Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-02-17
Murderous Attempt with an In
fernal Machine.

fernal Machine.
From the Louisville Journal of last
week we get the particulars of the recent
Internal Machine affair at Hawesville, Ky.
Our readers doubtless recollect the Lowe
affair, made famous by illustrations in
many Of the New York Pictorials DR..
ii. A. Davidson and a man named Withe-
row were charged with numbering Lowe in
his cell in the Jail. This attrocious act
had been denounced by Mr.. VIM. Sterrett,
four miles above Hawesville, and engen-
dered an ILL ceiling between him and
Davidson. The latter to avenge himself
on Sterrett, resorted to an internal ma
chine. We now give the account furnish
ed by the officers of the Grey Eagle. The
persons in the store when it was blown up
were G. B. Duncan, j. G.. Duncan, VIM.
Sterrett, James Redding,-Bennett, and
Davidson.
On Monday last, DIR. Davidson entered
the store of Mr. Duncan, in which Mr.
Sterrett, with three or four other persons,
was seated. He had under his cloak a
willow market basket, in which, covered
over with some eggs, was an Internal ma
chine of his own invention. A descrip-
ton of this instrument of death may be
interesting.
1t was tin tube, large enough to con-
tain FIVE or six pounds of powder, with
which it was filed. This magazine was
contained within another tin canister of
double the size. The sIhce between the
two was filed with bullets or large sized
shot, a sufficient number to weigh ten or
twelve pounds. This internal machine
was constructed under the Doctors especial
direction by timer in Cannelton, Indi-
ana, which town is Immediately opposite
Hawesville. ha.l ras
DR.. Davidson approached Mr.. Sterrett,
and, when within few feet of him, he set
fire to his Internal machine, with the ex-
pectation of blowing himself, Mr. Sterrett,
and everybody else in the room, into
eternity
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 sills
above were broken.
Mr.. Duncan, the merchant, was very
dangerously wounded-it is feared fatally
MI. Sterrett was seriously hurt and
badly, burnt. Three of the bullets entered
his face, and it is feared he may lose an.
eye.
DR.. Davidson had his left arm broken
in two places, his collar-b bone broken, his
right shoulder dislocated, the flesh torn off
the shoulder to the bone, his clothes torn
from his body, 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 "Kill me, for
Gods sake; l do not want to live any
longer"
Two other persons were in the room,
but were not seriously hurt.
The citizens of the town, hearing the
noise and feeling the shock, rushed to and
fro in the widest confusion. They
thought that keg of powder had explod-
ed in the store-room. When they were
informed Of the true cause of the explo-
sion, many persons were in favor of Kill
ling Davidson, and strong efforts were
made to do so. The news spread through
the country, and the country people were
rushing to town with their guns for the
purpose of taking part in the mob. The
whole town was arming. The greatest and
widest excitement prevailed throughout
the town.
When the Grey Eagle left Hawesville,
at nine o'clock on Monday night, the ex-
element was intense, and it was thought
that Davidson would be taken out by the
infuriated citizens and killed. A strong
guard was stationed around the house to
prevent it. This is one of the most ap-
palling atrocities that ever was perpetrated
in Christian country. 1t is ten times
more frightful in its conception than the
Lowe tragedy, but, fortunately, less des
tructive in its results.
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