Greenwood Colliery, Minooka

Greenwood Colliery, Minooka

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Martin Philbin Burned with Vitriol


BURNED WITH VITRIOL
Martin Philbin and William Connery, of Minooka, Suffer From Pranks of a Mischief Maker
Scranton Tribune


Martin Philbin, of Minooka, a minor, was yesterday taken to the Lackawanna hospital with both of his feet terribly burned as the result of vitriol having been pouted upon them. He claims this was done while he was asleep in the Grand Central hotel, on Lackawanna avenue. William Connery, a friend of his, also had vitriol poured on his feet. Connery, however, was not as badly injured as Philbin. Dr. William Haggerty Dr. J, J. Walsh were in attendance on the men, and yesterday decided, that in view of the extent of Philbin's injuries, it was best for him to be sent to the hospital. The story of the affair told to a Tribune man by Connery, was as follows: 

"It was on Friday evening, February 2, that Philbin and I came down to town to see William Kelly, a friend of ours, off as he was going to New York. The train left at 12' o'clock, and as it was too late to get a train car for Minooka, we went into the Grand Central hotel and lay down in the room back of the barroom, and went to sleep. We had been that way for about half an hour when Philbin suddenly woke up with a start feeling terrible burning in his feet. Just as he woke up he saw a fellow with a bottle pouring its contents on me. "As soon as the chap saw Philbin was awake he bolted out of the room and didn’t see any more of him. We got up and Philbin saw that the fluid had pierced right through his shoes, cracking them as though with fire. We made things pretty lively for a while and then managed to walk down to Dr. Quinn's on Pittston avenue, where we received temporary relief." Mr. Durkin, proprietor of the Grand Central, last night said that he was not present on the evening in question but had thoroughly investigated the case. His bartender he says, utterly denies the story and gives this version of the case:

The two men had been in the place about 2 o'clock, after seeing their friend leave the city, they went out of the hotel and then came back a short while later, raising a great fuss and saying that they had been burned while there. Mr. Durkin is very much annoyed that any such occurrence should even be said to have taken place in his hotel.


Philbin rested easily last night at the hospital, though his feet are terribly Injured, the burns extending half way up the ankles.

Contributed by Maria Montoro Edwards

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