Evening star., 1909-05-22
OESERTER NvENTS TORPEDO
EXPLoDES TWICE AND DEMoL-
ISHES EVERYTHING IT HITS.
Zaccheus Is Prisoner on Governors
Island, Where He Completed
Plans of Deadly Missile.

NEW YORK, May 22.-Zaccheus Favor,
former private in the Coast Artillery
Corps, United States Army, now serving
sentence Of two years in Castle Will
liam on Governors Island for desertion, is
dealing missile. which he and his friends
in the prison, as we'll a firm of New
York lawyers, who have agreed to ex-
ploit ii, declare to be the most destructive
engine of warfare ever invented.
While refusing to give any technical
details of his deadly device, Favor de-
scribes it in general as a flying cleo
trical torpedo that eSplodes twice. once
when it strikes the object against which
it is fired, and second time after it has
entered the object that is. to be de-
stroyed.
Studied Torpedoes in Army.
Favor is about twenty-three years old,
and yesterday said that he had been
working on his double-action torpedo
about four years. He admitted that he
had enlisted in the army to learn all
about torpedoes.
After he had gained what he consid-
cred thorough knowledge of them he
decided it was time to quit the army and
sell his invention. He did quit, but the
government caught him. and he was
court ma rtialed and sentenced to Castle
William.
When not moving the lawns, grinding
homes to make fertilizer, sweeping the
walks or shoNelinS coal. Favor says, he
has spent all Of his spare time perfecting
his invention. Day before yesterday he
turned over the. plans and specifications
to his New York lawyers, who will I'M
mediately apply to the patent office in
Washington for patent.
If that is granted the lawyers will look
around for some government to which
to sell the secret of the invention.
Foreign Power After Device.
The imprisoned inventor said yesterday
that he had been Indirectly approached
by a foreign government. but that he had
declined to enter into negotiations for the
present.
Though / am prisoner sent here by
the government of my own country. am
still patriotic enough to want my native
land to have the first chance at this tor
pedo." he said.
What do you shoot the thing from?"
Favor was asked.
"Ah," he answered, there is the secret
Of the whole thing. It is shot from moth
ing at all. There are no tubes. such as
are used in firing the Whiteheads
1T Is like a great electrical bird. and
it ,soarS through the air. 1t can be fired
from anywhere. and is just as effective
for land defense as for sending warships
to the bottom of the sea.
Speaking of Warships, one well placed
projectiIe that can be fired from dis
tance of ten miles. If it strikes the ship.
will send the ship and all the men In her
to the bottom. This torpedo of mine is a
double: exploding affair. That Is. 1t ex-
plodes first to effect an entrance into the
ship or fortification. and once inside 1t
goes off again to finish the job"
Would Kill Whole Regiment.
Suppose you fired one of them at a
regiment of soldiers. what would happen
to the soldiers?' Favor was asked.
1T would kill every blessed one Of EN-"
answered Favor.
Would anything be left for the second
explosion?'
mo. that would just scatter about what
was left" added the inventor.
Suppose you set one on In. the cellar
Of one of New Yorks big buildings. what
would be the finish?"
There would not be enough OF that
building left to fill cigar box" respond
ed the inventor proudly.
Favor said he would deal through his
attorneys, pending his release from
prison.
When an officer of the army was told
about the birdlike electrical double firing
torpedo, he said:
SIS il not terrible? hope one of them
will not get lost down there at Plumb
Island. - - --------.->