Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-02-23
A SAD ACCIDENT.
Nelson q. Hubbard, Son OF W. z. Hubbard,
Badly Wounded by an Explosion.

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At an early hour yesterday morning Mr.
w. P. Hubbard received a telegram from
New Haven, Conn, conveying the alarm
ing intelligence that his son Nelson had
been seriously wounded by an explosion in
Westmann College, at Middletown, Conn,
and that it had been necessary to amputate
two fingers of his right hand The tele
gram also stated the patient bad been re-
moved from Middletown to hospital al
New Haven, six miles distant.
A short time later another telegram
stated the injuries were more serious thar
was at first supposed that the young mar
had been injured in the abdomen, and thai
the wounds were of such nature that il
was advisable for Mr.. Hubbard to come OF
at once. Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard accord
ingly lett on the 1875 p. m. Pan-Hsndl,
train for New Haven.
Daring the afternoon an Associated Pres
telegram gave the following particulars O.
the accident
NEW HAVEN, CONN, September o.
Nelson O. Hubbard, of Wheeling, W. Va,
a Freshman at Westmann College, at Mid
dletown, was severely injured at that in
stitution last night and was brought tC
the hospital in this city. He, with sew
ersl friends, was celebrating in horror o
Wasbington's birthday by firing off fire
crackers in their rooms Some Que threw
a large cracker into HGbbard's room anC
be picked it up, when it exploded in hi
right hand. The hand was badly mutt
lated and the fret two fingers were am
putated.
A later telegram was as follows, beiul
probably more correct ss to details:
NEW HAVEN, CT, February 22.-Ths
Union's special from Middletown show:
that the explosion at Wesleyan Colleg'
last night was caused by dynamite instead
of cannon crackers. The special Gays
About midnight last night the inmates o.
the north college building at Wesleyan
were aroused by an explosion which shook
every beam and rsfter in the old building
snd called TO mind the blowing up Of the
Park Central Hotel at Hartford. The re-
pOrt could be heard in every quarter Of
the town. The explosion was caused by
dynamite bomb throRn by some
foOlhardy studen. on the fourth
floor of the building. 1t shattered
doors and windows, tore a hole down
through two floors and knocked out two
yards of plasteriDg. Ia Observatory Hall
the same outrage was perpetrated, only
with greater effect. Tne hall of both
buildings are this morning filled with ples-
ter, wood, ETC., in such quantities that il
seems impossible q dynamite cartTidg'
could have made such havoc. The worst
of il all is the acc dent to N. C. Hub
baid, a con of w. p. Hubbard, Of West
Virginia. After the explosion in North
College, young Hubbard ventured out OF
his room 10 ascertain the cause Of the racket
He Was no sooner in the hall than
he saw q small missile on the floor near his
door and picked it up. II was dynamite
cartridge or bomb and Immediately ex-
ploded ia his hand. The palm of his right
hand was terribly lscsrated, his eyes bad
Iy cut, aud pieces entered his abdomen
1t must have exploded with terrific force,
as it threw fragments fhis flesh all around
When the injury 70 Mr Hubbard became
known, several physicians were summoned
and they deemed his condition 81 serious
as to warrant his removal to the hospital
at New Haven, where four fingers Of the
injured hand were amputate1. 1t is barely
possible that his hand may be saved.
Acting President Van Flick to-day wired
Mr.. Hubbard's father information OF the
accident, ard was particular 10 exonerste
the young man from any completely IN the
violation of the rules OF the college. Sew
eral of the college officials promise if the
parties are caught they will be handed over
to the State authorities Most CT the stu
dents are inclined TO place the responsible
ity on members OF tie Freshmen clsst
For a great number of years 1t has been
customary for the Freshmen to usher IN
Washington's birthday with some pecul-
lar piece Of deviltry, and each class has
striven to Guido the other in the Observ'
ance of the custom. On Wednesday
morning President Van Flick gave the
students very earnest talk on the OBJ
servance Of Washington's birthday. He
told them tie faculty had no objection to
dignified observance of the day, bat eau
toned them against doing anything TO
cast discredit upon the University.
Mr.. Hubbard entered Westmann Col
leee last autumn, and was one of the bright
est students there enrolled. The col
leqe was a favorite one with the family,
both Chester D. Hubbard and w. P. Hub
bard having graduated there with high
honOrs