New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-30
TWO INTERNAL MACHINES.
AN ATTEMPT TO INJURE Mr.. VANDERBILT
AND MR. FIELD.


covery was made by a premature ex-
plosiOn of one of the machines on
car of an elevated train on the
Third-avc. line, near Nnth-st. 1t is supposed
that the jolting of the car caused it to ex-
plode. No damage was caused to the car. AT
Station another package was discovered re-
sembling in size the one which had ex-
ploded. When it was opened another in
fernal machine was disclosed 1t con-
tanned powder and an arrangement by
which 1t could be exploded The cOntri-
vance was not very clever, however, and it
seems likely that it might have been
opened without injury to any one. The
explosive was in a glass bulb, which was
connected with a can of powder by fuse.
HOW THE DISCOVERY WAS MADE.
What is believed by the Post Office authorities to
be an attempt on the lives of William H. Wander
! lit and Cyrus w. Field was made yesterday by
sending Internal machines addressed TO them through.
the mails, One of the machines exploded while ON
a Third Avenue Elevated train, and through thus
accident the other machine discovered and pre-
vented from reaching its destination
The city mails had been distributed at $3.50 p. IN!
and placed in leather pouches ready to be taken TO
the various branch Offices throughout the city. A
largo number OF these pouches are sent
to their destinations in the hands of messengers
on the elevated railroads, who stand on the front
platform Of the next TO the engine. When the
proper stations are reached, the messenger tosses
the bags upon the platform Just before the train
comes to n staRdstl The pouches are taken from
the railroad station to the stations of the post Office
and their contents are there distributed.
The internal machines were mailed in the Cen
eral Post Office District One was deposited in the
Office and the other brought iii by collector,
as Is shown by the cancellation on each package.
The pouches containing the machines left the Post
Shortly after the train had left the
Nintll-st. station on the Third Avenue FL
evated road, where he mail is thrown off for Sta
ton ID, one of the machines exploded, scorching
the pouch and its contents, but fortunately dong
TO injury to the messenger to the car. When the
| pouch reached Station the superintendent
| of that office noticed smoke issuing from it. He
| Immediately opened the pouch and dumped its con-
| tents on the floor.
Upon learning the nature of the contents
| the superintendent made haste to sent for
! Postmaster Pearson. The Postmaster had left
his office and was on his way home at the time
when the news reached his Office in the Post Office
| building. A messenger quickly overlook him, how
ever. before ho had reached his home He then
hastened to station F. and there. with the assist
ance of the superintendent, made an examination
| of the contents of tho mailbag.
| The machine which had exploded was found to
he wrapped up in brown paper and had on it the
i, .oGil4 directions in ink: Cyrus W. Field
cor 21 1st-str and Lexington city" The paper
| vrappcr was considerably scorchcd, but the drec-
ton was perfectly legible. The postage on the
package amounted TO 30 cents-ivc 10 cent stamps
! As the package weighed only Ii ounces. the post
nre was too much by g cents, showing
| that il had not been weighed at the
Post Office before being mailed but that the author
| of it had guessed at the postage. Inside of the
wrapper was draw-bOx. both parts of which were
| fastened together by small brass clasps The box
| WAS like an ordinary handkerchief box, wae
| II, inches long. , inches witc and inches deep,
and contained powder canister of such proper
| tions as could be got into a box of that size The
canister was careful " packed in the box with cot
| ton. AZ the top of the canister a hole had been
| punched through which ordinary powder fuse
| had been rum connecting with the explosive
| igniting power at the end of the box. In what
precise manner the machine was intended to be
exploded or did explode could not
be ascertained, as it was SO
much injured as to defy any further analysis into
it's mechanism. The canister, it is supposed, con-
| tanned about half pound of powder. BY the ex-
plosion which probably occurred from The joltIng
| it received the cars the top
of tho canister was nearly blown off, the
cotton was entirely burned up, except piece as
| large perhaps as walnut, the sides of the box
were badly smoked, and one end that correspond
ina with the top of the canister, was wholly blown
| away.
After examining the machine the
| tI,n he de
was called to another package of similar proper
| tjons which had not exploded. This proved 10
contain another machine. The directions
ON il were roughly printed and were
as follows: William H. Vanderbilt,
i59 9Th Avenue, City" The address is that OF Mr..
| Vanderbt's former residence
| The package was carefully handled through fear
of explosion and was soaked. in water for several
hours. after which time it was opened. 1t was
| found TO resemble in most respects the one which
had exploded The box was dra yer-bOx the
paris of which were fastened in a similar to
those of the which had exploded, and contained
canister OF the same the first one. As this
machine had not been exploded II was
possible to ascertain the mechanism of il. On the
end of the box corresponding the Top of the cam
stcr a glass tube beat IN the form of a semclrcle
was fastened with putty and red twine This tube
connected at one end with large glass bulb
| which was similarly adjusted to the end OF the
box and contained illuminate of mercury. The
| other end of the tnbe connected by a
short fuse Nth the canister of powder
by means OF an opening in the upper
| end similar 70 that of the exploded machine. Con-
| nected with this bulb and tube and passing around
both 81. es Of tae canister. were two blue ribbons
! about one-quarter of an inch IN Width lhese
! were passed through the other end OF the D0G'
| that corresponding to the bottom OF the
canister, and so arranged to make a loop or
handle at that end. Tins oop was designed to be
| LII IL nnrann for whom