Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-15
THAT BOMB.
TIE WOUNDS MADE BY THE CHICAGO
ANARCHISTS BONE.
A Missile Constructed with Devilish Inge-
nuity-statements Of Some Of
the Surgeons.
Iny teIegraph 70 the plspatch.l

tBy telegraph TO the Dispatch.l
CHICAGO, May l4.--In the rush OF
events following the slaughter on Hay
market Square q very important sub
ject Of investigation has up TO the pre-.
sent time escaped public attention.
Aside from the fact that policemen
were moved down by bomb, nothing
has been submitted to explain
the nature Of that terrible instrument
of destruction. Material is not on hand
even yet to supply perfectly correct
description Of the missile, but enough is
known to demonstrate that it was con-
struc,ed with devilish ingenuity to
fully accomplish the barbarous pur-
pose Of its manufacturers. While
all the wounds produced by the
internal machine have the same
general character, each wound has
special peculiarities which individ-
ualizes it. This is explained by the
fact that in every case the injuries were
inflicted by metallic fragments of vary
ing sizes and forms. This metal,
while it resembles lead, is more
friable, and is thought to be
a composite Of solder and powdered
glass. In every case where a missile
producing q wound on the body Of the
sufferer from the bomb has been found,
it has proved to be this metal, and al
though the size Of the bomb is not def
nitely known, it is agreed that it was
hollow and loaded with slugs Of deadly
composition. The nature Of the wounds
show that it would be difficult to put in
operation more destructive agent than
that employed. In all their experience
the surgeons have not encountered any
thing to compare with it.
"The wounds are very peculiar" said DR..
Lee, land 80 are the missiles that made
them. These have invariably been pieces
OF lead, all of them hollow, scooped out,
and with ragged edges, suggesting 10 me
more closely than anS thing else the appear
apce OF broken peanut shells. The wounds
do not OF all resemble bullet wounds, which
are incisiye and clean cut. The bomb
slugs made Jagged wounds tearing
the body. On the surface the apertures
seemed small. but upon penetrating the
skin cavities we're found that would resdi-
ly admit the finger the muscles a nd tissues
being so torn as TO indicate that the lead
had revolving motion. Another pecu-
liaIiiy of the action OF these missiles
is that In every case they carried
into the wounds pieces OF clothing.
and so greatly enhanced the danger
which they were made was tremendous. as
was made apparent in case OF one OF the
officers, where a leaden fragment entered
the bone without fracturing IL. with ordt-
when II crashed against 1t, and It's power
and velocity must have been extraordl-
nary TO have penetrated It,
81 am satisfied that there were no bullets
In the bomb. The pieces Of lead looked as
II they had been put into the bomb in hol-
low shapes the intention being To have
them rent by explosion. Wherever bullet
has been found 10 has been evident that 10
was discharged from revolver"
DR.. Murphy's description of the
general character Of the bomb wounds
and Of the cratic action Of the missiles
producing them agrees in every essential
with that Of DR.. Lee. lie had one es-
pecially remarkable case, however, and
it has suggested a theory to him that
would not be supplied by any
other wound. The case is that
of Officer Lawrence Murphy, the
front half of whose left foot
was crushed and destroyed by a slug
from the bomb two inches long and
seven eighths of an inch in diameter.
The missile was found imbedded in the
flesh and resting against the fractured
bone Of the great toe. Ii was cone
shaped and hollow, the cavity tapering
from a diameter of half an inch at
the base to a quarter of an inch at
the apex. A Y-shaped piece Of mis-
sile was torn from the base, and as the
sole of Murphy's foot was blown out
back of the fracture toward the heel in
line with the fracture Of the slug the
surgeon believes the explosion oc-
CURED after the bone was struck.
That is the only case where
evidence was found Of an ex-
plosion in wound, but it opens
way for the opinion that tho
missiles with which bomb was loaded
were charged with explosives to add to
their force, velocity, and destructiveness
after they were liberated by the explo-
sion of the Internal machine itself.
There will be no trouble to
account for the bullet wounds
received by the officers, as the sur
vivers of the companies Of Lieutenants
Bowler and Stanton can testify. They
were not ten feet apart when the bomb
struck directly between them, and at
the moment Of its explosion they were
exposed to the murderous fire in front
and rear. These volleys from the An
archists produced the wounds in the
backs of the officers which have since
been the subject Of much speculation.