It is not intended that the series of articles we propose publishing in
these pages under the above title should in any way give rise to alarm,
or be an incentive to disturbed and restless nights. On the other hand,
a better knowledge of how crimes are concocted and ultimately carried
into effect may, perhaps, provide a course of much-needed lessons
usually omitted in one's early education. It is said that the public
seldom trouble to protect themselves, and for a very good reason, they
don't know how; and it is only by becoming on a more familiar footing
with the manners and customs of those enterprising individuals who seek
to shatter anything between our nerves and our residences, either by
relieving us of our purse or planting a dangerous species of explosive
at our front doors, that we are the better able to take care of
ourselves, our relatives, and our belongings--ourselves, perhaps, for
choice.
At New Scotland Yard a large apartment is devoted to the exhibit of
ten thousand and one records of crime, in the shape of the actual
weapons, and what not, associated with particularly notorious, and, in
some instances, almost historic, deeds. A visit to this place is the
finest and most complete nerve-tester in the world! The authorities
at New Scotland Yard have kindly placed this room and its contents at
our disposal; and each of the separate cases, which severally contain
exhibits of some distinctive branch of punishable offences, requires
a chapter to itself. The most recently arrived exhibit is one which,
at the present time, possesses a peculiar interest. In the centre of
the room is a glass case, which provides a resting-place for mementos
of the more important outrages and attempts and suspicious cases
of discoveries of explosives which have called for the attention
of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Explosives for the last fifteen or
twenty years--Colonel V. D. Majendie, C.B., H.M. Chief Inspector of
Explosives, and Colonel A. Ford; whilst Dr. Dupré has throughout been
associated with these gentlemen as chemical expert. As an expert in
explosives, no name is better known than that of Colonel Majendie,
a man in the prime of life, of indomitable energy and immovable
disposition; who may be singled out as being engaged in the two
extremes of business and pleasure. His business: dynamite, gunpowder,
and all the kindred blasting operatives; his pleasure: the "Children
of Paules," as the choir boys of St. Paul's Cathedral used to be
designated. In his room at the Home Office slabs of American dynamite,
infernal machines, and detonators; in his rooms at home walls covered
with portraits of these tuneful youngsters, many of them in the whitest
of white surplices; while the drawers of his desk are brimming over
with youthful letters from the past and present choristers of the great
Cathedral. Colonel Majendie never destroys a dynamite relic--or a
child's letter. Both are too precious.
[Illustration: COLONEL MAJENDIE
_From a photo by Webber, Canterbury._]
Such is Colonel Majendie, the sworn enemy of dynamiters; and it was
in company with him that the writer visited New Scotland Yard and
examined, one by one, the contents of the case already referred to, and
associated them with the various incidents in which they were designed
to play--and, in some instances, succeeded in playing--so prominent a
part.
[Illustration: FIG. 1.--EXPLOSION AT DUBLIN CASTLE.]
[Illustration: FIG. 2.--"BABY'S BOTTLE?" FIG. 3.--EXPLOSIVE COAL.]
It may be said that the more serious attempts to devote dynamite to
the very reverse purpose from what it was intended for commenced in
1881, when, on the 14th January of that year, an attempt was made
to blow up the barracks at Salford. Very little damage was done to
the barracks, but a lad was killed and another injured. In all the
subsequent attempts to destroy life and property, only one other
death has occurred. On the Christmas Eve of 1892, an infernal machine
exploded outside the Detective Office in Exchange Court, Dublin Castle,
when a detective officer was killed (Fig. 1). Without including minor
explosions, the numbers of important dynamitic efforts from the year
1881 to 1892 are as follows:--In 1881, 9 attempts; 1882, 5; 1883,
10; 1884, 12; 1885, 8; 1886, 4; 1887, 15; 1888, 2; 1889, 3; 1890, 5;
1891, 6; and in 1892, 7 outrages. It is not necessary to say that the
initial explosion at Salford, in 1881, greatly alarmed the public.
Anything found of a suspicious character was at once associated with
dynamite, and the earliest relic treasured at New Scotland Yard is a
strange-looking object which was found in a tram-car, and owing to
the excited state of the mind of the British public at that time, was
immediately put down as an infernal machine. There is, however, some
reason to believe that it was nothing more than a model for a new idea
in babies' feeding-bottles (Fig. 2). Its inventor never put in a claim
for it, but it still remains at "The Yard" for anybody who can justify
his or her claim to its possession. By its side is an imitation piece
of coal--(Fig. 3)--a most deadly weapon when used, for it is intended
to be filled with explosive and thrown in the stoke-hole of vessels,
in the hope that the stoker may shovel it into the furnace with some
of the other fuel. Another relic of this year is one of four machines
which were found on the 2nd July at Liverpool in the _Bavaria_ (Fig.
4), six other infernal machines having been found in the _Malta_ two
days previously. They were discovered in barrels of cement. They
contained lignin-dynamite, with a very cheap clock arrangement for
firing it. The machines proper were in leaden boxes about nine inches
long by four inches square. A second machine of the 1881 period is of
the clockwork pattern (Fig. 5), and is controlled by a small knife,
which falls at the set time, cutting a string, releasing a spring which
falls on a percussion cap, and so brings about an explosion.
[Illustration: FIG. 4.--INFERNAL MACHINE FOUND ON THE "BAVARIA."]
[Illustration: FIG. 5.--MACHINE OF THE 1881 PERIOD.]
An 1882 relic is a most interesting one, and its surrounding companions
are equally curious. Here is the revolver with which O'Donnell shot
Carey (Fig. 6). It is of an American pattern, and marked 147A in the
catalogue. A most ingenious contrivance also in this part of the
collection is a tin can, made in two compartments (Fig. 7). It was used
for conveying contraband gunpowder to Egypt. It is so made that when it
is probed by the Customs' officials to see what it contains, the probe
used comes out covered with oil.
[Illustration: FIG. 6.--O'DONNELL'S REVOLVER.]
A few samples of a not particularly choice brand of cigars are also
shown (Fig. 8). A gentleman who has no great love for you, and who
fully appreciates the weakness of human nature of the male persuasion
in seldom refusing a cigar, offers you one out of his case:--
[Illustration: FIG. 7.--CANISTER FOR SMUGGLING GUNPOWDER.]
"Something very choice, sir, I assure you," he says. He is a perfect
stranger to you, but--well, a cigar's a cigar, and you accept his kind
offer. The benevolent cigar proprietor sees you light up, and you puff
away in peace. He is suddenly called away. The cigar explodes! It
contains an explosive, which is wrapped up in a piece of blue paper,
and is placed about half-way down the cigar.
[Illustration: FIG. 8.--EXPLOSIVE CIGARS.]
But the most interesting relic of 1882 is a little canister very much
resembling a diminutive milk can (Fig. 9). It is supposed to contain
dynamite, and has never been opened since its receipt at the House of
Commons in that year, addressed to Mr. Forster, then Chief Secretary
for Ireland.
[Illustration: FIG. 9.--CAN SENT TO MR. FORSTER.]
It was not, however, until 1883 that the authorities were fully
aroused. The Explosives Act of 1875 had controlled all substances
of this nature; but it was not designed to control the criminal use
of explosives, although it is true that certain clauses were found
available to some extent. But the Act of 1883 was passed by the House
of Commons in a single sitting--a most important and far-reaching Act,
which deals with every possible phase of the question of explosives. No
wonder this Act was passed.
Before the New Year of 1883 was many days old a series of attempts
was made which, together with the two subsequent years, afforded more
trouble and anxiety to Colonel Majendie and his colleagues than any
trio of years since these more serious efforts were made. Glasgow was
the scene of operations, and on the night and morning of the 20th and
21st January three explosions occurred, in all of which lignin-dynamite
was used. The first was at Tradeston Gasworks on the 20th, the
remainder at Possil Bridge and at Buchanan Street Station on the 21st.
No lives were lost, though considerable damage was done. Photographs
are of the greatest possible use to the expert when engaged in making
his experiments, in order to find out the probable cause of any
explosion, and through the courtesy of Colonel Majendie, we are enabled
to show a number of these.
The picture of the explosion at the Glasgow Gasworks was taken in
the interior of a holder, and shows the perforations of the plates
by projected _débris_ on the side of the holder opposite to that
on which the explosion occurred (Fig. 10). It is fortunate that the
perpetrators of this deed--ten persons were convicted--possessed but
a very crude knowledge of the best method of blowing up a gasworks.
They adopted the same method as at the siege of Paris, but not with
the effect desired. There is a common belief that it is an easy matter
to blow up a gasworks; but the only condition in which a holder is
really dangerous is _when it is empty_. If the holder is full of gas
there is no air present--and gas must have air mixed with it if it is
to assist the explosion. In this case the dynamite was applied, but
it only blew great holes in the gasometer, the gas was consumed, and
part of Glasgow was for some time in darkness. In the Possil Road Canal
Bridge incident--the idea being to let the water out and do no end of
damage--a miserable failure was the result. The detonator did not go
off!
[Illustration: FIG. 10.--THE GLASGOW EXPLOSION--INSIDE THE GASHOLDER.]
Colonel Majendie tells a good story in connection with the Glasgow
affair. He went to Scotland in a great hurry, only taking one suit
of clothes. After spending a considerable time in the gasholder, his
clothes--not to put too fine a point upon it--smelt. Indeed, the next
morning at breakfast Sir John Hawkshaw comforted him with the assurance
that he "smelt like a rat out of a hole!"
When paying his bill in company with the engineer, one of the
restaurant assistants turned to a companion and exclaimed:--
"Good gracious, Jessie, there's a dreadful escape of gas!"
"Then here goes for the escape of the engineer," cried that gentleman,
rushing out of the place.
The Glasgow occurrences were followed up by two explosions on the 15th
March--one outside a window at the _Times_ office, and another causing
considerable damage at the Local Government Board Office, Whitehall
(Fig. 11). The explosion at the _Times_ was abortive, and Colonel
Majendie found the stuff used, together with a tube. This tube was a
silent witness. It was ascertained that it was similar to that used in
the Glasgow explosion, and of a similar pattern to those found on the
men who were convicted.
Now came a very serious business; in Colonel Majendie's opinion,
the most serious he ever had to deal with. It created the greatest
possible excitement at the time. This was the discovery at Birmingham,
on the 5th April, 1883, of a factory of nitro-glycerine, and of a
large amount of the same substance brought thence to London. It is
due to the Birmingham police to state here that they kept their heads
magnificently, laid their traps with consummate skill, and communicated
with the authorities at the Home Office just at the right moment. Some
of the nitro-glycerine found its way to London, the Birmingham police
actually travelling up to the Metropolis with a man whose luggage
consisted of a pair of fishing stockings, containing some 70lb. of this
terrible explosive agent! He was arrested, the explosive was lodged at
a special magazine near Woolwich, and subsequently made into dynamite
and then destroyed.
Whitehead and his accomplices had opened premises as a stationer's
shop. Colonel Majendie, in company with Dr. Dupré, found that at the
back they were carrying on a snug little business in the manufacture
of the most deadly explosive. In a copper was a quantity of sulphuric
acid, with nitro-glycerine floating on the top. The experts carefully
skimmed the nitro-glycerine off, when they were faced with a still more
serious trouble. In another room they discovered a large number of
carboys, one of which contained no less than 170lb. of nitro-glycerine.
It was by no means pure, and the question arose, What was to be done?
Colonel Majendie and Dr. Dupré were forced to go down to Liverpool that
night to give evidence. The nitro-glycerine they dared not remove as it
was. If it were left it might possibly explode--while if the discovery
were announced it would cause a fearful scare.
[Illustration: FIG. 11.--EXPLOSION AT LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD OFFICE.]
It was decided to get a large quantity of ice and pack it round
the explosive in order to keep it as cold as possible. So with
this terrible load on their minds the experts left for Liverpool,
and returned to find that they had done the right thing. They had
kept down the temperature sufficiently to ensure the safety of the
nitro-glycerine. With the aid of kieselguhr--an infusorial earth of
a very porous character and the inert ingredient of dynamite, and
considered by Mr. Alfred Nobel the best vehicle to use as an absorbent
of nitro-glycerine--the experts caused the nitro-glycerine to be made
into dynamite. It was conveyed to an isolated site near Birmingham,
spread out on a tract of land, burnt, and so got rid of.
The occupier of the "stationer's" shop and others were subsequently
convicted and sentenced to penal servitude for life.
October of 1883 brought about two explosions--both on the Metropolitan
Railway. The first of these occurred between Charing Cross and
Westminster, fortunately resulting in no personal or serious structural
injury. That, however, on the same night at Praed Street resulted in
three carriages being practically smashed, whilst sixty-two persons
were injured by the broken glass and _débris_. An important discovery
was made on the 16th January, 1884, of some slabs of Atlas Powder of
American make in Primrose Hill Tunnel, and it is surmised that these
were thrown away by a conspirator as being of no use for the moment,
seeing that it is probable that everything was cut and dried for the
somewhat alarming events which occurred in the following month--a
quartette of attempted outrages at four London stations, one of which
was tolerably successful. On the 26th February, 1884, an explosion
occurred in the cloak-room of the London, Brighton, and South Coast
Railway at Victoria Station (Fig. 12); whilst on the 27th February,
28th February, and 1st March, discoveries of bags containing Atlas
Powder, with clockwork and detonators, were made at Charing Cross,
Paddington, and Ludgate Hill stations respectively.
In all these cases the clock was used--and that here reproduced is the
one found at Paddington--which was left in various cloak-rooms in a
portmanteau. The authorities were for the moment at a loss to discover
how the explosion occurred, until the police communicated the fact that
a portmanteau had been seized at Charing Cross Station.
[Illustration: FIG. 12.--EXPLOSION IN CLOAK ROOM AT VICTORIA STATION.]
The following extract from the official report will be read with
interest, seeing that it also describes how an infernal machine of the
clockwork pattern works:--
"The portmanteau, which had been deposited between 7 and 9 p.m. on
Monday, the 25th February, was fastened with two straps and was not
locked. On being opened it was found to contain some packages or slabs
of a peculiar description, and the searcher at once reported the matter
to the police, who rightly concluded that the slabs were probably an
explosive of the dynamite order. The police caused the portmanteau to
be at once conveyed to the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, and a telegram was
sent requesting our attendance.
"An examination of the portmanteau showed that it contained (in
addition to one or two rather worthless articles of clothing)
forty-five slabs of the material which had excited suspicion. They
consisted each of a paraffined paper packet 6 in. by 3 in. by 1/2 in.
(thick), containing a substance which proved to be a description of
lignin-dynamite not used or licensed for use in or importation into
this country, but largely manufactured and employed for industrial
purposes in America. Each packet had the words 'Atlas Powder A' printed
on it, and was open at one end, and weighed rather under half a pound.
The packets were carefully packed into one side or compartment of the
portmanteau and surrounding what proved to be a box of tinned iron,
measuring 6 in. by 5 in. by 5 in., and having the exterior lacquered
yellow. The box had a hinged lid and the junction of the lid and box
was roughly luted with a material of the character of cobbler's wax.
"We proceeded to remove the box and to open it with suitable
precautions. In the interior was a circular American alarum clock, face
uppermost, and with the alarum bell removed. The clock subsequently
proved to be one made by the Ansonia Clock Company of New York, and
of the pattern designated by them 'Peep of Day.' These clocks can be
readily purchased retail in London for 10s., or even less. On taking
out the clock and turning it over we found that the metal back had
been removed, and that a small nickel-plated vest-pocket pistol (the
woodwork of the stock of which had been removed) was fastened by means
of copper wire to the movement, and the winding handle of the clock
had been turned down and so fixed (also by copper wire) that when
the alarum ran down one end of the handle, as it travelled round,
would impinge upon the trigger and fire the pistol. This, in fact,
had actually been accomplished so far as the impact of the winder and
trigger was concerned, the trigger had been pulled, and the hammer of
the pistol was resting upon the copper rim-fire cartridge with which
the pistol was loaded, and which, on being extracted, proved to have
missed fire. The alarum was set to run off at 12 (at which hour the
pistol hammer had presumably fallen); the clock itself had stopped at
about 4.14.
"Opposite to the muzzle of the pistol, inside the tin box and resting
against it, was the greater portion of one of the slabs of 'Atlas
Powder,' into which, immediately opposite to the pistol's mouth, were
embedded seven powerful detonators, mouths outermost, and by way
of further insuring the action of the machine a piece of ordinary
quick-match had been bent into several of the detonators, which, on
examination, proved to contain an exceptionally heavy charge (over 13
grains) of fulminate of mercury and chlorate of potash.
"This slab was intended to act as the primer, and its function would be
to produce (through the agency of the detonators) an initial explosion
by means of which the mass of dynamite with which the tin box was
surrounded would be exploded.
"It may be interesting to note that the use of a clockwork apparatus
as a means of effecting a deferred explosion is no novelty. Thus the
idea was applied in the infernal machines which were surreptitiously
imported into Liverpool from America in 1881, and Thomas's machine,
which exploded with such terrible effect at Bremerhaven on December 11,
1875, was fired by a similar agency. There exists also in the Museum of
Artillery at the Rotunda, Woolwich, a model of a clockwork apparatus
attached to a flint lock for firing a submarine mine or torpedo, which
was designed by Sir William Congreve, probably in the early part of the
present century. But the particular combination adopted in the present
instance is, so far as our knowledge goes, original."
[Illustration: FIG. 13.--CLOCKWORK MACHINE FOUND AT PADDINGTON.]
After Colonel Majendie had seen this clock he was enabled to attach a
special significance to a piece of metal which he found in the _débris_
at Victoria Station, and which proved to be a particle of steel
spring. This is an admirable example of the usefulness of the magnet,
which is always employed when searching _débris_. It is a curious
fact that the Charing Cross clock went off, that the trigger of the
pistol was released, but the cartridge had not exploded. On dissecting
the cartridge, it was found that the fulminate had been omitted from
the particular part of the rim on which the trigger had fallen. At
Paddington the hammer had also fallen, but the cartridge did not go
off. Upon testing a score of these cartridges nine went off at once,
six did not explode until the vital part was touched by the trigger,
and five refused to explode at all.
A still more remarkable circumstance associated with the Paddington
discovery must be recorded. When the clock was found it was ticking
away merrily (Fig. 13). The dynamite had not exploded owing to the
fact that the winder had caught against a little knob which failed to
release it.
Colonel Ford expressed a desire to take the clock home with him to show
it to his wife. On his way, the jolting of the cab was sufficient to
partially release the winder, and the hammer of the pistol descended
during the night. Of course, the cartridge and dynamite had been
previously removed by the Inspectors.
Before referring at length to the next important event in the history
of dynamiters for the year 1884, we would remind the reader that we
have only dealt in detail with two types of infernal machine: the clock
system, which may be set in advance to act some hours later; and the
burning fuse, which was employed in some of the earlier explosions
alluded to. The infernal machine found at Cork and preserved at New
Scotland Yard shows this method of working very clearly (Fig. 14). It
is a wooden box about a foot square and separated into divisions.
One compartment is fitted with clockwork, to which a fuse is attached
and which passes through to the other part of the box filled with
gunpowder. This box would hold about 8lb. of powder. When the lid is
removed the clockwork starts, the fuse is fired, and the gunpowder
explodes. A fuse is a series of strands of hemp with a column of
gunpowder running through. There are many varieties, and every
manufacturer has a special mark on the fuse he makes, so that the
authorities can always trace it. We lit a fuse and found that it burnt
at the rate of a yard a minute; it can, therefore, easily be adjusted
to any time required.
We now, however, come to the most deadly of all weapons used by
dynamiters--the bomb, which explodes instantly on falling. These
bombs--as the shrapnel shell, used in artillery--can only be designed
for one purpose, the destruction of human life: they are essentially
man-killing infernal machines. On April 11th, 1884, three metal
bombs, containing dynamite, were found in the possession of Daly, at
Birkenhead, who was subsequently sentenced to penal servitude for life.
[Illustration: FIG. 14.--INFERNAL MACHINE FOUND AT CORK.]
The old-fashioned bomb was of a shape resembling an egg, with nipples
like gun nipples and percussion caps. It was weighted at one end to
insure its falling on the point intended. The Barcelona bomb was
spherical, but similarly fitted with nipples. This is the Orsini type.
But the Daly bomb was a far more delicate piece of mechanism. Inside
the bomb was a little bottle containing sulphuric acid with a small
piece of lead, so that when the bomb was thrown the weight of the
lead caused the bottle to break and the acid came in contact with
a composition, which immediately ignited. This ignition fired a
detonator, which in turn fired the dynamite. Although the various
moves in the interior of the Daly bomb were many, yet we were assured
by Colonel Majendie that in some experiments he made, from the moment
the bomb struck the ground to its explosion there was no appreciable
interval of time. The deadly wrecking powers of this bomb were proved
by Colonel Majendie at the trial of Daly. The Colonel took a bomb
and exploded it in an iron room, which is used for testing shells at
Woolwich. A dozen dummy wooden figures--of the size of living men--were
placed round the apartment. The bomb was exploded by electricity, and
the twelve figures received no fewer than one hundred and sixty-eight
wounds!
[Illustration: Fig. 15.--THE DALY BOMB.]
The relics of the Daly case, at New Scotland Yard, are amongst the most
treasured of such items in the possession of the police. Some of them
are reproduced here. There is the bomb (Fig. 15), and a very formidable
weapon it appears, though it would easily fit in an overcoat pocket;
the written instructions found on Daly are fairly legible (Fig.
16), though in the case of one or two words the sulphuric acid has
partially obliterated several of the letters. However, its intention is
sufficiently intelligible. Furthermore, there are set out a number of
pieces of metal--any of which would be capable of killing a man--which
were extracted from some of the dummy figures experimented on at
Woolwich (Fig. 17).
[Illustration: FIG. 16.--DALY'S INSTRUCTIONS.]
It should be stated that Daly, at his trial, suggested that these bombs
might be used for killing fish.
[Illustration: FIG. 17.--PIECES TAKEN OUT OF DUMMY FIGURES.]
"Yes," said Colonel Majendie pointing to those found on Daly; "but
nobody would care to fish with those."
[Illustration: FIG 18.--SIR WATKIN WILLIAMS-WYNN'S--EXTERIOR.]
In this same year--1884--no fewer than three explosions occurred on
the night of the 30th May, whilst on the same evening a bag was found
in Trafalgar Square containing Atlas Powder, with fuse and detonators.
The first was at the Junior Carlton Club, St. James's Square, where
about fourteen persons were injured. The second--which occurred about
fifteen seconds after that at the Junior Carlton--at the residence
of Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, St. James's Square (Fig. 18), which the
perpetrators evidently mistook for a part of the Intelligence Office.
It is probable that the charge used was thrown over the area railings,
but it accidentally lodged in a window recess of the morning room,
where the most serious effects of the explosion were felt, although
the windows of the house were much shattered. As the official report
states:--
[Illustration: FIG. 19.--SIR WATKIN WILLIAMS-WYNN'S--MORNING ROOM.]
"Although a party were assembled in the morning-room at the time the
explosion occurred, they fortunately escaped injury with the exception
of one lady, who had her hand slightly cut by some broken glass. This
remarkable escape (as it must appear to anyone who had an opportunity
of examining the room before the _débris_ had been disturbed, or who
has seen the photographs of this room) can only be attributed to the
fact that the party did not happen to be seated directly opposite to
the window under which the explosion occurred, but rather in the other
part of the room, where they were to some extent sheltered from the
effects (Fig. 19). Two servants who were standing on the front doorstep
were also injured, one of them somewhat severely, making a total, so
far as is known, of three persons injured by this explosion."
[Illustration: FIG. 20.--EXPLOSION AT SCOTLAND YARD.]
The third explosion of this eventful night took place at 9.20 p.m., at
Old Scotland Yard. The charge was placed outside a room used by some
of the detective staff. The explosion brought down a portion of the
building, doing considerable damage to some carriages standing there at
the time and to neighbouring buildings, and injuring several persons
(Figs. 20 and 21).
[Illustration: FIG. 21.--EXPLOSION AT SCOTLAND YARD.]
The last explosion of 1884 was on December 13th, and took the form
of a considerable charge of dynamite or other nitro-compound under
London Bridge. Very little damage was done, but there is no reasonable
doubt that the perpetrators of this deed were themselves killed, and
Colonel Majendie found what he believed to be the remains of a human
being who was blown up with the boat employed in the transaction.
Curiously enough, just previous to this outrage, circumstances led the
authorities to believe that some of the bridges which span the Thames
required special protection, and Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of
Explosives was directed to visit them, and advise as to the precautions
to be taken. Colonel Majendie found that London Bridge contained
certain gully holes which were used for the purpose of draining
out water. These gully holes possessed peculiar advantages for the
secretion of an infernal machine. Accordingly, upon Colonel Majendie's
recommendation, strong iron bars were placed over these holes, so that
it was impossible to place the dynamite in the required position.
The would-be perpetrators--and there were three of them--bungled so
much that, as has already been hinted, little damage was done save to
themselves. The facsimile of the bent bars and hooks (Fig. 22), much
reduced, will give a good idea of the force of the explosive used on
this occasion, and some idea of what the effects upon the bridge would
have been if the bars had not been affixed and the charge had acted
within the gully hole.
[Illustration: FIG. 22.--RELICS OF LONDON BRIDGE EXPLOSION.]
The last of the three bad years was 1885, in which year a brass tube or
fuse for firing nitro-glycerine compound was found at Liverpool (Fig.
23): a very ingenious contrivance (here reproduced), in which sulphuric
acid is used, the time at which the acid will act being governed by the
number of folds of paper stuffed round the hole allowing the fluid
to escape through, and so firing a detonator in conjunction with the
explosive proper. Similar tubes had undoubtedly been used at Glasgow,
at the Local Government Board Explosion, and at the _Times_ office.
[Illustration: FIG. 23.--BRASS TUBE CONTAINING NITRO-GLYCERINE, FOUND
AT LIVERPOOL.]
Again came a trio of events. On the 24th January, 1885, an explosion
occurred at the Tower of London, doing serious damage--scattering
the stands of arms and playing great havoc with other implements of
warfare. Great was the wreckage in the old Banqueting Hall (Fig. 24).
There is every reason for the belief that the man who introduced the
explosive did so in an apron fitted with pockets and worn under his
greatcoat. On the same night a charge of Atlas Powder, similar to
that used at the Tower, created no small havoc in Westminster Hall;
while the third explosion was the well-remembered event at the House
of Commons. Fortunately, the House was not sitting at the time. The
Strangers' and Peers' Galleries were severely injured, and to give an
idea of the wreckage, the Estimates of the following year provided a
sum of £6,125 for repair of damage done to the House of Commons, and
£2,500 for Westminster Hall. Two men were convicted and sentenced to
penal servitude for life.
[Illustration: FIG. 24.--EXPLOSION AT TOWER OF LONDON--THE BANQUETING
HALL.]
We give a reproduction of the Salisbury infernal machine discovered in
this year--a machine of exceptionally rough make (Fig. 25). A series of
minor events had taken place in Wiltshire and Hampshire, which caused
the police some trouble for a couple of years. They were not believed
to be of any political significance, but done simply out of pure
mischief. Still, this sort of fun does not pay, as the two ringleaders
found when they were sentenced at the Salisbury Assizes to twelve and
two months' hard labour respectively.
The year 1886 was fairly clear; but 1887 brought about the discovery
of a conspiracy between Callan and Harkins to commit an outrage by
means of dynamite. The police found at 24, Brixton Road, some 28lb. of
explosive in the dust-bin and garden, which had been left as a legacy
to Callan. Callan's empty portmanteau--also left him by the same person
who bequeathed him the dynamite, a man named Cohen--condemned him,
for on a microscopical examination by Dr. Dupré and the Government
Inspectors, the tell-tale kieselguhr was found.
[Illustration: FIG. 25.--THE SALISBURY INFERNAL MACHINE.]
There was little of serious moment in 1888. The most important event
of this kind in 1889 was on November 18th, when an effort was made to
blow up the police and bailiffs engaged in carrying out evictions on
Lord Clanricarde's estate in Co. Galway. The charge was intended to be
exploded under the ground, and 25lb. of powder was to be used. The mine
was to be actuated by opening a door. As the officials entered--the
door having a string connecting it with the machine in use--the
mine would be exploded. Happily, it failed to go off. The infernal
machine used on this occasion was of a type to be found amongst the
accompanying illustrations--showing a knife and string, the knife
cutting the cord and releasing the trigger of a small pistol, which was
designed to fire the necessary detonator.
There is little to note in the two following years until 1892, when
March 24th brought about the conviction of persons at Walsall who were
in possession of explosives which could only be used for a wrongful
purpose. The sample of bombs shown (Fig. 26) was photographed from
those which convicted the prisoners, and which are now at New Scotland
Yard.
[Illustration: FIG 26.--THE WALSALL BOMBS.]
On Christmas Eve, 1892, an infernal machine exploded outside the
Detective Office, Exchange Court, Dublin, which resulted in the death
of poor Sinnott. As he was proceeding to the office he saw a parcel. It
is probable that he examined it--not kicking it, but handling it--for
one of his fingers was blown into an upper window. Only a very small
charge was used--about a pound--but it did some damage and cost a life.
The last two events of any importance at the time of writing were the
explosion at the Four Courts, Dublin, in May, 1893, which Colonel Ford
investigated, and considered very similar to that of the previous
Christmas Eve; and that at the Aldboro' Barracks, Dublin, towards the
end of last November.
[Illustration: