Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1888-07-14
and he asked his visitor for his creden-

- YOU have not been long in this
country" remarked the Confederate.
Ten days. slipped through the
blockadcrs, landed in Florida and then
came here
Further conversation did not cause
hm 10 say anything that was incon~ist-
ent with his first account Of himself
In The course Of half an hour MAJOR
Dalton was ready - admit he was in tn
presence OF a man Of superior intellect,
and one who doubtless was master Of his
profession.
The interview resulted in the engage
ment Of Pcllico, and ON the following
morning he went to work
From the very outset tfc nan in black
gave perfect satisfaction. but he made no
friends. The men called him Mr. Mid
night, and the officers quietly agreed
among themselves that he was mystery,
very useful, no doubt, but disayrecable
companion.
1t did 1ot take long 10 make the dis
COvcry that the Italians bombs and tor
pedoes were the best that had ever been
made
one night rcllico paid another visit to
the office of Major Dalton
''Malor sad he, after some talk about
powder, gun cotton, Greek ire and other
matters, "thc main object Of our e
posivcs is to destroy the enemy
II N, well, yes to a certain extent"
replied the gallant Confederate.
w hat do YOU think, then, of bomb
that is capable of doing hundredfold
more damage than any now in use.'
1t would be a big thing
'Well,' continued Pcllico, Il have
invented it. | have chemical com
pound that can be projected into the
encmys lines through the medium of a
she'll, and when the she'll bursts deadly
vapor spreads over an area of 100 yards,
killing every living thing. One shell is
capable of killing an entire regiment.
'Nan alive exclaimed the Ma or,
"that would lie murder"
And what is war; asked IellicO II
his low, soft voice.
The sub Get did not drop there. Tht
| ma4 III black had 50 much to say about
| his invention that the Ma lor found Inn
self deeply interested
.'Ihis little thing said Pellico, ex
! hlbtting something that looked like p'!l
! covered with tin foil, would kill a house
full of people.
1T i, hard to believe"
''Lct M convince you,' urged the
chemist IF YOU Will walk a square
with me will show you something"
The Ma or ob ected, but the Italian
assured him that his intended victims
We're several nogs in the rear Of the cdi
flee.
When they reached the place they
hn h., ift1 1v m &
fence corner
Then they retired Fifty yards or so
and cllico blew his little plll through {
hollow cane
"Walt three minutes, : he said.
At the expiration Of that time the two
approached the fence corner
-Four large hogs lay stretched out OF
the ground 1t required only glance
to see that they were all dead.
"Now,' said the chemist, as the,
walked away, this experiment is on :
very small scale, but YOU can form al
idea from what you have seen
1T is astonishing, commented tn
Major
'Nothing to what have done" sal
the man IN black. ''ln Cuba took
sling and threw a ball of that stuff as bi!
II, my fist into a village. The neN
morning it was found that all the in
habi,antS. some 200 ,r 400, We're dead
People outside supposed it was som
mysterious, epidemic, but it was not. :
Maier Dalton drew himself aloof from
his companions
ami YOU killed those innocen
people for no;hingI" he asked Indl-
,1antly
''In the Interests Of science, my de-
Major Besides they were native Guhans
Won 4 not have treated genuine Spar
larlS that way
The Malor pulled his moustache an
walked On il silence for a few minutes.
Nv hat 10 YOU propose, he a,ket
after some re:ectlon.
- My scheme is bIg one, replied Re
leo "a few lttIc pellets thrown int
| ihhy. Salisbury and Ander>onvllIe vi
rid Us Of all the ankcc prisoners an
save our Government no enl OF expens
Ihcn they must use my invention IN Il
fle Il The armies Of sherman and t,ral
will melt away fc.ore It. and few hur
dlcd projestiie, tfrd from long ran.
guns into New York VII turn hat ~
tropoli~ into a city OF he dead Nh
s. do YOU >ayI'
Halo, 'orporal, come here yellt
the Ma or
Several soldiers ran to the spot in
c hurry.
i "S.ize him" shouted the o hcer. ~
take ham to the guard house He i ;
enemy, a nuri, rer. satan himself, | l.
lleye. But, hol on search him
!, "pnly some paters and these pill,
saii the. torrora.
II take them said The Major. Nc
9lustl" hin. 81 u thc guard house,
The Ma or walked with rapid s.ril
10 The office If the commander of y
Y post. The provost marsha, was >sln
maned IS party u the conference, HI
i other officers were also called II
q The council lasted until a very a
hour Never in their whole military :
1; pefience hsd th< officer been confron,e
with 50 serious ! problem.
i When they dispersed the sentinel on
IS side heard one o. them say
IL i monster an enemy n Il
whole human race We cannot ace,
L.