New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-02-14
A Terrible AFFAIR IN Keatasky
EXPLOSION OF AN INTERNAL. n AcHINE.

The Louisville Journal furnishes the following
particulars of desperate attempt on the 6tll inst,
in Hawesyille, Ky to destroy life with an Internal
machine, some account of which we have already
published.
Our readers doubtless recollect tile Lowe affair
DIR. LA. Davidson and man named Withdrew
were charged with numbering Lowe in his cell in
the jail. This atrocious act had been denounced
by Mr.. VIM. Sterrett, lawyer and farmer who re-
| sides about four miles above HaWesve, and en-
rendered an i'll feeling between him and Davidson.
The latter, to avenge himself on Sterrett rcsorted
to an internal machine. We now give the account
furnished by the officers of the Grey Eagle. Tho
persons in the store when it was blown up were G..
B. Duncan, J. G. Duncan Wm. Sterrett, James
Redding, Bennett and Davidson s.,
| On Monday last Or, Davidson entered the store
of Mr.. Duncan, in which Mr.. Sterreit with three or
four other persons, was seated. He lad under his
cloak willow market basket in which, covered
over with some eggs, was an Internal machine of
his own invention. A description Of this fnstru-
ment Of death may be interesting
1t was tin tube large enough to contain five or
This magazine was contained within another tin
canister of double the size. The space between
the two was filled with bsets Of large-sizsd shot,
sufficient number to weigh ten or twelve pounds.
This Internal machine WAS constructed Under the
Doctors special direction by timer in CanneIt8n
Indiana, which town is Immediately opposite
Dr. Davidson approached Mr.. Sterrett, and,
when within few feet Of him. he set fire to his in
fernal machine, with the expectation of blowing
himself, Mr.. Sterrett and everybody else in the
The shock was terrible. The room was built Of
stone and brick. One whole side OF the house was
blown out the roof was lifted from the rafters, and
six large stills above were broken. is
Mr.. Duncan, the merchant, was very dang
wounded-itis feared fatally. fss7
Mr.. Stemett was seriously hurt and badly burnt
Three Of the bullets entered his face, and It is
Dr.. Davidson had his left fore arm broken ii TWO
places, his collar bone broken, his right shoulder
disiocated, the flesh torn OF the shoulder to the
bone, his clothes torn from his baay, and he was
badly burned in the face, breast and arm. He was
a horrible sight, and rushed from the house after
the explosion, crying z Kill me for Gods sake;
do not want to live any longer.n
Two other persons were In the room, hut were
not seriously hurt lsS9i .zss % Is
The citizens Of the town. hearing the noise and
feeling the shock, to and fro in the widest
confusion, :, They .a thought ksg Of powder had
formed Of the true cause of the explosion many
persons were in favor Of killing Davidson, and
strong efforts were made to do SO. The news
were rushing to town with their guns for tie pur-
pose OF taking part in the mob, The whole town
was arming. The greatest and widest excitement
prevailed thrSughogt the town;
o'clock on Monday night the excitement was IN
tense, and it was thought that Davidson would be
taken out by the Infatuated citizens and killed a
strong guard was stationed around the house to
prevent it. This is one of the most APPALLING afro
cities that ever was perpetrated in Christian
country It Is ten times more frightul IN Its cons
ceptioa than the Lowe tragedy, but, fortunately,
| less destructive in its result
The Louisville Courier of the 10th has the follow
ing
We learn that Mr. Davidson, the Hretchaa assas
sin and maniac who made the diahoacat attempt
Monday to murder half dozen people N Hawess
vile, XIV. has since died of the wounds he received
On that occasion. It viii be recollected that be
ngeparel an Internal machine chasged with powder
aand huekshot which he carried to the house OF Mr.
Duncan, and by its rather premature explosion he
was terribly punished and mutilated. He was the
first victim but before his death he acknowledged
that it exploded too for him and he also an-
fessed that he had another similarly prepared in
his own house. 50