davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-05
MIR. sAGE's RECITAL.
Threats Had No Effect on Him
His Sons Story

MS fPOsi .
New YORK, Dec. 4.-Russell Sage
made the following statement to In
spector Byrnes this evening: al came
out of my Office. having been sent for.
| found there a man with satchel. He
handed me card bearing the name
of Ii. d. Wilson. He said he
came from John d. Rockefeller,
ami at the same time handed me
typewriter letter in Il sealed envelope.
1t was addressed to me. / opened it
and found that 1t was demand upon
me for the payment of S1.250.0O0 The
letter stated that if the money was not
given up at once to the presenter of the
letter he would blow up me, himself
and the entire office with dynamite. |
read the letter. and, placing it in the
envelope. handed it back to him and
turned to 60 into my private Office,
when the explosion occurred"
The story of the plot on Mr.. Sage's
life goes far back. Russell Sage Jr.
talked freely about it. He sail that of
late Mr.. Sage has received three or four
threatening letters signed by one James
Walsh. In one of them the writer de-
manded 1920, 900. Why that sum Mr.
sage could not say. The recent trou-
bleS between President Andrews, of the
New York Steam Heating company.
and the Standard Gaslight company now
come into play in the case. A large part
of the stock in dispute belonged To the
Widows Spinola and Mannheim. These
women, Walsh said in his letters, he
was about to marry. He therefore de-
manded money to put him on their
financial level. Mr.. Sage paid no atten-
ton to him. Jay Gould was also at
a II, La 4
abusive terms. The writer threatened
Mr.. Sage's life, but no attention was
paid TO it, as all who knew about the
letters believed him to be "a harmless
crank to quote Russell Sage Jr's own
words. The result is known, and Mr..
Sage has been made an object of the
dynamite fiend.
Mr. Sage's first words as he entered
the door of his home were Pm all right.
only little burned" Mr.. Sage pre-
sented more frightiuI appearance at
this time than Immediately after the eX-
plosiOn. His head was then swathed in
bandages. Both hands were at that
time bound up. His clothing was torn.
Nothing was left of his coat. His trou-
serS were ripped. His face was burned.
He appeared to be suffering from
q severe shock. but was able to reassure
his friends as to his condition. He
gaspsd and would have fallen had not
quick hands caught him. The family
had been appraised, and were waiting
for him. Every thing was in readiness,
and MIR. Sage was stripped of his tat
tered garments and put to bed. Mr.
Sage is much worse hurt than was at
first supposed. 1t was necessary to
carry him up the stairs TO his room. No
one is admitted.
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-05
THE CHINESE ROW.
French Action Construed as Pro-
Russian.

french Action Construed as Pro-
Russian.
LONDON, Dec. 4.-The French gov
ernment's overtures to the powers for
joint diplomatic action at Pekin, ac-
cOmpanied by naval demonstration at
the treaty ports. have met with Il dis
tinct rebuff from the English and
German governments. Semi-offical
Paris kilograms assert that Foreign
Minister RibOt made no definite
proposals. but merely designed to ascer-
tain the views of the different powers.
1t needs no special diplomatic sagacity
to perceive the French governments
position. Russia has declared her in
tentiOn to hold alOof from any interior
ence, but her European ally, acting for
her, aims to involve England in hostile
treatment of the Chinese govern
ment, with which ere long Eng
land may find it necessary to
concert common action against a COM
mon enemy. The Overtnres of France
were intimated to the Chinese embassy,
and were also wired to uir John Wal
sham, the British minister to China,
whose reply enabled Lord Salisbury to
tell NJ. RbOt that there was no neceSsi-
ty for joint or other interference in
dependent British action, if any be re-
CURED, under an understanding with
the Pekin government.
The Chinese minister to France today
informed NJ. RibOt, minister of foreign
affairs, That the government Of China
was confident that it would be able to
suppress the rebellion which now pro-
walls in certain portions of the empire.
The French government has taken
measures to protect its interests and
citizens in China. and the minister of
marine, Vice Admiral Barley, has or
dered that gunbOat be dispatched to
Tsin prepared TO take whatever action
NAV be necessary to uphold the rights
or France and the French at that port
The Italian government, in reply to
Frances note proposing combined &C
ton on the part of the European pow
erS against China, says that she is not
directly Interested in the matter, and
will wait until the other powers decide
upon the course they will pursue before
she decides.
LONDON, Dec. 4.-The Times this
morning publishes a dispatch from
Singapore. one of the Straits settle
ments south of th3 Malay peninsulsr
stating that the foreign consuls sta
toned at Tein, in the province of Pc
Chee-SOe. about seventy miles from
Pekin, of which city that is the port,
have become so alarmed at the threat
ening aspect that they have applied for
naval protection.
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-05

Congressman Breckenridge, OF Arkan
sas. the manager of Mr.. Mills canvass,
said: I'VE will certainly have more
votes than Mr.. Springer. AS to what
we have upon the first ballot. l have
prepared no figures, for we do not ex-
pect a speaker to be selected upon the
first ballot. All our estimates pertain
to subsequent ballots, when favorite
sons are out of the way and congress
men are free to express their second
choice"
The irony of politics was never better
illustrated than III the claims of the
friends of Mr.. Springer that Mr.. Mills
will be forced to retire before tomorrow
afternoon, and that the Illinois candi-
date will absorb the greater portion of
his following. The friends of Mr.. Mills
treat this prediction lightly. and char
acteriZa it as a clever retaliation by the
Illinois candidate for the attempt OF the
Texas man to break into his fold, but
Mr.. Springer maintains that they will
not treat the matter so humOrously
after the developments of the next
tWenty-four hours.
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-05
His Head Was Neatly and
Completely Severed From
His Body.
One Man Launched Through
a Window, and Life Soon
Leaves Him.
Several Almost Miraculous
Escapes From Destruction
Are Recorded.
Russell Sage's Recital OF the
Blow-Up--Past History Of
the Lunatic.

NEW YORK, Dec. 4.-Russell Sage, the
millionaire broker. escaped death by a
miracle today, his office and the entire
Empire building, in which 1t was, being
shaken to its very foundation by
the explosion of a dynamite bomb,
hurled by crank who made
demand upon Mr.. Sage for
the immediate payment of 81, $50, 900, the
ultimatum being, In case of refusal, the
death of the millionaire, the crank him.
self and those employed IN the office.
Never in the history of the metropolis
has an event occurred that for the time
caused more excitement in Wall street
and lower Broadway. Fully $4,000 peo-
pie were drawn to the scene of
the explosion, and for all hour
the police were powerless to bring
order out of the chaos. The offices of
Russell Sage were on the second floor of
the building 60, II and 70 Broadway, sit
uated on the southwest corner of Rector
street, overlooking Trinity churchyard,
and stones throw from Wall street.
A Tremendous Blast.
1t was just 1922 when the explosion
came with force that was absolutely
startling, completely wrec&ing the sec
Ond floor of the building, throwing
pedestrians in the street to the ground,
and startling people for blocks around.
Those who We're close at hand saw. a
man blown through one of the windows
of Sage'S office into Rector street. A
few minutes later Mr.. Sage himself.
with blood streaming from his face and
hands, was helped out into the street
and taken to drug store. There, also,
was carried the man blown fIom the
window.
Within ten minutes after the eXplO-
sion DR.. A. 7. Mum, the physician of
Jay Gould, was at the side of Mr.. Sage,
and personally attended to his injuries,
which proved 10 be not Of a serious nat
ure. The hair and eyebrows of the
millionaire were burnt and his face and
hands cut by small particles of glass
and plaster, the result of tile explosion.
Mr.. Sage, though suffering from the
shock, made the following statement
while his wounds were being dressed:
"A man who gave his name as II. ID.
Wilson came to my Office just now. |
had never seen him before. He had a
carpet bag in his hand, and said: If
you will not give me S1,250. 900 will
blow you all to pieces l know nothing
further. except hearing a great eXplo-
sion, falling on the floor and regained
consciousness here. The man living on
the floor OF this drug store is, | believe,
the same one who asked me for the
money" When Mr.. Sage's wounds
were dressed he was taken in a cab to
his home
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-05
MAD ON MONEY. o
Wilson Was Lunatic Who Had
Escaped.

Escaped.
ALBANY, n. Y, Dec. 1.-The dyna-
mite crank is thought to be Hiram ID.
Wilson, aged forty-five, an escaped
lunatic and native of Glens Falls,
Warren county. Wilson has escaped
previously from Middleton and Utica
asylums. He was very strong, and of
light complexion.
The worst signs of insanity were de-
VelOped fourteen years ago, when he
kept the Bolton house OH Lake George
Then he led horses into the hotel, and,
mounting table, delivered All address
TO them. He was of late years talking
OF making horses go faster than any
have ever gone, and of patent rights,
and at one time he took the shoes off a
horses hoofs and put them on his own
feet and then he led the horse over some
or the mountainous country Of the Adj
irOndacks.
Wilson, after short terms in insane
asylumS, has been discharged as cured
or escaped. He has generally celebrated
us freedom by making attempts to kill
some one who refused to meet his de-
mandS for money. Several years ago
he attempted to kill 4 man whom he
had asked for money to set him up in
business. On another occasion. when
w. J. Arkell was In Albany, Wilson
made demand On him. When he re-
fused his demand Wilson threatened to
kill him, and even attempted to assault
him in his Office. He has also threat
ened the life of Goodwin Brown, one of
the state lunacy commissioners. 1t was
the loss of money which made him
crazy. wilson was arrested here about
year ago for threatening to kill some
one.
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-05
DEAD AND INJURED.
The Bomb Fiend Alone Was Killed
Outright.


New YORK, Dec. 4.-But one person
had been killed outright, the man with
the pointed beard. He is supposed to
be Ii. ID. Wilson, the man that made the
demand for money on Mr.. Sage, and the
one who threw the bomb.
Benjamin Z. Morton, who was blown
through the window, clerk in the office
of Mr.. Sage, was removed to Chambers
Street hospital, where he died at 80
o'clock while under operation for tract
ure of the skull. Deceased was a resi-
dent of Far ROckaway, l.. /.
The following injured were taken to
the hospital: Frank Robertson. twenty
years old. a clerk for Imbre Il Co, brok-
erS. He was in Sage'S office al the time
of the explosion. His skull was tract
ured. and he will probably die.
Charles w. Osborn, Russell Sage's
cashier, fractured skull; will probably
die.
Samuel J. Calhoun, clerk, of 165
Deane street. Brooklyn, larcerated
wounds on head.
William r. Laidlow. who was in the
building at the time, received a tract
ure of the leg. He was taken to St.
Vincent'S hospital.
Col. j. J. SlOcum, brother-in-Iaw of
Mr.. Sage, and his chief clerk, was
badly cut about the head and face, and
when his wounds were dressed re-
turned to the scene, declaring he had
left the door of the safe open and was
fearful that the securities in it had been
blown ont and lost. Quickly gathering
together what he found, he placed them
III small safe and had it removed to a
place of safety
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-05

all / said. The following day made
another examination of the walls, going
on the roof of the GrggS building for
the purpose. and | did not change my
previous opinion. The following day l
again visited the ruins when the men
were at work clearing the debris. L
cautioned the men in charge of the
laborers to be extremely careful about
undermining, and to watch for any
change in the condition of the walls,
and if they noticed any change to re-
port to me at once.
LAS Mr. Sheppard was an experienced
engineer, having erected large railroad
works and warehouses, / relied upon
his judgment as to the safety of the
walls, as much as l relied upon my own.
l also relied upon Contractor Lauer,
who was in charge of the work of re-
moving the debris, as he is a builder OF
experience, and was on the rains all the
time. l however. reserved to myself
the right of making a final lnspt ctiOl,
and taking action after the debris had
been removed.
Il would not have felt justified in or
dering the laborers at work to leave the
ruins had 1 been there half an hour be-
fore the accident took place. l think
further that, bad it not been for the
iiiSh hlliO VI anu Tic COiO WohO
following the heavy rains OF Yesterday,
the wall would not have fallen.
Il am preparing notice which will
serve on Mr.. Shepherd, giving him my
views and opinions after examining
the walls today, and | have notified the
police department to close all traffic
OH Third street, between WacOnta and
ROSabel, and also in the alley in the rear
OF the burned building. L nave also
notified Mr.. Cooper, of Griggs,
Cooper & Co., and Mr.. Lauer,
the contractor, and Mr.. Shepherd,
the owner, that no more work should
be done in or about the buildings eX-
cept by men sent there expressly TO
take down the dangerous walls or make
them secure, and / have also notified
Mr. Shepherd that | do not think it is
Safet take down any more of the fire
wall until the front wall on Third street
has been properly secured. Mr.. Shep-
herd fully cOncurred in these views.
Il regret exceedingly the loss of life,
but L don't see how any ACT OF mine,
unless most arbitrary, would have pre-
vented the accident
do you think, Mr.. Johnston, you
would have been justified in ordering
the walls to be taken down after you
found they were in a seml-dangerouS
conditiOn?'
mo. would not have been justified
in so doing"
ID. {. Shepherd the owner of the
building, declined to he interviewed by
the reporter yesterday, saying he had
no time
The inquest.
Coroner Quinn will this morning i'm
panel a jury and have the members
view the bodies of the men killed.
Permits will then be issued for the
burial of the dead, and the coroner will
then adjourn the inquiry for a day in
order that evidence may be prepared.
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-05

AS all the efforts have been directed
in the attempt TO effect the diSintegra
ton of Mr.. SpringeIS's phalanx, and
these efforts have now proven futile, it
is generally accepted that the two other
minor candidates, MeSsrs. McMillin
and Hatch, will also remain in the fight
to the finish.
Il will enter the caucus with fifty
seven votes" said Mr.. Springer, land it
must be apparent to Mr.. Mills and his
friends by this time that will LEAD him
upon the first ballot. 1t must be
equally apparent 10 them now, since
they have failed to win over my friends,
that the only combination which cab de.
feat Mr.. Crisp is tor Mr.. Mills and his
friends to come over to me. With their
assistance l can defeat Mr.. Crisp, but
that is the only winning card Mr.. Mills
can now play. The most unfortunate
thing that could have happened to Mr..
Mills would have been my withdrawal,
for if the field were left to Mr.. Mills and
Crisp today the candidate from Georgia
would be overwhelmingly elected"
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-05
RED-HEADED RUMORS.
Chaos Reigned in the Crowd at
the Scene.

the Scene.
NEW YORK, Dec. 4.-On the street
everything was confusion. Men lost
their heads, and rumors of the widest
kind filled the air. Twenty were said
to have been killed and injured, and
from the building fremen led or carried
the dead and injured. Ambulahces
were summoned FROM three hospitals,
and soon the streets were SOlidly filled
with struggling mass OF people, all
eager 10 get To the scene OF the disaster.
When the police arrived i'll force the
building was quickly cleared of all per-
sons and search made in the wrecked
offices. Just inside of the general office
was found the trunk of a man in state
that rendered recognition nearly impos-
Sible, the head having been severed
from the body. A pointed, reddish
beard gave the appearance of an edu-
Gated man, which was enhanced by the
brown curlS of-the hair and the heavy
muStache that adorned the upper lip.
When the body was taken out it was
found to have been torn into ShredS by
the explosion.
The interior of the offices plainly
showed that the force of the explosion
was something terrific. All the parti-
ton walls were blown down and the
sasheS and window frames forced out
ward. The ceiling had been blown
down and the floor forced downward.
rendering it unsafe to walk upon. Desks
and chairs were overturned and hurled
into an indescribable mass, and every
piece of glass in the big air shaft that
ran to the roof was shivered into thou
sands of particles. 4 search quickly
showed that the body of the man with
the pointed beard was the only one
among the debris. In the meantime the
crowds in the street grew larger. the
elevated trains from uptown bringing
tOusands to the scene, all impelled by
curiosity. For an hour confusion
reigned. Then the police found their
heads and something like correct list
of the killed ana injured was had.
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-05

trousers of a blue black plaid, black
overcoat and long black stock II =.
That might have started the story Tat
awoman's leg was found. He had b ZEN
careful to rid himself of everything that
might disclose his identity. HIS name
had been written in the corner OF his
black hat, but he had cut it out with a
knife. There was hole in the lining
where name had been. Crowds came
IN and looked at the face, but no one
knew it. When darkness fell, the I'M
dertaker, tired of the sight. threw a
cloth over 1t and shut his door.
Russell Sage saw the head of ID. II.
Wilson. the man who threw the bomb.
and identified it as belonging 10 the man
who had come TO his Office and de-
manded the money. Inspector Byrnes
took the CHASTITY. CORY head IN basket
to Mr.. Sage's house. and the instant the
magnate, who was lying in bed, saw the
countenance he said: That's the head
of the man." The Identification was
complete. Inspector Byrnes then sent
the head to the mOrgue
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-05
A CLEVER MAIDEN.
Woman's Building Sculpture to
Be Done by Miss Rideout.

Be Done by Miss Rideout.
CHICAGO, Dec.4.-MiSs Alice Rideout.
of San Francisco, was to-day awarded
first prize in the competition of women
scuiptors for the finest designs
of groups for the attic cornice
pediment of the women's worlds
fair building. The reward carries with
il the contract for the execution of full
sized models of the groups at price
from 81, 500-to g, 600 for each CT the two
smaller designs, and from $1,000 to
1920 for the great fOrty-foot panel.
The successful competitor is not yet
out Of her teens and is described
as petite blonde, serious,
dignifed and quite pretty. She has
made modelling and sculpture study
from childhood, and has executed a
number of designs that gave promise of
more than ordinary ability. Miss Ride
outs last success is the more remark
able that a number of older and more
experienced sculptors were among her
competitors, but her designs were so
far in advance of all others, both in con-
ceptiOn and treatment, that the commit
tee which made the award was unani-
nous III its decision. The three groups
represent, respectively, "WOman's VIr.
tues" woman as the Spirit of CiviliZ-
ation," and 'Woman's Place In His
tOry,"
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-05
:. Sare. with hood

NJ. SAGE, with hood trickling
down Ills face and hands, his
clothes tom and rent and covered with
dirt and dust. When he saw me he
said: How shall we get out?' wait
replied, until this dust settles, and I
think we will be all right as the worst
must be over Then | recovered my
senses and, taking him by the arm. led
him down the stairway into the street."
Among the debris In the wrecked Of
fees was found the remains of silk
1t evidently worn by the man who
gave his name as Wilson, and in one
corner of Mr.. Sage's private Office,
where Mr.. James was sitting alone at
the time of the explosion, a mans
hand.
As Mr.. Sage was being led through
the lower hall of the building into the
street, he said: "It'S a dynamite eX-
plosion, and they meant it for US this
time"
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-05
A VISITORS LUCK.
Sat Close by, but 1t Never Touched
Him,


NEW YORK, Dec 4.-Charles E. James.
a railroad man, and a resident of Chat
tanooga, Tenn, had an appointment
with Mr.. Sage at II o'clock, and had an
experience that he will not soon forget.
He says: II called at Mr.. Sage's office
at II o'clock and found him out. A seat
was offered me in the main office near a
desk. | took it and waited Mr.. Sage's
return. Sitting on a bench near the
wall. noticed a man who wore plug
hat and had pointed beard and
heavy brown mustache. At about
12:15 MIR. Sage came in, and,
greeting me. asked me into his private
Office. Mr.. Sage had just removed his
hat and asked me to be seated, when one
of his clerks entered and said something
to him that did not hear. Turning to
me he said Excuse me for a moment
and passed through the door into the
main office.
1t might have been two or three min
utes when the explosion came. | was
blown up nearly TO the ceiling, and the
chair Oh which | sat smashed into
pieces. l came down all in a heap,
Dust and small particles of plaster and
smoke filled the room. 1 was coiI-
pletcly daZed, and did not know what TO
do. remember making my way
through the passage, from which the
explosion ha4 blown the door, into
the main office. There l met
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-05
THE NEWS BULLETIN,

Weather. Colder; furries of snow.
Eight men killed by falling walls.
Lunatic tries to kill Russell Sage.
Crisp is ahead for speaker.
Countess Russell fails on divorce.
Blizzard in the Northwest.
La grippe epidemic in Germany.
The Koran murder trial continues.
Cleveland still pushing the tariff.
Yale kicks on football receipts.
Tim Byrnes on the gridiron.
Several people killed in Massachusetts,
Argyle, Mimi, is scorched.
Many people drowned, Raverstraw, ny.
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-05
THE BOMB THROWER.
Only a Few of Him Left in Human
Shape.

New YORK, Dec. 4.-The coroner
made an examination of the remains OF
the man found in Sage's office, and from
the mangled mass of flesh and clothing
took a seven-chamber bulldog revolver.
This was all that could be found by
which an Identification could be made.
What was left by the explosion of the
madman's body at least it was so
labelled and accepted by police
and cOroner-when laid out in an
undertaker's Office. was hot much.
The head was there, blackened.
but neither cut nor diSfigured in any
way. 1t was cut off at the top of the
neck, and looked for ali the world like
the mask of a man thirty-five or forty
years old, with full beard that might
have been long but was now burned
close to chin and cheek. Then there
was a leg the right, the left foot. left
hand. and that was all. The boa
proper was gone; of neither chest npr
abdomen was a trace found. The Ter
that was there was broken and twisted:
Such shreds Of clothing as were
found showed the man had worn