Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-02-19
AN INTERNAL COMPOUND.

Tho Destructive Nature of the Internal
Machine Compound Captured with Sec
rotary Gibson of the Whisky trust De
monstrated by United States ofncials III
the Presence of Gibson's Attorneys-The
Latter Dumfounded.
CHICAGO, Feb. 1.-THE fact that the
bottle found in the sachel taken from
Secretary Gibson of the Whisky Ifus5
at the time of his arrest contained SUD-
stance which would have brought about
the destruction of Schufeldt's distlllery
in very short order was definitely es-
tablished .by an experiment made yes
terday. The experiment was made IN
Room IS of the Federal building by the
officers who worked up the case against
the Whisky Trust man, and in the pres
ence of Lawyer Bury, who, with ms
partner, j. S. Runnells, has charge OF
Gibson's defense. Inspector Stuart
withdrew the covered cork from the
bottle and allowed one drop of the stuff
to fall upon small piece of
paper. Almost instantly the paper
burst into flame. The expert
ment was repeated several times.
and it was found that whenever the
smallest quantity was placed on any
substance that would burn flame shot
up instantly. If placed upon sub
stance not infammable the stuff itself
took fire after a brief exposure to the
atmosphere.
When the cork was replaced in the
bottle Captain Stuart wiped the neck
with a towel. and then threw the towel
to one side. In moment the towel
was in flames, and there was scurry-
ing for water to put out the fire. The
big room was filled with blue smoke
and with a sickening odor of phospho-
rus, of which the inflammable stuff APP
peared to be manly composed.
Captain Stuart and United States At
torney Milchrist came out in the cor
ridor to get breath of fresh air. They
had just washed their hands after
handling the bottle, but nevertheless
blue smoke curled up from their fingers,
showing what strong solution of phos-
phorus the bottle must have contained.
| Gibson's attorney, William BURY, was
dumfounded at the result of the expert
ment and refused to say any thing.
Marshal Hitchcock, who is a friend OF
Gibson's, watched the experiment with
great interest. Il am completely
stunned" said he. ''In view of the
| facts shown before me this morning |
| was compelled to believe my old friend
guilty against my wish. Now L know
it. How can help believing it,
when the evidence is SO damning;
but l never thought for a moment that
any lives would be lost and believed
that he only intended to destroy the
distillery.'
The officials who examined the pack.
| age state that it was found to contain a
very dangerous compound.
Solicitor General Hart left for Wash
ington yesterday with a sample of the
| LIQUID found in Gibson's grip.
Captain Stuart is reported to have
proof that Gibson made the machine
himself and compounded the liquid
but the inspector will not say this is
true. DeWar is still beyond the reach
of interviewers. He will not be seen
until the Federal grand jury takes ur
the case in March. All the officers
concerned with the case unite in say.
ing that unless some other evidence
is discovered no further arrests will be
made The evidence thus far impli
Gates no one but Gibson.