Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-09-28
Fearful Accident ct sharps's lnins Taoto

A shocking accident occurred at Sharpe's Riae
Factory. at about half past four o'clock yesterday
afternoon, when by the premature discharge of u
dozen rifles. Warren W. Shepard, an honest and
faithful lad, sixteen years Of ago. employed rs
crrand boy In this office for two years past, was
instantly killed. his head being literally blown to
pieces.
There arc two small shops or shcds. about four
teen feet square, adjoining each other in the rear
of the main buildings, where tho rife barrels
proved, The barrels aro loaded fifty at q time,
ranged un u low rack in two tiers, tho muzzlcs
pointing toward tho raof, and then removed to
tho adjoining shop wherc they are discharged
tho fifty at once, into u bank of earth---giving a
severe test Of the strength Of the barrels. Each
barre is loaded with an eighth Of an ounce Of
powder and two halfounce balls. Mr.. A. d.
King, United States government inspector Of 6rc-
arms. was putting in the cartridges, MIR. l.. Il. Fin
down With heavy iron ramrod for the purpose
and eoppered ut the lower end and one Of the
workmen named John Bradley. was assisting
Warren. who had left his own shop to help In the
proving shop. MS they were in hurry.
The front tier had just been all loaded, when
Warren removed the bar thnt confined then, and
gathered M many IA he could grasp In his two
hands by tho muzses, to carry them into the pro-
wing shop, about ten feet distant. AT this In
slant, as he stopped over tho muzzles, NIL point
ing Mt his head, from some unknown cause; they
were discharged simultaneously. with adsafening
report. the charges entering just under his chin
and going out Mt the top of his head. and his dead
body fell backwards into tub Of water Tho whole
interior of his head was blown out, tho brains and
blood and Fragments of his skull being spattercd
all over tho shop. Pieces of tho skull were blown
into Mr.. Fnney's check with such forco that they
had to be extracted with pincers.. One ball also
entered the abdomen Of Warren passing up
Al, h. L... 4 ....tA
arm from the elbow 10 the shoulder, two or three
of tho barrels having fallen II little forward at
their discharge.
Tho effect Of this discharge was horrible--all
were spattcred with blood md brains, tho whole
space occupied by the men and rifle barrels being
but few feet. and in the sudden shock add dense
smoke, no ono knew but oil the others were Kill
lod. We visited the shops this morning in compn-
ny with Mr., Lawrence. superintendent OF the fac
tory, and though workmen had been washing out
the shops, many cases Of the catastrophe were
still visible. Except for the fct that Warren had
drawn the barrels forward towards himself, pre-
vious to their dis charge both Mr. King and Mr..
finncy would also have becn killed
Tho cause of the fatal discharge is not known.
Hartford Eceni"y Press, 23
SENATOR DorGIAs LosEs Hrs TEMrEe.-It is n
we'll recognized truiSm that pnblic debat0r
nbandons h,s position when he loses temper in
hy con,ro,ersv mud resorts To personal In
ycstiyc Instead II argument. Ii will be scon
referring to another column. that such has been
the case with senator L"ng'os. The "Observa-
tions" Of Judge Black uHon the Douglas article in
lInrvor's Magazine, have nround the ire Of the
Senator aud he iorgets that il his positions
nrc correct, Judge Blacks "Obscrva,ons' must
be easy of rcfutation. lie does not attempt q re-
futation, but ut once launches out into abuse,
yituperation and malignant in7ectiye against the
motives of the author. He charges Judge Blnck