St. Landry democrat., 1885-01-31
a SENSATIONS IN CHICAGO.

Twelve Boxes of Dynamite In the City Hall
and an Inferno al Machine Amongst Them,
Sudden Evacuation of the Premises by
Officials and Clerks-A Cool Detective
How 1t Came There.
CHICAGO, ILL, January "A.
sensation was created IN the De-
tective Department of the new City Hall
yesterday when it was discovered
that among the books that were stolen
from the Chicago Public Library there
was enough dynamite to blow up the
whole of the immense building. The:
widest confusion prevailed among the
officers when it was first discovered, and
Lieutenants Shea and Ripley, and their
subordinates vacated their quarters
Twelve boxes, each a foot long, eight.
inches wide and six inches deep We're
found to be filled with dynamite. Among,
them was one with thirty-two caliber
revolver placed inside with crank to-
make it explode.
The report that large quantity of dy--
Mantle was in the City Hall spread like
wildtire through the building and neigh
borhood, and as fast as the occupants
could they left the structure in a panic.
They could not be prevailed upon to en-
ter again, until Detective James Bonfields
ventured to take the box with the crank
attached from the building. The box was
placed between the County Building and
the City Hall, and all parties retired to,
consult what should next be done. A
MD +aH in ba hall q dis.
lance from the remaining eleven boxes,
which were in Shea's Office. Bonield
again volunteered to open the box con-
tanning the revolver. This was received
with much agitation, and the crowd re-
tired three blocks distance and watched.
Slowly he went to work, and in half an
hour the box was opened and the revolver
and apparatus removed. 1t was found to-
contain glycerine and saWdust, which, if
ignited by turning the crank, would have
caused the dynamite to explode.
The prisoner, who stole the books,
from the public library, and whose name
is Otto Funk, said he was merely expert
menting with the stuff, and had it for no,
evil purpose. He being student had
prepared it himself. He admitted that
the preparation in the boxes was genuine
dynamite, but it was learned that he has,
father living on the West Side, who is a.
shoemaker, aud also three married sisters,
in the city. He is about twenty-seyen.
years of age, five feet five inches TALL,
with full beard and is of German de-
scent.
The books consisted mostly of works.
on science and chemicals, and number 81
600. Funk has been fifteen months re-
moving them from the library one by ones
concealed under his coat, aud had them
stored in barn.
Several theories are advanced as to-
what use Funk intended making of the
explosives. One is that he was in leagne:
with the Socialists, and another that he,
intended to blow himself up If it was
discovered that he had stolen the books.
He admits that if anybody had turned
the crank in the internal machine con-
tanning the revolver while it was near the
other boxes, the whole City Hall and
many other buildings would now be in
ruins and hundreds of lives lost. That
catastrophe was ayerted is considered
miraculous. The dynamite, with the
books, were removed yesterday from the
barn to the City Hall in hoodlum
wagon, which drove through the crowd
ed streets at the usual headIong pace.