it was mude BY
some one familiar with iron manutoctu
TIE explosive substance was inSerte into
the machine through small vent hole near
one end, and evidently was 80 manutactur6d
that 9 slight disturbance would cause an
explosion.
The author OF this fendish attempt is un.
known, end the superinducing cause 10
profound mystery. Mr.. Lee has been EN-.
plOyed in the Type Foundry about fifteen
yssrs, end hsa always been regarded 40 a
peaceabls, inoffensive, steady end industri'
Gus men, and il not known to have an enc.
my. He is not m0ftalIy. wounded. but his
vision is endangered BY the wounds in and
shout bis eyes Cincinnati Commercial,
April 81.