The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-05-02
FELEGRAPHIC NEWS.
NEgg YORK NIHILISM
Attempt TO KiEI Field and
Vanderbilt.

New York, pa dsstsrdly attemp
was made to-dey by some miscresnt; OF
the lives of VIM. II. Vanderbilt anC
Cyrus W. Field By sending them explO
sives through the MALE. Fortunately
the dangerous character Of the package
was Dissolved en- route to the postotic,
station, and so the probable loss of life
was prevented. The circumstances OF
the case, as related by Postmaster Pear.
son, are as follows: The missives came
into the postoffice about $3.50 o'clock IN
the afternoon, and the other was brought
in by q collector a few minutes after
wards The last ore was addressed to
Vim. 81. Vanderbilt. 459 Fifth avenue.
The first one was addressed to Cyrus w.
Field, Lexington avenue and Twenty
third street. The packets were placed
in the mail bag along with other mail
for the uptown district, put in the mail
wagon and taken to Third avenue ele-
vated railroad station at the head of
Chatham street, and then deposited on
the front platform of one Of the cars.
The train started up town, and
before reaching the station ct
Ninth street and Third avenue
an explosion was heard from the mail
bag and fire and smoke were observed to
issue from it. When the train stopped at
the station the burning bag was hastily
transferred to the platform, as the rail-
road people were afraid to transport it
any further On the train. It was taken
down stairs, placed on a wagon and
taken to the postofice station on Twenty
ninth street and Third avenue. Super.
intendent Mosher, who is in charge there,
disps tched a messenger in haste for Post
master Pearson, and when that official
arrived the half burned mail bag and its
contents were examined. The package
addressed 10 Field was plungei in a
bucket Of water for fear it might also ex-
plode, and when thoroughly soaked was
examined carefully. 1t was found to
consist ola pasteboard box covered with
gsudy flowers and pictures. and had a
small drawer in it from which depended
q string, SIS it is supposed for the purpose
of drawing it open and causing sn explo-
sion. Inside the box was found a tin
canister containing about half pound
of powder and a glass jar containing 3
white powder and liquid, believed to
be some kind of explosive, but what it |
was none Of thspostofiee officials could |
say. 1t will be sent to chemist for
analysis. On the packages were tea five
cent stamps. 1t was Vanderbilt's |
package that exploded, probably caused
by jolt Of the cars when running the
curve out of Bowery into Third avenue,
and but for which occurrence the pack
ages might have reached their destination
and exploded IN the hands Of the parties
to whom they were addressed. The con-
tents of the mail bag were pretty we'll
scorehed by the explosion. Postofice
officials are making vigorous effort 10
trace the packages to the parties who
sent them, and no stone will be left un-
turned, Postmaster Pearson says, to hunt
down the ruffians y no made the nihi. Il
listic attempts.
New York, 30.-Early this morning,
John A Davenport, 319 East NineteeLth
street, visited the police headquarters,
with him an Internal machine, II
similar to those sent to VIM. II. Va, der
bit and Cyrus w. Field, yesterday, and
evidently prepared by the same persons
1t had been placed in the hallway Of
Davenport's house last night and ex-
ploded az 10 O'Clock, setting FIRE to the
door inst, but doing no further damage.
The Intention was evidently to set fire to
sAO AOEE6S NC mhCuiHe WAS
box, bound with wire, and cotton which
was set on fire by the explosion. the pow
der being ignited by fuse. There WAS
ust sufficient powder to shstter the box
and ignite the cotton. The bCx WIS
probably intended for Slpt. Walling,
The letter NV" being written plainly
on it and he living few doors distant.
Postmaster Pearson has no clue to the
lenders of the explosive packages to
Vanderbilt and Cyrus W. Field. He
will examine the collectors tomorrow.
The little glass globe of fluid taken out
IF the machine intended for Vanderbilt
be sent to Professor Ogden Doremus,
who declared the fluid to be sulphuric
acid, which, If brought in contact with
and chlorste Of potash, even
n small quantities, will cause 1t to ex-
0lode.
The Tribune, reviewing the recent
event, says; If a large body Of con-
'pirstors, or any persons of Intelligence
lsd been at the bottom of it, they would
1t least have taken care that the pack
ages were correctly addressed to the in.
.ended victims. Moreover, no nam with
so large as either Van
ierbit or Field has can take the trouble
10 open many Of his letters, let alone
packages.
Nearly all of the journals come to the
conclusion that the senders Of the late
murderous packages were German So