Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-08-27
THE FELTON, EXPLOSION
DIFFERING OPINIONS As TO ITS
SAFETY.
A Widespread Interest Created by
the Discovery OF Clues TO the Fel-
ton ExplosiOn-Oontin the In-
vestigation. Hr

The important discovery Of kclues 10
the explosion on the FELTON,, given in
detail in last weeks GAZETTE, has
created more widespread interest and
comment than anything since the explo.
sion itself was first reported. II is the
first discovery 10 mark the definite chan
mel TO be followed in the search for the
perpetrator of the crime, and it ia
believed on all sides to be o long step in
the right direction to find the criminal.
The fragments discovered were given to
Captain Linden of Pinkerton's force,
and will be carefully preserved,
to be used in following out the Miller
story, and every other clue that may be
obtained. Captain Linden was questioned
about what had been accomplished, and
said:
"The whole thing is still involved in
deep mystery. 1 do not know what
will be done next. The thing to do, in
my opinion, is TO run down every clue,
and suppose that each passenger ON the
boat will have one to offer. cannot be-
lieye that the explosion was the result of
an accident. Either dynamite or nitro
glycerine was used-I think the latter, be-
cause nothing was scorched or burned.
A concussion of some sort is necessary to
explode either of these materials. No
concussion could have been caused by
the motion of the boat, because there was
no jar or shock. The conclusion is una
voidable that whatever explosive was
used must have been set off by some in
territorial means. No clock-work fuse was
found, but one might have been used,
nevertheless, for the explosion, being 30
violent, naturally destroyed all traces of
its cause. do not think this piece of
tin will amount to much ms clue"
The captain here exhibited the frag-
ment, which is suppose to be the top of a
dynamite or nitro-glycerine can. He then
continued
"You will see if you will examine
closely that the edges of thissupposed lid
do not show any evidence of an explosion.
The edges are cleanly cut and have un-
mistakable signs of the use of a pair of
shears or some other sharp instrument.
II Is not likely, either, that so much of a
can of dynamite or nitro -glycerine would
be left after the explosion"
Have you made your report TO the
Philadelphia, Wilmington 4 Baltimore
company ?" WAS asked.
"Yes, have. have simply reported
that the meagre clues thus far obtained
led TO the belief that the explosion was
the result of plot, but there is nothing
to give the slightest clue MS to the persons
concerned in IT, 1 will wait now to see
whether the company proposes to pro-
ceed farther"
Captain Eugene Reybold in conversa-
tion with reporter last night week said
he had no faith in the theory of that the
explosion was intentional. He believed il
was an accident; that some fellow wanted
dynamite or nitro-glycerine for some pur-
pose and had purchased il in Phila-
delpliia and attempted TO remove il here
in satchel, and it exploded by accident.
Speaking further on this topic he added
81 had talk with man in this state a
day or two since, who told me of tho
wonderful success he had in blowing up
stumps on his farm. He told me that he
used dynamite, which he put on the
stumps, and in that way he could blow
them clean out of the ground. After he
got through with his story 1 asked him
how he managed to carry the stuff in
bringing it to the farm. Oh said lie, Il
take a satchel, carry it carefully, and
nobody is the wiser for it, Tint is the
way in which the FELTON, was blown up"
Captain Wiley has been instructed by
the United States inspectors TO take his
time with the report which he is prcpar-
ing upon the explosion on board the
steamboat FELTON,. They wish, rs In
spector Hand has stated, to ascertain
whether there was contributory negli-
gence on the part of the officers of the
boat in allowing somebody to convey ex-
plosive material on board. Should that
be demonstrated as something more than
mere assumption, the licenses of such
officers would be Immediately revoked,
and report would be made TO
the district attorney, whose duty
would require him to proceed with
the case from that point. If on
the other hand, Captain Wiley's report |
should show TINT, without any careless
ness for which blame could fairly be |
attached to the officers, some explosive |
substance was actually conveyed ON
board the FELTON, and hidden between the |
boiler bulkhend and the forward COM
panionway the work of the inspectors
will be about at m end, and the affair |
will lapse into mystery unless the detec-
tives hunt down and drag into the light of
the court room the offender whose double
or wrath their investigations seem now
to be pointing at.
Capt. Linden had with him Thursday
part of metal fastening operating
with spring, and picked up ON the spot
where the explosion happened. He was
not of opinion that ii had ever belonged
to satchel, but il wns certainly part Of II
fastening of some kind, and il may be
stated that the detective work, though ON
the theory OF mere transportation, with
or without the conniyance Of the boats
officers, il has turned up nothing definite,
seems by proceeding on the principle of
exclusion, TO lean more and more toward
an intention on the part of some one to
do as much mischief as possible. Detec-
tive Linden admits that the finding of the
clasp, wire and dynamite canister cap
partially corroborates the story of the
colored passenger, Hiram II. Miller.
But little weight is attached at Pinker-
toms to the suggestion of the Industrial
passenger carrying with him dynamite or
nitro-gl lycerinn for business purposes.
Even admitting that the stuff might be
hidden behind the doors swung bnck
from the companionwny and bolted to
the boiler hulkhentl, how, it is argued,
could the explosion have taken place
bulit ANU WubllNb WIS
the shock to come Above, the explosives
would he completely boxed in, save at
the top. The heat of the boiler would
not, because of the interpOsed woodwork,
produce an explosion, nor could
any violent blow have reached the
box or bag containing the dangerous agent
from beneath, MS its force would neces-
sarily have been expended on u heavy
beam and on three or four inches of solid
planking which there constitute tho deck.
This reasoning if its force he admitted
(and IL is the view of an experienced
mechanic, M well as an experienced de-
tectiye), puts much grimmer aspect
upon the affair, and reduces the investi-
cation practically TO n search after some
person or persons unknown, hut believed
to have put an Internal machine ON board
the FELTON, with direct purposes of evil.
If the United States local inspector
holds an official investigation, it will be
TO ascertain whether nn explosive material
has been shipped on board the vessel as
freight. According to section 4472, of
the Revised Statutes of the United States,
.'no loose hay, loose cotton, or loose
hemp, camphene, nitro-glycerine, naph-
tina, benzine, benzole, coal oil, crude or
refined petroleum, or other like explosive
burning fluids, or like dangerous articles,
shall be crrried as freiget or used as
stores ON any steamer carrying passen-
Qers.n Gunpowder is not allowed except
under special license. It is, therefore,
the province of the inspector to see that
in any way.
mn. ,x,f Eol Iar haa