The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-20
BLOWN TO ATOMS.
The Horrible Death of J. Il. MIC.
Clintock, Of New Orleans.
Himself and Assistant meeta Fearful
Fate by the Explosion of Tor
pedo, With Which They
Were Experimenting.
IBoaton Journal

! lBoston Journal,l
sad disaster, which Is not yet fully ex-
planned, occurred In the harbor Monday after
noon. Word was brought to Station H.
South Boston, yesterday morning that q
terrible accident had befallen two men who
went down the harbor to experiment with
toIpedoes. The principal victim is Mr.. j. r
McClintock. q noted inventor OF New Or
leans. He had been In Boston for several
days perfecting arrangements for some ex-
periments with submarine torpedoes to be
made In the deep waters Of the bay. He had
with him an associate, Mr.. George Holgato,
OF Philadelphia. It seems that he and Mr..
McClintock first went down to the harbor on
Saturday to make the desired experiments,
but the water proved too rough.
Early Monday morning, Messrs. McCntock
and Holgate were met at Point Shirley by
Mr.. Edward g. Swain and young man
named Oliver Holmes, who came In sailboat
from tho wharf Of Hutchings u Prior at
South Boston. The two men embarked, leav-
Ing Holmes on shore. They proceeded some
distance outside and anchored. When the
torpedo was ready for use, Messrs. McClln-
| took, Holgate and Swain got into the small
| boat and roWed q short distance, when, ac-
eording TO- his own story, Holgate became
seascE Mr.. McCllntock iOked him about the
malady, but his illness became 80 violent that
they put back, and Holgate got on the larger
boat The other men rowed away, and
short time after, Holgate. who was reclining
on the deck, heard an explosion. He started
up and looked for his friends, but could SOC
nothing of them OF their boat. It was then
about half-past 8, and Hogate got the boat
under way as best he could and started to
look for his companions. Nothing could be
| found of them, the only trace being q few
floating corks and splinters.
Such Is Mr.. Holgate's version of tho af-
fair The remainder OF the story Is told by
the young man Holmes, who says he heard
the explosion while at Tafts Hotel. Holmes
| and the sallboat came III sight about three
quarters OF an hour later A fisherman put
Holmes on board the sailboat, where he found
Holgate nervous and excited. The latter or
dered the young man to put him ashore and
take care Of the boat. either returning 1t to
the owner or keep 1t until called for. Holmes
asked Ii the other two men In the boat had
rowed across to Lynn, and he says HoIeate
| answered him In the affirmative, and added
that they were going back by train. Holgate
inquired about the trains for Boston, and i'm
mediately left the boat. Holmes got fish
erman to help him sail the boat rs far as East
Boston, where he went ashore and around to
South Boston by land. He there inquired 81
several IL they had seen his friend Swain; but
| no one had heard from him, and Holmes did
not learn OF his sad fate until yesterday noon
The young man went back and slept on
board the boat.
MI. HoIgate, meantime came by rail to
Boston, where he called upon Prof Wingard,
a friend OF Mr.. McClintock, at the United
States Hotel. He informed him of the fate Of
bis associate, and then, about 10 o'clock, Mon
South Boston, with the news. He said that
Mr.. Hutchings' man, Swain, and his (Hol-
gate's) best friend had been blown to pieces.
He appeared to be very much overcome with
grief, and requested that when the boat
was returned Mr.. Hutchings would take
care OF Mr.. McClintock's coat In the
cabin, rs It contained important papers as we'll
as the full name and address of the owner.
or the latter Mr. Hol gate professed to be ig-
norant. A persistent effort to trace Mr. Hoi-
gates movements after leaving South Boston
Monday evening proves unsuccessful. A
careful search OF the city was made last night,
but without success He has room and
baggage at the Adams House. where he
stopped for several days past with Mr.. Nc
Cllntock, but nothing has been seen of him at
the hotel since Sunday evening. This fact
and the account OF the singular story which
Holmes said he told him are the strange
took and Swain were blown to pieces there Is
little or no doubt. Plenty OF people heard
the explosion.
Two companies Of scientific gentlemen and
other invited guests were on their way to the
scene OF the tragedy on board the steam
yacht Edith and the tug Nellie. The Edith
was about two miles away, and all on board
heard the explosion. On reaching the scene
small piece of the bow or stern OF the boat
was the only vestge Of 1t remaining
The torpedoes used were filled with dyna-
mite and had each the explosive power of 300
pounds OF gunpowder. Whether there was
some fault OF construction, or battery connec-
tion was made too soon, or a premature ex-
plosion took place from some other cause, 1t |
is impossible to do more than conjecture.
Mr.. Holgate is the only one who can throw
any light upon this subject. Mr.. McClintock |
was at work upon a torpedo boat for the
Turkish government, for which 1t is under
stood he was to receive S1,0OO,000 If sue
cess. 1t Is said that Holgate is the only one
besides the Inventor possessing the secret OF
the invention.
Mr.. McCIlntock was nearly sixty years Of
age, and leaves wife and three children at
New Orleans. Mr.. Holgate Is said to be
Philadelphia chemist. Edward G. Swain was
80 years of age, and lived at City Point. He
had been In the employ of Messrs. Hutch
lngs x Pryor for number Of months, and
was regarded as trustworthy and faithful
man. be was unmarried, and his relatives
live at Nantucket.
The sailboat was brought beck from East
Boston yesterday afternoon. Up to 2 o'clock
this morning nothing had been heard of Mr.
Holgate, who Is anxiously looked for by |
friends Of Mr.. McClintock to furnish further /
details OF his terrible death. The family OF l
the latter In New Orleans have been tele-
grabbed,