Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-08-20
WAS TT A BOMBP

A DYNAMITE SCARE TO 90 WITH THE OTHER
ExoITEMENTs OF THE wEEK-A FELLOW
WHO WILL BEAR WATCHING AND WHOSE
ROOM Is DETER THAN HIS COMPANY.
-Brattleboro people, and especially those
residing in the vicinity OF the old Brattleboro
House, we're startled about quarter before
10 O'Clock Wednesday evening, by a loud ex-
ploson somewhat resembling the report OF
cannon but much sharper and 'uglier." The
residents of Hudson and Reed streets, many
OF whom had Just retired for the night, soon
rushed from their houses TO see what had
happened, but aside from a dense smoke
and strong smell Of gunpowder, nothing
was discovered beyond the fact that few
lights Of glass in N. w. Looms's house had
been shattered, and that one Of the girls at
Lemons boarding house In the old hotel
who WAS looking from rear window had
seen some burning substance fall from an
easterly direction into Wallace Newcomb'd
yard few minutes before the explosion oc-
cured. The next morning Mr.. Newcomb
found the place in his front yard where the
explosion evidently took place. There was
depression few inches deep in the soft
ground at the edge of a strawberry bed, and
the plants and currant bushes near by we're
stripped OF leaves and branches, while the
picket fence few feet away WAS spattered
with dirt but the fact that the marks Of the
explosion are 30 slight, and that close exam
ination of the hole and surrounding plot fails
to reveal the slightest fragment OF a shell or
anything Of the kind shows that the explosive,
whatever 1t was, spent most of its force in an
upward direction. This would also seem to
be corroborated by the fact that several bricks
are missing from Mr.. IIoomis's chimney.
Though the spot where the explosion oo
Cured is some four or five rods distant from
the houses Of any Of the parties mentioned,
~ also from that OF Maurice O'CJnnors on
! the east, and at least three rods from Mr.
! Lemons tenement house on the west the
occupants OF all these houses are naturally
anxious to know for whose harm this bomb
! if bomb it wss-was intended, but nobody
has yet reached satisfactory solution Of this
| question.
Thus far suspicion points to a young fellow
| who gives his name as j. @. Coy, who came to
/ Mr.. Loomis's the first part Of last week and
! hired a room for lodging, Mrs. Loomis hav-
ing frequently let rooms temporarily TO per
sons boarding with Mr. Lennon The fellow
represented himself TO he engaged in the
business Of selling jewelry, and received a
large box and other things by express, but
his strange looks and actions, and particular.
ly his uncommuuicativeness and his habit OF
sleeping with bis clothes on, and keeping his
room closely, AZ though 10 avoid being seen
aud arrested, caused Mrs LOOMS to wish him
| out of the house. and last Tuesday, when he
had been there q week, she notified him that
she wanted his room. He was quite indg
nant at Mrs. Loomis's refusal to let him stay
longer but found her determined, and la.
since occupied an attic room at Maurice
| O'COnnor's. The suspicion that the bomt
was thrown from the window OF the room al
O'Connor's which Coy now occupies was the
occasion which led to the taking out Of
search warrant and an investigation Of tn,
premises yesterday by Officer Herrick, bu
nothing of a suspicious nature was found an(
he has thus far been undisturbed.
He treated the visit Of the officers with in
difference, and said he had e1 pected it,"
very suspicious circumstance il the fact tina
Mr.. Newcomb, who got up as soon az the ex
plosion came and went on to the piazza o
his house, noticed that one OF the blinds a
Coy's window was open, and in a moment /
was pulled together. Newcomb called out
asking him what he was doing, but got NJ
answer. 1t will be hard to convince peopl
in that vicinity that the explosive did no
come from Coys window. Whether, il sucl
was the case, he threw the bomb meaning
mischief, or was only experimenting with eI
plosives and threw the stuff because II got oil
fire by accident, of course cannot be known
Something more than gunpowder was used
however, for the explosion WAS heard AZ IA
away As West Brattleboro and shook window
on Terrace street. Coy is said to have threat
ened to FIX" LOOMS aud to mop tn
ground" with him.
1t comes out that the same fellow has beel
under suspicion at Bellows Falls from whic
place he came here. II is known that b
bought two dynamite cartridges while Their
OF the canal company, and it is believed tina
he sent one OF them to New Jersey aud in
tended to send instructions bow to use il
; but by mistake he sent the letter to a Ben
niugton paper box manufacturer and it wa
forwarded by the party who received ii /
the Bellows Falls officers. This fact came I
the knowledge Of the American Express con
pany and Mr.. Btbbitt, the superintendent
/ several days ago ordered Mr.. Bemis OF tn
Brattleboro office not to accept any package
from Coy for shipment without known
what they contained Yesterday States Al
torney Bodies WAS here looking up the ast
but could not get evidence enough to wal
rant an arrest
Whatever the fellow meant to do Wedne,
day night, be is evidently monkeying wit
things such as anarchists use, and Brattlebor
can do without him.