ATTEMPT ON THE LIFE OF THE GOVERNMENT ASTRONOMER.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 7, 17 November 1877, Page 3

ATTEMPT ON THE LIFE OF THE GOVERNMENT ASTRONOMER.

A little after 2 o'clock on Saturday I afternoon, September B.says the "Sydney i Morning Herald," a lad, described as being about nineteen years of age, went to the Observatory, and left in the hands of a messenger there a box addressed to Mr. Russell, the Government astronomer. The messenger deposited the box on a table in a room occupied by Mr. Russell, and that gentleman, under the impressian that it contained instruments of some kind, proceeded to open it. He | found the lid a sliding one, similar to those adapted in ordinary instrument ■ cases, and he had not drawn it far when he discovered that the affair partook I more of the character of an infernal j machine than of anything else. The movement of the lid became rather stiff, I and upon inspecting it and the box a little more closely ho discovered at one end of the latter Mveral grains of powder. The box was then taken Into i r, where it was Invest! pied •

and there were found in the box at I 11 lbs.of blasting-powder. In it were < no leas than sixteen matches Uuck with their .sulphurous points in dangerous proximity to a sheet of sand-paper fastened to the under-side of the lid, the design l»-iug evidently to cause an explosion by the fri ition of the sand-paper a v.iii-t the matches ; and there can be little doubt that this would have been atl'eetod had not great care been exercised in handling the ali'air. Besides the matches and powde.i, dangerous en.iuirh in themselves, a ginger-beer bottle, tilled with gunpowder, an 1 evidently intended to act a.s a shell, was found in the box i Mr. Russell has expressed bis belief, that although there was a sufficient quantity of explosive material present in the box not only to destroy life, but to blow the building down. The box was some 14 inches long, by 54 inches broad, and about 41 inches in depth, whilst the general appearance of its make bore the impress of its having passed through some person's hands who was not a stranger to the use of carpenters' tools. The whole matter has been made known to the police, and the box also placed in their possession. Those aware of the prominent position Ml*. Russell holds in popular estimation, as well as in social and scientific circles in this and the neighbouring colonies, will lie glad to know that lie had sufficient good fortune to escape from the devilish attempt to destroy his life. Judging from the maimer in which the box and its contents had 4 been arranged they must have been prepared for the purpose some time since. The police at once set to work to discover the perpetrator, end a man I named George Faithful, a carpenter and I messenger at the Observatory, was | arrested, and brought before the Water j Police Court, on the 18th inst., aud the case, after some preliminary evidence was taken, was adjourned.