Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-05-01
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VIM. Il. Vanderbilt and Cyrus W.
Field
By Explosives Sent Through the Nails.


NEW York, April 90.
a dastardly attempt was made today by
some miscreants, on the lives of VIM. III.
Vanderbilt and Cyrus W. Field, by sending
them explosives through the mails. Fortu-
nate.y the dangerous character of the pack
ages was discovered enroute to the postoface
| station, where they were to be delivered at
the residences of the gentlemen. and so
probableGloss of life, if not of mutilation,
| was prevented. The circumstances of the
case, as related by Postmaster Pearson, are
as follows: Two missives came into the
postofice about 40 o'clock in the afternoon.
One was posted in the Office, and the other
brought by collector few minutes after
wards. The last one was addressed to VIM.
II. Vanderbilt. 459, 9TH Avenue.
The first was addressed to Cyrus w. Field,
Lexington Avenue and 23d Street. The
packets were placed in mail bag along with
other mail matter for the uptown district,
put into a mail wagon and taken to Sd Avenue
Elevated railroad station, at the head Of
Chatham street, and then deposited on the
front platform of one of the cars.
The train started uptown, and before
reaching the station at sth street 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 railroad people were afraid to transport
it further on the train.
1t was taken down stairs, placed on wagon
and taken to the postofice station, at 10Th
street and Sd Avenue. Supt. Mssher, who
is in charge there, dispatched message in
haste for Postmaster Pearson, and when that
official arrived the half burned mail bag and
its contents were examined.
The package addressed to Cyrus w. Field
was plunged into bucket of water, for fear
that it might also explode, and when thor
oughly soaked was examined carefully. 1t
proved to consist of pasteboard box, COW
cred with gaudy flowers and pictures. Ii had
a small drawer in it, from which appended
string, as is supposed, for the purpose of
drawing it open and causing the explosion.
Inside the box was a tin canister contain
ing half pound of powder and a glass jar
containing white powder and liquid believed
to be some kind of explosive, but what it
was none of the post Office officials could
say. 1t will be sent to a chemist for analysis.
On the package were ten five cent stamps.
1t was Vanderbilt's package that exploded,
probably caused by jolt of cars when round
ing the curve out of the Bowery into the Sd
Avenue. and but for which occurrence the
packages might have reached their destina-
ton and exploded in the hands of the parties
to whom they were sent.
The officials are making vigorous efforts
to trace the packages to the parties who
sent them. The attempt on Fields life
would have proven abortive even if the mis-
sive had reached his residence in this city.
Fields is at his country residence at Irving
ton, had gone there on Saturday to remain
until Monday. His wife and daughter are
invalids. the latter being extremely sick.