Helena weekly herald., 1883-03-22
MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSION.
Egan is Non-committal.
AGUY UYFAWKES AFFAIR.
An Attempt to Blow up the English
Parliament Buildings in London.

NEW YORK, March l5.-Ihe Sun has this
k,on, London: Every part of Westminster
,bbev. the houses of Parliament, the great
s+rncture of public offices, the clubs and
dweIling houses were violently shaken to-
niobt by a tremendous explosion at o'clock
,recisely. A great detonation was heard,
followed by the crash of glass falling from a
thousand windows. A deliberate attempt
had been made to blow up part of the
government offices, the part occupied by Sir
Charles Dixie and the local government
hoard, in the immense building bounded by
Parliament street, Charles street and St.
lanes park. The apartments in question
front on Charles street and are almost on a
level with the pavement. The walls are
three feet in thickness, of solid masonry, and
the widows are protected by a massive stone
balustrade. Opposite, fifty yarus away, is
the King street police station, and fifty feet
away the sentry who guards the Parliament
street front Charles street is dark and un-
freouented at night, which partly explains
the extraordinary fact that no lives were lost.
Dynamite was placed on the window-sill in
side the balustrade, where fuse when burn
inc would be concealed from the view of any
one passing. The force of the explosion was
terrific. The great stone balustrade was
obliterated, the massive masonry torn into
fragments, and the pavement shattered and
Ground to powder A wooden structure op-
posite was blown into splinters and mass of
stone was driven through the wall OF the
house beyond it. Inside of the walls there
remained nothing but splintered wood, broken
plaster, walls burst asunder-an indescrlbable
scene of destruction. The street was COM
pletely covered with the fragments OF broken
plate glass, blown bodily out and shattered
to atoms The doors of the King street police
station were burst in by the force of the air
and its occupants Frustrated. Broken tim
hers and masses of stone were sent flying
into King street People crossing at Parlia-
ment street were knocked down, and
Hanson cab and horse were flung across
the sidewalk against the front of the White
hall Club, in which the great plate glass
windows were driven in shower into the
rooms.
Everywhere the greatest CONSERVATION
prevailed. People poured out of their houses,
the broken glass cracking under their feet.
In the House of Commons the alarm was
general. Many members left immediately.
The lobby was emptied and people rushed
out of Westminster Hall. Some two hum
dred police and detachment of the fire
brigade took possession of Charles street,
and drew Gordon around the building, in
which no one but members of Parliament
and government officials were allowed to
pass AS the alarm spread excited bands
focked from all parts toward Westminster,
and the most intense excitement prevailed,
the report rapidly gaining currency that the
House of Commons had been blown up. No
one tonight pretends to explain the motive
or purpose of the act. It is ascribed to the
Irish Invincibles as a matter of course, and
is described as part Of a Fenian plot-a
threat and warning to the government. One
thing only is certain. It was frightful
and atrocious piece of recklessness, and only
inexplicable good fortune prevented it from
being attended with the most serious fatality.
Patrick Egan on the Westminster Elk.
pIOsiOn.
NEW YORK, March 16-A reporter saw