The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-04-12
A Fearful Disa ster.


were killed. mother account this morn
ing says: A fearful tragedy occurred
in the office of Messrs. Jewett, 1S2 Front
Street, white lead manufacturers, where
a bombsheh exploded, instantly killing
Geo. w. Jewett, Aoft Port Richmond,
Staten Island, the head of the firm, and
son Of John Jewett Orvil D. Jewett,a
also member oflthe firm, had
his left hand shattered, ana suffered in-
ternal injuries. He was taken to Cham
bers Street Hospital. Joseph A. Dean,
of Orange, n. J., had his knee pan frac-
tured, and suffered internal injuries.
Both Mr.. Dean and %. ID. -Jewett refuse
to make any statementof the particulars
of the terrible affair. Pistols and large
dagger were found among the trio. -
81 THE. EXPLOSION
occurred in the Office On the second
floor the windows are blown out. SCOT
two inches deep is on the floor, and the
Office furniture is powdered to bits.
Pieces of bombshelli are in the room.
The pistols and dagger are at the police
station, The body of Jewett is in the
private office, fronting on Burling Slip.
The corpse and carpet are bathed in
gore His face was blackened with SCOT,
and his hands were coal black. The
Coroner is investigating the case.
Portions of the conical shell or
hand grenade were found imbedded in
the walls and ceiling of the room, and
two revolverS and a dirk-knife were
found on the floor A scabbard and belt,
corresponding to one of the reyolyers,
were found on the person of Orvill ID.
Jewett.. Three clerks and a son of Mr..
Deans were in an adjoining room at the
time of the explosion, and were positive
in their assertions that the shell had
never been in the place. After the war
a few shells picked up on the battlefield
were sent to members of the firm, who
had them emptied into the East River.
The clerks say the shell must have been
brought to the Office this morning by
one of the injured men. ~ "-'i.3j Pa
THE THEORY OF TIE PohICE poo
is that George w. and Orvill ID. Jewett
became involved in a dispute, and that
the shell must have been used as a
weapon. This theory is strengthened
by the discovery of the. reyolyerS and
knife in the room. When one of the re
volvers was found its barrel was warm,
and one of the chambers empty, with an
exploded cap on it. Every effort was
made to find out the cause of the eXplo-
sion; but beyond the fact that the shell
had exploded nothing could be learned,
as Mr.. Dean, when asked for informal
ton both by the police aud reporters,
answered: Don't ask me-" The eX-
plosion caused great excitement in the
vicinity, and the space in BTling Slip
was soon crowded with people. A sec
ton Of police were soon on the scene,
and a regular fire line was soon estab-
lished, no one being allowed to pass il
who did not belong TO the firm or who
was not called there by legitimate bust
ness. Rumors of disagreement between
partners were circulated, and one per
son, who claimed to be intimately con-
nected with the firm, told a Commercial
reporter that business matters had not
been going on lately as harmOniouSly as
they might have done. One theory adj
vanced as to the cause of the explosion
is that the shell was
THROWN INTO THE CRATE a,<.
with the coal, and another that it was
percussion shell, and exploded while
being carelessly handed. Orvill ID. jew
EFT served in the army during the late
war, and it is stated the shell was kept
by him in his Office as relic of the
struggle. Others, who. profess to be
! familiar with the office, deny the exist
ence there of such a dangerous memen-
to. Dean was able to be driven to his
residence in Waverly Place, but Orvill
ID. Jewett, who resides at Orange, n.
j., was taken to the Chambers Street
Hospital, where late in the afternoon he
was thought to he dying. A friend OF
the firm characterizes as. cruel the rumor
that the. disaster was the result, in some
indirect way, of disagreement among
the members. 5. +. RawsOn, "a Wall
Street, states his firm were the legal adj
visers of o. d. Jewett, and knew all OF
the facts, and that the rumOr is without
the slightest foundation 1t had been
decided, on JanuaIst1, that Orvill d.
Jewett should retire from the business
and a final adjustment of the matter. was
to have been made at Rawson's' office
to-day. There was no feeling but thai
of goodwill among all parties. The
! firm was composed of Geo. w. Jewett,
who was killed; j. A. Dean, slight
" wounded; Orvill d. Jewett, badly
wounded, and Charles II. Jones, not in
jured.
! THE TRUE STORY.
| Z The Times, tomorrow, will publish
from authentic sources the true story OF
the explosion, revealing that diabolical
crime was perpetrated. Oryill ID. jew
EFT was admitted to the firm of which
his father, when alive, was member,
six or seven years ago, simply because
of that relationship He has been some
what wild, and paid little attention to
the business. He has been absent the
past winter yachting, at Bermuda, and,
on his recently expressed desire to with
draw from the firm, his partners did not
wish to make any change in the bust
ness, and opposed his retiring, but he
persisted in the determination, and final
ly became so disagreeable that they con-
ceded to his request, and agreed to pay
him 100000 for his interest. The nee
essary papers were drawn up, and were
to have been signed to-day. Young
Jewett, probably crazed with liquor,
came TO the Office, armed with a hand