The Cairo bulletin., 1909-07-01
TORPEDO IS DEADLY
Destructive Engine of War In.
vented by Deserter.
Latter ls Prisoner on Governors
Island, N. Y.--Misslle Explodes
Twice and Demollshes Every
thing II Hits.

New York-Zaccheus Favor. former
private in the Coast Artillery Corps,
United States army. now serving q
sentence OF two years In Castle Will
lam on Governors Island for desertion,
Is about TO apply for patent for a
death-dealing missile. which he and
his friends In the prison. as we'll as q
Arm of New York lawyers, who have
agreed to exploit 1t, 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 flying cleo
trical torpedo that explodes twice,
once when 1t strikes the object against
which II Is fired. and second time
after II has entered the object that Is
to be destroyed.
Favor Is about % years old, and said
that he had been working on his dou-
ble-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 con
sidered a thorough knowledge of them
he decided 1t was time 10 quit the
army and sell his invention He did
quit. but the government caught him,
and he was court-martialed and sen
fenced TO Castle William.
When not moving the lawns, grind.
ing bones to make fertilizer, sweeping
the walks or shoveling coal. Favor
says. he has spent all of his spare
time perfecting his invention. A few
days ago he turned over the plans and
specifications to his New York law
yers, who will immediately apply TO
the patent Office in Washington for
patent.
II that is granted the lawyers will
look around for some government to
which to sell the secret of the inven-
ton.
The imprisoned inventor said tho
other day that he had been indirectly
approached by foreign government
but that he had declined to enter into
negotiations for the present.
Though | am a prisoner sent here
by the government OF my country, |
am still patriotic enough to want my
native land to have the first chance
ut this torpedo" he said.
What do you shoot the thing
FROM" Favor was asked.
"Ah.p he answered. there is the Sc
cFet of the whole thing 1t Is shot
from nothing at ALI There are no
tubes such as are used In firing the
Whlteheads.
''It is like great electrical bird.
and II scars through the mir. II can
be fired from anywhere. and is just
az effective for land defense as for
sending warships to the bottom of the
sea.
Speaking OF warships, one we'll
placed projectile that can be fred
from a distance of ten miles IL II
strikes the ship, will send the ship and
ali the men In her to the bottom. This
torpedo of mine Is double exploding
afair. That is, IT explodes first to
effect an entrance into the ship or
fortificatlon, and once inside II goes
off again to finish the fob"
Suppose you fired one OF them at a
regiment OF soldiers, what would hap.
pen to the soldiers% Favor was
asked.
1T would kill every blessed one OF
EN-" answered Favor.
Would anything be laf' far the SEQ
ond explosion" 4
mo. that would Just scatter about
what was left" added the inventor
Suppose you set one off In the eel
lar OF one of New York's Dig buildings.
what would be the finish?"
There would not be enough of that
building left to fill cigar box" re-
sponded the inventor proudly.
Favor said he would deal through
his attorneys. pending his release
from prison. tt