The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-05-14
The Attempt to Assassinate Justice
Field.

The Attempt to Assassinate Justice
Field.
In the fall of 1865, while Justice
Field, of the United States Supreme
Court, was walking in the streets of San
Francisco, he met his old friend Ruloff-
son, the well-known photographer. The
photographer urged Mr.. Field to sit for
his picture, and he did so. Mr.. Ruloff-
son said that he would forward some
cartes de risite to the Justices address
in Washington. On his return to Wash
ington, Mr. Field one day met Judge
Lake, of San Francisco. The Judge
told him that he had ordered his letters
directed to his care, and they went into
Justice Fields private office. The
morning mail had just been received.
Among the letters there was a small
package about four inches square and
one and half inches thick. 1t was en-
veloped III common white paper, and
bore on its back the stamp of the Pho
neer Photograph Gallery, San Francisco.
The seal of the San Francisco Post
Office had been stamped over the adj
dress. The superscription was printed,
and WAS evidently cut from the title
page of the California Reports" with
the exception of the words Washing
ton, -. c." which had been cut out of
newspaper. Both of the slips were
pasted on the package.
4" presume these are the cards from
Ruloffson," said the Justice, as he I'M
did the package. "No, that can't be, "
he added, "fOr Ruloffson has nothing to
do with the Pioneer Gallery"
The package contained common
miniature case.
1t must be a present for my wife, y
Mr.. Field remarked. "I1l take peep
Mt it,"
He stepped to the window playfully,
unlocked the lid of the case, raised it
an eighth of an inch, and peeped i'll.
The contents, though indefinitely seen,
presented singular appearance. There
was some resistance to the opening of
the lid. He called Judge Lakes atten-
ton to it, and the Judge peered through
the little opening.
"Don't open it," he said. cts a
torpedo" The box was soaked in a
pail of water. 1t was then taken to the
Capitol, opposite the rooms of Judge
Field, where Mr.. Broom, one of the
Clerks of the Supreme Court, carefully
examined it. The three gentlemen
finally went into the carriage-way under
the Senate steps, and, after shielding
themselves behind one of the columns,
threw the box against the wall, shatter.
ing the lid and exposing the contents.
1t was sent to the War Department, anG
the following report was returned:
WASHINGTON ARSENAL. Jan. 16. 1866.
Gen. A. B. Dyer, Chief of Ordnance. Washington
SIR: Agreeably to your instructions have
examined the explosive machine sent to th
arsenal yesterday. 1t is small minatur,
case containing twelve copper cartridges, sucl
bundle of sensitive friction matches, STRIP
of sandpaper. and some Illuminating powder
The cartridges and matches are imbedded il
common glue to keep them i'll place. The STRIP
Of sandpaper lies over the heads of tn,
matches. One end has been thrown back
forming loop, through which bit of threaC
evidently passed to attach it to the lid of thu
case. This thread may be seen near the clasl
of the lid, broken in two. There are two wiz,
staples, under which the strip of sandpape
was intended to pass to produce the ncces
sary pressure on the matches. The thread il
so fixed that the strip Of sandpaper could b.
secured to the lid after il was closed.
The whole affair is so arranged that thu
opening of the lid would necessarily ignite tn,
matches were it not that the lower end Of tn,
strip has become imbedded in the glue. which
prevents it from moving. That the burning
of the matches may explode the cartridge
there is Il hole in each case, and all are covered
with mealed powder.
One of the cartridges has been examined anS
found to contain ordinary grain powder. Tw,
of the cartridges were exploded in closed DO,
sent herewith. The effect of the explosion wa
an indentation on one side of the box. Yer
respectfully, your obedient servant
j. G.. BENTON,
Major Of Ord. and Bvt. Col. Comdg.