The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-14
Horrible Accident in a Chicago
Laboratory.
DR.. BURGHILL THE VICTIM
HE WAS EXPERIMENTING WITH
THE FLASH LIGHT.
VIII Be Totally Blind in Both Eyes,
and Will Lose Both Hands-A Re-
narkabIe Career of a Most Re-
markable Man-His Rash Offer
Made to Provide For His Mother.

CHICAGO, March 13.-"I cannot under
stand these stars. From their appear
ance it looks as if 1 would be blind be-
fore [ die"
Such were the remarks which DR.. A.
V. Burghill, All Cleveland avenue, adj
dressed to his landlady, Mrs. Crawford,
Wednesday afternoon. after making up
his horoscope, and the prediction was
verlned by terrible explosion last even
ing IN which he lost both his eyes, and
both his hands are so mutilated that
tney will have to be amputated. The ac-
cldent occurred in the office of Dr. w.
7. Llndquist, No. Hill street, where
Dr. Burghill was experimenting with
some dangerous explosives with which
ne was endeayoring to compound pre-
parat1on for taking flash light photo
graphs. 1t completely wrecked the office
OF DR.. Lindquist, and the detonation was
OF such volume that it could be heard
haf a mile away. Photographer Vernon
w. Lawrence, of 342 West Sixty-third
street, was with the doctor at the time of
the xplosion, but was saved from similar
injuries by waiting in an outer office
Whlle the experiment was being con-
Quoted.
A little less than two months ago,
Lawrence experienced two explosions
While IN search of the same flash light
erect. His gallery was damaged and he
was injured, but this did not deter him
in his investigation. Early in February
he made this third experiment. His gal
lery was wrecked and it was some time
before he was able to resume his work
In the hope that others more fortunate
than himself could aid him. he asserted
an advertisement in one of the Chicago
papers saying that he would pay liber-
ally for the discovery of the combination
he sought. He desired a stronger flash
light than is now known in the photo
graphic art. DR.. Burghill answered the
advertisement, telling Lawrence that he
had made the discovery he was seeking
for. A meeting was set for last evening
at DR.. Lundquist's laboratory and while
Burghill was preparing the mixture for
producing the flash light the explosion
occurred.
Or. Burghill is a Russian exile of high
rank and man of unusually complete
education. He received various honors
and medals at the hands cf the Russian
government, but was banished from Rus
STA four years ago and has since made
his home in America Since coming to
this country he has pursued the voca-
ton of professional hypnotist and has
also done considera BILE chemical work.
Burghill obtained his knowledge OF
chemistry in Russia, although born in
Sweden. He was driven from Russia for
his advocacy, in some essays, of better
treatment for Jews and Lutherans.
While in Russia, he was for q time in
the employ of the Russian secret ser
wee. he received SlBHdl HOlOiS DIT INC
hands of the car. among them being
the Roumanian iron cross, and after the
great nihilistic riots, was presented by
the car himself with the cross of the
Order of St. George, for conspicuous bra
very during those troublesome times.
In America his life seemed a failure,
and seeing poverty and perhaps death
staring him in the face, he became des-
perate and wrote a letter to one Of the
Chicago papers. in which he offered II
sell himself. He declared he would do
anything the buyer asked. He said he
would kill or steal or kill himself While
insured in the owners favor. No name
accompanied this strange letter but 1t
was published and attracted the atten-
ton of man who offered to aid the wri-
ter if he could find him. After an inVes--
tigation it was learned that Burghill
was the writer but that already he had
repented of his rash offer.