The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-01-25
DYNAMITE CLIMAX.
A Most Successful Attempt OF the Dyna.
mite Fiends to Destroy Westminster
Hall, Parliament Buildings
and the Tower of
London.

LONDON, Jan. "a. 2:1O p. m.-An alarming ex.
plosion has just occurred in the House of Parlia-
ment.
2:3O p. m.-The House OF Parliament and gov
ernment Offices were severely shaken, and con-
siderable damage done. tits impossible at this
nome Mt to tell the extent OF the calamity.
The report OF the explosion was heard in Down
ing street.
Great excitement prevails, and enormous
crowds are assembling at the scene OF the explo-
sion.
The origin of the explosion is wrapped in mys-
terry, but it is believed 20 have been caused by
dynamite.
4p.m m.-The explosion occurred close to the
House OF Lords, near Westminster Hall. 1t is re-
ported that the explosive was placed in the crypt
under the building. A policeman was hurt
The force of the shock was tremendous. It was
felt at a great distance. The amount OF damage
done is very great
Rumors are current at this hour that another
explosion occurred at o'cloek this afternoon at
London Tower
Excitement is on the increase with every mo.
ment and the city is filed with flying rumors.
There were two ex plosions instead of one, as at
first supposed, at the Parliament Houses. The
second came about three minutes after the first
One was near the House of Commons and the
other at Westminster Hall.
One man was arrested near the scene of the ex-
plosion.
The detective force are now hard at work seek
ing further developments. which are anxiously
awaited, particularly the people in the neighbor-
hood OF Westminster Hall.
Saturday being the usual visiting day at the
Houses of Parliament the building contained
great number of sightseers at the time of the ex-
plosions. The first explosion occurred IN the
tof Westminster Hall: the second took place
in the strangers gallery in tho Horse of Com
mons. Immediately before ths hssl explosion a
lady visitor who was alone and about to enter the
building. beckoned to policeman and called his
attention to package lying upon the steps out
side the crypt. The policeman picked up the
package csreessly. not suspecting anything. and
went with il out into Westminster Hall. He no
sooner had reached the hall than the package ex-
ploded.
This explosion knocked the policeman down.
and injured him seriously. His case is considered
critical. lts force also knocked down two other
policemen standing in the vicinity, aud stunned
them. lady and gentleman standing near the
officer who had the package were also prostrated.
The great window that is over the entrance to
Westminster Hall was smashed 10 atoms and all
the side windows blown out.
In the interior of the House OF Commons, and
upon the floor, the only seat damaged by the ex-
plosion was that which Gladstone occupies. A
small chip was also torn of the top of the Speak
er's chair.
Theexplosion caused panic among the visitors
Those who were in the House of Commons fed
precipitatey and many ladies were bruised ia
the crush. -
The second explosion in the Parliament build
ings occurred three minutes later than the first
and was far more disastrous The dynamite which
caused the second explosion must have been
placed under the peers gallery on the left side.
Little hope is entertained of the survival OF the
wounded policeman.
The force of the explosion was such that one
man was blown to the earth 500 yards from the
point of the explosion. The lobby of the House
of Commons is completely demolished.
clue to the perpetrators OF the outrage Is
thought to have been discovered. just before the
explosion occurred q man and woman, the latter
carrying a handbag. entered cab outside of
Parliament yard and drove rapidly away, giving
no directions as to destination.
They had not gope far when the explosion hap
pened The cabman hearing this, stopped his
cab. The man and woman at once leaped out
and fastened quickly from the spot The cab
man went in pursuit Of the runaways and they
LONDON, 4:sO p. m.-The prevalent belief is that
the destructive agent was conveyed into the
House of Commons by some Saturday visitor.
The fullest Investigation shows the extent OF
the damage to be much greater than at first sup
posed. The western extremity OF the House Is q
total wreck.
There is now no doubt that the explosive was
placed under the Peers Gallery on the Govern.
ment side OF the House. All the woodwork on
that part of the building Is shattered and Q wide
hole made through the floor. The gallery was
displaced, and even the solid stonework of she
doorways either pulverized or shifted from its po-
sition. Every pane of glass in the house was
smashed to atoms, the gallery benches overturned
and broken, and the gallery generally disman-
tied.
The glass roof OF the House OF Commons is com
pletely shattered. The clock in the House stopped
at precisely 2:ls p. m. A heavy beam which
formed one OF the supports for the gallery was
projected into the Speakers chair, seriously
injuring IT; Gladstone's seat was torn to pieces
A lady visiting the House of Commons at the
time of the outrage was seriously injured.
Immense damage was done in the lobby. The
Masonic decorations and sculpture were utterly de
stroyed. The place is described as literally blown
to pieces.
The shock was felt in Pail Mall. and persons in
the vicinity say the very earth shook.
Sir William Vernon Harcouit, Home Secretary.
and the Marquis of Harrington, Secretary of State
for War. are visiting the scene.
Another account OF the explosion at westmins-
ter Hall says the explosion was more disastrous
than at first anticipated. Four persons were badly
injured, including two policemen fatally wound.
ed. A lady who was in the hall spisd the internal
machine and called the attention OF Policeman
Cole. on duty at the time. TO it. Officer Cole
rushed TO the spot, seized the machine and at
tempted to extinguish the fuse but was not quick
enorgh. The fuse burned so rapidly and closed
so quickly upon the machine that the officer
dropped IL. The explosion followed almost i'm
mediateiy.
The explosion in the lobby OF the House OF CON-
mons occurred three minutes later than the one
IN Westminster Hall. Ii came from directly un.