The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-06-08
DYNAMIC sECnETs.
How "InfernaI Machines" are Made
wound Tip, and Used.
A Few Of the Mos, Famous Explosives De-
scribed by an Expert In the Art OF Making
Thcm-peath In an Egg-sheil.
fphi,adeIphIa Prcss.l

mature OF these explosive compounds,
which are beginning TO play such an inn
lp0rtant part in the everyday political bis
liory of Great Britain and the continent.
1.-The nefarious business has developed 10 an
unsupported extent, but its growth has
been silent. 1t was not until within the
last twelyemonth. when this country was
made the principal basis OF operations.
that the English detectives. able TO see
from afar those things which had fl0urished
mobserved under their very noses, erasped
the full importance OF the movement. ana
published il to the world. Even all the
blatant utterances OF O'Donoyan Rosa,
mild-mannered man that he Is, pregant
with prophecies OF huge and terrible ma
lchincs OF destruction. have not, queerly
lenoupb. directed the attention OF the pub
lie TO proper appreciation OF the secret
work Of which he is an open apostle.
In New York city to-day, and In this cisy
internal machine Of every conceivable pat
tern are being manufactured, In many in-
stances within stones throw OF the head
quarters OF the law.
INTERNAL TYPES.
The most common form Of internal ma
chine is that known as the "tickcr." To
all intents and purposes IL is an ordinary
tin can. very like that in which astral oil Is
sold. The can, for such it *, is made Of
heavy galvanized iron one sixteenth OF an
inch in thickness. 1t Is one foot high and
four inches square. This machine. as well
as all OF those now made in this country,
il filed with a new powder, invented by
George IIolgate, OF Philadelphia. IL has
the form Of ordinary gunpowder, is OF
La dark-brown color, only eXplodes
lin connection with the simultaneous
duplication OF fire and powder, and
lis estimated 10 be 200 times as
powerful as giant gunpowdcr. The can
holds, therefore. the equivalent OF 900
pounds of powder. Upon one side and
lnear the top OF the can is attached, by
lmeans of brass screws, an ordinary clock
Ispring movement. Above this movement,
land connected with it, is a small round
brass wheel, about al inch in diameter,
HAVING upon one portion Of the circumfer-
encc a slot, or notch. A spring presses
lupon the edge OF the wheel, which re-
wolves. When the slot is reached in the
circuit the spring falls into /. with snap,
which i'm turn releases another spring fall
ling upon nipple upon which is a gun
cap. The nipple is OF iron and extends
down into the powder, and the explosion
of the cap instlntaneOusly sets off the
compound i'm the bottom OF the can.
The machine can be set anywhere
between one minute and thirty-sX
hours. When all is ready The operator
closes the lid, fastens il with an iron-locker,
land deposits it where he may desire to
cause the explosion. 1t can he kicked,
rolled around, or hammered, but until the
spring falls into the slot and eyplodes the
| cap there is no danger in its handling. BY
plitting the ear close TO the lid the melan-
cbOIy tck-tick OF the clock can be beard,
but snis is not noticeable at distance cf
six feet. The machine is air-tight, and
water or any like fluid has no effect on the
explosive compound, even were il not
Theoretically sealed. Ii can be securely
hacked in a barrel OF lard, barrel OF Pc
| troleum, box OF tobacco, bag OF -four,
or with any OF those articles OF export
which are not likely to attract attention.
The power OF such a machine depends, OF
course, upon the nature OF the confined
space in which il is placed.
AN EIGHT-DAY MACHINE.
The most powerful internal machine
made is what Is known rs an " eigbt-day
machine" Like the " ticker it can, how
ever, he set from one minute upwards. \
machine OF this description, recently made
by IIolgate. Of Philadelphia, was fourteen
inches high, six inches square, and con-
tanned the equivalent OF 5000 pounds OF
gunpowder. IL can. however, have either
square or spherical shape. IL is made of
| galvanized iron or stout tin. The clock
movement is so arranged that IT can be
taken ont and away from the machine and
connected again at moments notice.
! The operator. ii he desires to divert sus-
piciOn, carries the empty can in his
| hand and the clock movement in his
coat-tail pocket. The explosion is caused
by detOnation. a sliding bar OF brass,
drawn by a screw attached TO the move
lmcnt, when il arrives at the slot in the
small brass disk, springs upon delicate
glass vial, made OF hair tube. The
vial, which contains 4 powerful acid. and
is Theoretically sealed, in breaking allows
the acid TO escape. This causes the dctO-
Ination, and the explosion follows. The
wire on top Of the movement, which is
held IN place by rubber band, connects
with the cap. The acid runs into a chlo-
rate OF potash combination. This machine
can be sunk in water or secreted in any
liquor or compOund-m a box Of
oranges, a kcg OF nails, or a loaf Of bread.
The force Of the explosion would be sufli-
cicnt to tear the largest building in the
world to atoms.
A most peculiarly and deadly machine is
the Little EXterminator." Ii j. two
inches high and four inches square, Of thin
sheet blass, nickeled on the inside and out
side. and has no lid. only a minute hole in
one corner. The machine is filled with a
volatile, the fumes of which cause instan-
taneous death. The principle is the same
? a. that OF the ancient Chinese " Stink-pOt,"
used by them so effectively in warfare
! with pirates. A thin brass tube runs
4 in through the small hole i'm the
} corner, having upon its outer end a
5 screw cap. Upon the cap is delicate
g watch movement. A spring falls into n
. slot and releases minute steel spring saw,
which is operated by the movement, and
; saws of the delicate tube. This establishes
: direct communication with the oxygen OF
the air, which ignites the volatile. The
most siclSening perfumes pour out from the
; box, killing every person within a radius
OF one hundred feet. The sensation OF this
volatile is like that caused by cayenne pep
per. There is an intense burning in the
mouth. ears, and eyes, and around the
heart. Respiration is snatched away rs il
! by puff Of hot air. Experiments have
been made upon cats. They die in less
than three seconds.
THE CARS HAT.
There is a large class of internal machines
known as ''bottIe Machines The most
ordinary forms are enclosed in pint beer
bottles, which can be conveniently carried
in the coat pocket The neck OF the bottle
is Dramatically sealed with rubber cork.
through which runs brass tube divided
into two parts by thin metallic disk
usually made Of brass. The top compart
ment OF the tube is shut of from the air by
means OF screw cap, through which, in
turn, runs key. Also contained in this
upper compartment is small Vial of