Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 March 1877 — Inhuman Fan. [ARTICLE]

Inhuman Fan.

About 2:30 d. m. yesterday, William Harrison and Michael Lattnear, brakemen on tbe Troy & Boston Railroad, and Michael Giltman entered the saloon of Thomas Harlon, at Hoosic and North Second streets, Troy, and ail drank freely. While in the saloon, Harrison pulled from his pocket what appeared to be a small tobacco box, and, laying it on the floor, began rolling a barrel over it, Damon Houghtailing inquired what Harrison was trying to do, and Harrison said that it was a trick to flatten the box, and that it could not be done even by pounding It with a hammer. Houghtailing expressed the opinion that he could hammer the thing flat, jind Harrison gave it to him, telling him to go in the street and try it on the sidewalk. A hammer was procured, and, little dreaming of the terrible nature of the infernal thing he held in bis hand, the man placed it on a stone and struck it. The next moment he was prostrated, covered with blood, suffering from no less than nine ghastly wounds on the face and head. Hi 3 left eye was blown out, the thumb and index Anger were torn off. Die palm of his hand was shattered, his skull and the bones of his face were laid bare. The “ trick-box” was a torpedo about the size of an old-fashioned tobacco box.

When Harrison saw the result of his brutal and criminal sport he fled, but was arrested. Giltman and Lattnear were also arrested for complicity in Harrison’s brutality. The lattex stated that the torpedo was one of those used for signal purposes on the railroad. They are furnished with clamps and are fastened to the track, and when exploded by the wheels of an approaching engine give warning that all is not well ahead. These destructive things are furnished at the machine shop of the Troy & Boston Read to the conductors, and are by them dealt out to the brakemen. Harrison says he has frequently carried one about m his pocket. He admitted knowing that Houghtailing, in endeavoring to flatten the torpedo, ran the risk of death, and never warned him. Neither did any of the others, although they, too, knew the infernal nature of the explosive. Their only plea was that they wanted to see a little fun. —Albany Argue.