Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-11-16
MORE MEN J MET


J. J. LoGcrty n tho Richmond CLris.W
Advocate
The colleseatLozing,oa euli-lcdmer
of cminoDce in It's faculty. Among
them was Colonel McCulloh, formerly
of Columbia College, New York city
He had been Director Of the Mint fol
ten years. During tic Confederacy he
was connected with tie torpedo de-
partment. He had inventt 4 a high ex-
plosive for blowing up the warships,
powder mills, and magaziles OF the
enemy. The Federal Government had
heard of it and were unhappy. He was
the last man let out Of prism. They
kept him six months aftor tie surrend-
err. For part Of The tin he was chain
ed.to tho floor. Think Of a man oc-
cupyipg his station among tn cultured
and scientifHsclass in America and Eng
land treated like an ASA SIM There
was no evidence. Spies, after their
kind, had magnifed his die veries and
Inventions in Illuminating stuffs. 1t
was rumored that he lad prepared
hollow almonds, and, if dropped in a
pocket, would, after an hour, rip the
fellow into fragments. He had, in
truth, neatly ready terrible agents.
Recently it was in the papers that a
piece OF coal was found N the Davis
mansion, in Richmond, which was load
ed with an explosive strong enough to
wreck an jronclad if put in its coal |
bins or furnace. Colonel McCulloh |
explained to me its epo alton. The |
dreadful lluiI II the tiny shell was
separated from tn acid by a thin skin
like drum-heqd. the thickness of
this sepium fxo / the time OF. bursting.
As soon as the al ate through to the
fluid the explosion occurred. These
she were madein imitation OF wanuts,
coal Jumps, Ji.lets Of wood, etc They
could be lett in the corner in powder
house, il pile OF coal for war vessels,
in ammunition sheds. The secrecy
and uncertainty unneryed seamen, Of
iccrs, and workman in government
shops. | do not doubt that. had the
war gone on balf-year longer, vessel. |
after vessel would have mysteriously
;uak in mId-ocelp Consider how the
Maine persisted. Who knows how? ,
This venerable savant IN the village of /
he Valley if Virginia was. once held l
n dread
He had spent years in Paris and was a
amiliar with scientific people on the t
ointment.
His testimony as an expert saved the o
re Of a woman in Baltimore during n e
lmous trial. 1t was n question of t
oisonmg. The contents OF the stom- t.
ch showed the pres -nce Of antimony. &
he woman was condemned. McCulloh a
as called in. He proved by an ex-
erimont in the courtroom that the b
lediciue yellow iessamin) given the Ii
ck man, General Ketchum, would I
reduce the same results as the test y
,r antimony \ fact never known be- il
IRE. The woman was acquitted. This 6
d, one day, to talk on roisons. 1t 81
lme out that there were volatile pois- b
ns so subtle that n vial uncorked in q tC
lurch would STAY the entire congrega- q
on without leaving any mark to detect IL
le cause of death. In France the b,
OF such destructives was ia
9t al owed to be printed Or manufact- tg
-ed, except for scientific purposes. 50
McCulloh was not connected with &C
~ church, but he quietly said to me a
le day that science would demon ju
rate the existence # one Great In IN
llisence, and that atheism and iguo- nc
nee would be Synonymous.
A very interesting citizen was Gen la