Kilmarnock, March 23.
Singular Accident.
About one o’clock on Friday morning a rather singular accident occurred in No. 3 Hillhead Pit, in the neighbourhood of this town. Peter McGinnes, a young unmarried man, who is employed as a road-cleaner in the pit, chanced, in passing along, to stumble, and his lamp falling into a flask containing about six pounds of gunpowder, caused an explosion. By the force of it he was thrown several yards, and severely burnt and bruised. Dr McLeod, surgeon to the works, who shortly after attended, found that his back, face, and arms were severely scorched; and though he may recover and resume his employment, the time will be distant.
We may mention, as illustrative of the strong belief still existing among the lower orders in supernatural intimations, that his aunt, with whom he resides, and is her main support, had heard on the day previous a loud knock on the window, without any visible cause. This she considered as a supernatural intimation of some misfortune about to befall her nephew. So strong was her faith in this interpretation of that she entreated him not to go to his work last night. He however went, with the result which we have narrated.
Glasgow Herald, 24th March 1860.