t in my hand, and at once exclaimed, "It is a torpedo.
Don't open it." I was startled by the suggestion, for the idea of a
torpedo was the last thing in the world to occur to me. I immediately
laid the package on the sill of the window, where it was subjected to
a careful inspection by us both, so far as it could be made with the
lid only an eighth of an inch open.

Soon afterwards Judge Lake took the package to the Capitol, which was
directly opposite to my rooms, and to the office of the Clerk of the
Supreme Court, and showed it to Mr. Broom, one of the deputies. They
dipped the package into water and left it to soak for some minutes.
They then took it into the carriage way under the steps leading to
the Senate Chamber, and shielding themselves behind one of the columns
threw the box against the wall. The blow broke the hinge of the lid
and exposed the contents. A murderous contrivance it was;--a veritable
infernal machine! Twelve cartridges such as are used in a common
pistol, about an inch in length, lay imbedded in a paste of some kind,
covered with fulminating powder, and so connected with a bunch of
friction matches, a strip of sand-paper, and a piece of linen attached
to the lid, that on opening the box the matches would be ignited and
the whole exploded. The package was sent to the War Department, and
the following report was returned, giving a detailed description of
the machine:

WASHINGTON ARSENAL, _Jan. 16, 1866_.

_Gen. A.B. Dyer, Chief of Ordnance, Washington, D.C._

SIR: Agreeably to your instructions, I have examined the
explosive machine sent to this arsenal yesterday. It is a
small miniature case containing twelve copper cartridges, such
as are used in a Smith & Wesson pocket pistol, a bundle of
sensitive friction matches, a strip of sand-paper, and some
fulminating powder. The cartridges and matches are imbedded
in common glue to keep them in place. The strip of sand-paper
lies upon the heads of the matches. One end has been thrown
back, forming a loop, through which a bit of thread evidently
passed to attach it to the lid of the case. This thread may be
seen near the clasp of the lid, broken in two. There are two
wire staples, under which the strip of sand-paper was intended
to pass to produce the necessary pressure on the matches.
The thread is so fixed that the strip of sand-paper could be
secured to the lid after it was clos