New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-05
ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION:
JUDGE s. D. MORRIS OF BROOKLYN THE
INTENDED VICTIM

Morris NJ Brookyn and left with the servant who
answered box wrapped in brown paper and addressed
to as d. Morris, Lawyer. 70 Fort Greenplace" The
servant asked the boys had sent the package and
was told that they did know strange man la the
street had paid them to deliver IT, The servant took
the package TO Mrs Morris who remarked that the ad
dress was partly printed characters and the rest in
handwriting unfamiliar to her On opening the paper
wrapping the appeared to be box OF cigars
The revenue stamps surrounding IT were clean "a wen
a. the paper which ordinarily used as border around
the edges of cigar boxes 1t not heavier than cigar
boxes usually are and naturally concluding that
it was a present OF cigars for her husband
Mrs Morris laid the box aside to await her husbands
the next day He was absent at the time IN
Albany being engaged in the argument before the GOV
ernor the charges against DstrcAttorney Brtton'
and summing up the evidence elected relative to the
baot-box suffers. 1t had been previously arranged
that Mr.. Norris Col A c. Davis, his associate counsel
ana the subcommittee Of the Committee OF Fifty con
ssting OF f. T. Backhouse, Julian Allen and W. A. Colt,
presented the to the Governor should on tne
return from Albany, meet other members OF the Com
mittee of Fifty at Judge Morrss house on New Years
day. and hear report OF their efforts at Albany Judge
Morris was, however, detained at Albany, His asso-
ciate Col Davis. returned before the argument had
concluded and did not learn that Judge Morris had re-
NAMED behind. He therefore kept the appointment on
New Years day at Judge Morrss house, accompanied
by member OF the Fifty. Here they learned tnat the
Judge absent. Miss Morris receiving visitors
at the time, and offered the gentlemen cigars but
fortunately they declined for it proved that the only
box In the house was the one wnIcn Mrs motifs hau
laid aside.
The Judge did not return until midnight on Saturday
Yeste rday morning, about 10 o'clock, he told his wife
that no going out for cigar and she was reminded
OF the box which had been received several nights
before She Immediately went to the closet for IT, and
handed him, remarking laughingly az She did so
hats he ted wa informal machine
Judge remarked guess not" and without the slight
suspicion being engaged at the moment In smoking
the stump OF his last cigar opened 1t by prylng on the
top. As he did his attention was attracted by the
snap Of a spring and looking down he saw at glance
the character OF the " Internal machine"
The box was OF the ordinary size, made to hold 100
cigars. About an inch below the top was inserted
another or false top, and below this was torpedo,
sha ped like banana and about six inches long This
torpedo made of gun cotton, and is apparently hiled
with small bullets slugs, and doubtless contains pow
der roglycerine. Tho rest OF the box below the
false to filled with loose gunpOwder The neck OF
the torpedo designed fuse, extended through the
false top and piece of sandpaper lay thereon Above
the top the machinery for exploding theltOr
pedo and a most ingenious dabolsm it proved to be.
Fastened to the end OF the box was heavy wire spring
set fly up the instant the real top was lifted One
end OF the spring hook which, when the machine
was set. ran through a loop in wire rod about two
inches long. I0ls r01 was dppdla-
tus OF wood in which firmly SET seven large rle-
ton ma ches the ends for gntng resting on thei false
top or rather the sand-paper which covere the end
nearest the fuse OF the torpedo. Running from
the other side OF the apparatus containing
the matches to the end of the box OPP
poste that to which the spring was attached
was strong India-rubber band. Whenlset TINS band
was az full tension it designed. when the top was
lifted and the spring released rod which held the
gopI.y .raNr iupt Tho
matches the face OF the sandpapcr would ignite
the gncoton fuse aud powder. and thus explode the
whole In order TO make the friction OF the matches on
the sand paper greater and surer the latter had been
increased 10 double thickness BEHIND tie matches This
100 great precauon the part of the ingenious villain
frustrated his dabolical design The matches AZ set
rested on single thickness OF sandpaper, and against
the edge OF the piece OF double thickness Fortunately
10 happened that this edge was stiff enough to prevent
the matches from slipping; the ndiarubber band had
lost something OF its elasticity possibly the wires were
rusty aud no explosion followed when the spring
leased what intended to be death missile.
Judge Morris instantly comprehendcd the design aud
saw the danger His wife and two youngest children
stood at his side. aud had the matches moved single
half inch the four would have been inevitably blown 60
fragments With GOODNESS almost incredible the Judge
directed his family TO leave the room ana with the
lighted cigar still his mouth he stopped the box
carefully raised 1t in both hands and carefully depo
lied bathing tub IN the adjoining room Here he
pressed it down. turned the water and lett it TO soak
while he returned TO his and threw himself into
chair utterly unnerved, that all danger was past
al the terrible peril through which he aud his family
had passed, all thanking heaven for their miraculous
salvation.
After the box had remained the batbngtub for two
hours the Judge into the room and with broom
handle Knocked upon the false" top and broke one
part OF it, Instantly the the tub became black
nj md inc
all danger wa now past Judge Morris lifted the machine
from the water aud examined IT, The matches had by
thi, time become 80 saturated to be nOnexposve,
and without hesitation the Jddge lifted them from the
false ton and inverted them. IL then he discovered
for the first time the torpedo and understood fully the
machinery which 10 have exploded. He conveyed
i; about noon 20 his office and subsequently deposited IL
in the room of the Chief OF Police, wbo after examining
IT, pronounced as his opinion that If had exploded b.
would have destroyed not only the persons present but
probablv demolished the house itself Detectives were
Immediately work by the Chief to discover, pos
sble the perpetrators of this diaOoical act ana 10
stimulate them their efforts Judge Morris and Col a.
C. Davis offered 81 900 reward for the arrest OF tho
wouldbe assassin.
It's the opinion OF Judge Morris aud hs rends that
this vlanous work not that ofany mere personal or
political enemy. surmse which Is generally ac-
cepted the truth thai the attempt WAS made
or suggested By OF the numerous persons whose
crimes were lately exposed. chiefly bv Judge Morris
dur the Brttou Investigation. II viii he re-
membered that 5lr Brltton charged wtb failure ~
prosecute numerous men wGom Morris as Dl>uicl-at
torney had indicted two ago These cases came
up durug the trial Of Bton and virtually tried
and the proof Of guilt OF about eight OF these men was
made so manifest That they had TO secrete or apsen'
themselves. IL is clear 10 these men tia; Brluoh ~
removed they can save themselves from tue 60 .:
Prison only by fight, ana that in the event oi
new DlstrctAtOraey balDg appointed III the I n'est
OF reform. Judge Morris wond IN an propa' IN >,
prosecute them. IL not unreasonable 10 suppoee
men who can ne hired TO stuff DiiloOoAes VIII -
ballots could he AS readily hired TO do more ucdu "olA
to save themselves from the peril OF the Sl,t SUI
AT auy rate Tue belief general yesefua' ,"st
f tb rI or committed the Outrage ana the
/ -. IL. Lrnltl