Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-02-25
WESLEYAN DYNAMITE
lHE PACULTY'S INVESTIGATION OF THE
EXPLOSION
Young Hubbari's Condition IS Serious, but the
Physicians are Confident That be Will
Rscovsr-His Parents Arrive.
Stories Of the Affair

Stories Of the Affair
MIDDLETowN, Conn, February 23.-
A committee of three, including the Pres
ident aud two members of the faculty, has
been appointed toinvesiigate the explosion
at Wesleyan University. The gentlemen
visited New Haven to-day and saw young
Hubbard, the injured student, and got his
statement. They are very reticent, but
say that they mean to make the investiga-
tiOn complete and have the offenders Sc
verely punished
President Van Week, Profs. Wilson,
Crawford and Conn, the committee sp-
pointed by the Wesleyan Faculty to in
vestigate the recent dynamite explosions,
have, after a hard days work, cue
ceeded in getting at the bottom
facts. The hearing was secret, and
each member OF the Freshman class was
called and subjected 10 severe exsmina-
tion. II is learned that two of the men
confessed, duplicating six or eight Others
The Faculty refuses to give out any infor-
nation. From other sources it is learned
that the men who confessed are w. H. Hall
and Robert E. Smith. The names Of the
others are II. S. Rooksby, Nelson G Hub
bard, @ II. Pierse, W. NJ. Douglas, R. NJ.
Grant, E. J. Lamblyn and II. P. Quell.
Young Hubbard's father and mother
arrived this morning They found their
son fairly comfortable az the New Haven
hospital. Yesterday two fingers we're am-
putated, but his serious injury, which
causes the physicians concern, is the wound
in the abdomen, which they fear will be-
come infamed A large portion OF the
firecracker, or cartridge, composed OF plas-
ter of paris and psper-msche, penetrated
the abdomen. The physicians, however,
ara confident of his recovery.
Il is not known exactly what the char
scteT Of the explosives was, but hasty ex-
animation by Professor Clark, this chem
ist, showed that they were some sort OF
combination into which nitro glyceriue en-
tered largely. Three we're exploded one
on the fourth floor of North College, one
on the second floor in Hubbard's hand and
the third in Observatory Hall. The ex-
plOsion on the fourth floor drove large
hole through the floor stove in the door in
front Of which the shOOl was placed, caused
large areas OF the ceiling to fall and loosen
ed the whole ceiling for many feet around. !
That IN Observatory Hall caused rimilar
damage, b sides blowing Oat several tran
soms, knocking pictures from the walls and
otherwise shaking up things generally.
Hubbird's story is that as be was sitting
quietly in his room ho heard loud explO-
sion, and rushed from his room TO ascer-
tain its cause. He saw on the floor of the
bali a small shell, which lie supposed had
exploded, and he picked It up with the
intention of keeping it IS memorable"
Immediately thereafter the shell ex-
ploded with terrific force, blowing away
part of the yourg mans right hand and
otherwise msngling him. Students aud
tutors rushed from adjoining looms and
carried Hubbard intO his room. Physi-
ciaus we're hastily summoned, and they
made an examination l. was discovered
sl..t The bore II the foreingsr Was EXPOSED
and the whole inside OF the hand rribly
wounded and filled with grains looking
like powder. There were fesrfal flesh
wounds on the abdomen and the right leg
from the thigh TO the knee was badly lac
Grated Tue left hand was also injured
There seems to be great difficulty in
getting at the exact facts concerning the
explosions. the follo@ing information
comes from freshman who was approached
by certain member If the class, who ua-
folded 20 him The following plan ard asked
him TO assist in its exsCutiOn:-Fivs fresh
men were 70 be detailed to fire a cannon on
Asylum Hill at twelve o'clock. At the
same hour three others we're to have ex-
ploded the dynamite bOmbs-two in North
College and one in Observatory Han. Hub
bard was tire man detailed to fire the ex-
plosive on the see md floor. The plan was
carried out except 80 far as Hub
bard'8 part was Co1cernei. Csrtain facts
would seem TO indicate that late in the
evening he repented of his bargain and re-
solved to back out. lie invited two
friends-a senior and junior-to spend
the evening with him. UpOa his earnest
request they stayed until half-past eleven.
Even then, as they were leaving him, he
was urgent in asking them to remain
longer.
OutALE Au1 NflAAAE NhS AAAHA- WV W.N' ~
have delivered the bomb 10 Hubbard en-
tered the room three times, but finding
company he did not hand over the explo-
sive. It is possible that Hubbard finally
got the bomb and ii exploded prematurely,
or it may be that he attempted to destroy
the fuse after the bomb had been placed in
the hall by some one else. He, however,
denies all completely in the echeme.
The bOle affair was intended 10 carry
out on 2 big scale n time ho1ored custom
in Wesleyan of celebrating Washingtc0's
birthday. 1t has been customary for the
freshmsn in the face of a positive prOhib-
ton by the faculty and in spite of the de-
opposition of the sophOmores 10
fire cannon on tie evening of the 22d.
The prohibition of the faculty was removed
this year, but the freshmen determined to
celebrate in a manner to astonish tie ma
.iVes