The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-12-23
4 BOMBS DEADLY WORK.
A Madman Blows Up Russell
Sage's Office in New York.
The Assassin and Another Man
are Killed.

"NJ1 D.
ing the name of Wilson obtained access tx
Mr.. Sage's Office, secured an interview with
the millionaire, demanded from him $1,000.
900 In cash, and, on Mr.. Sage's refusal to
pay the monev, pulled a dynamite bomb
from a satchel and dashed it to the floor.
The explosion that followed killed the
bomb-thrower outright, seriously injured
Mr.. Sage. wounded a clerk SO that he died
soon afterward, and partially wrecked the
building. Two other clerks were seriously
injured and more or less bodily damage was
inflicted on half q dozen other persons who
were in the offices of Mr.. Sage or in the ad-
joining Offices of Washington E. Conner q
Co.
Killed: The bomb thrower-A man about
forty-fve years old, who sent in a card to
Mr.. Sage with the name "Wilson" printed
on it. Norton, B. F., about thirty years
old, residence, Far Rockaway, L. l.,
junior clerk for Russell Sage, and generally
known as his private secretary.
The man who threw the bomb was
v~ariously known as "Wilson," "Lloyd" and
"Walsh." He is classified by the police asa
"murderous crank" His own head was
the morgue now. TIL remainder Of his body
was so shattered and the pieces 80 torn and
| scattered that no coffin will ever contain
them.
It was a few minutes after noon when the
] bomb-thrower made himself noticed by the
| clerks in Mr.. Sage's office. He inquired for
Mr.. Sage then and was told that Mr.. Sage
was not in. The man waited in the small
private hall Of the brokers' outer Office.
He was a stranger there, and the clerks
took little notice Of him at the time.
He was a tall man and well built, with
| regular features and well shaped head. His
| hair was brown and inclined to curl. and he
had q brown, curly mustache and full beard
He was well-dressed and had on q high silk
hat. In his left hand he carried a small
buff-colored satchel.
Charles E. James, q broker Of No. .
Nassau street, entered Mr.. Sages outer
Office about twenty minutes after DOT to
keep an appointment with the millionaire.
He noticed the tall stranger in the little
private hall as he passed in, .r.
Learning that Mr.. Sage was not in at the
moment Mr.. James sat down at a table in the
outer office TO wait. A minute later Mr..
Sage entered. He greeted Mr.. James and
invited him into the inner Office.
Mr.. Sage and Mr.. James barely had time
to sit down in the inner office when the
stranger forced his way into the outer Office
and stood at the door in the partition, de.
handing to soc MIR. Sage. One Of the
clerks had asked Mr.. Sage TO see
0AOD6I CSOu, LII Aa1uAoW uH4 uKs 5010
walked back into the outer Office. Mr..
James sat alone in the inner room. Colonel
Slocum went to the door Of the room.
The stranger spoke to Mr.. Sage and thrust
into his hand q card or which the name N.
D. Wilson" was engraved. -.
II came here from Mr.. Rockefeller to see
about some bonds he said. 'VThis will ex.
plain" he added, producing a type written
letter.
Mr.. Sage unfolded the letter and glanced
at its contents. he started and changed
color as he read. The letter was short
and to the point. It was q demand
for the immediate pavment of
81, 200, 900 to the bearer, coupled with q
threat that the writer would blow himself,
Mr.. Sage and everybody else In the building
into eternity with dynamite If the demand
was not complied with.
Mr.. Sage madea motion as IL to wave the
stranger of. The latter had slyly drawn a
shining object, probably a pistol from his
satchel and put it in his coat pocket. When
Mr.. Sage waved him off, ne exclaimed,
,.Well, here goes" and, raising his arm high
in the air, he threw his satchel on the floor.
Instantly there was q loud, decorating re-
port, followed by a fash Of fame and a dull
rumble. Every window pane In tho Office
was blown out as If by a tremendous gust OF
air, and only their Jagged edges were
left In the sashes. Plaster was torn
from the walls and ceilings, and desks
were hurled from their places. Ahole was
blown in the floor and the ceiling was de-
molished. The partition between the inner
and outer offices was torn away at the top,
and it fell partly out into the public Office.
The wreck was the work OF a second, and
clerks at their tasks, was converted into a
CHASTITY scene Of destruction. Every one
was thrown to the floor, and cries Of pain
and fright and shouts for assistance came
from the great mass Of debris. The e1p!o-
sion was followed by a fire In Mr.. Sage's
Office, which was quickly ~ertinguishsd.
When the smoke cleared away, through
the broken windows Russell Sage was seen
cropping his way to the door. His clothing
was torn to shreds, his face was covered with
blood and dirt, and his hair and whiskers
were singsd and blackened.
Lying upon q pile Of debris were the forms
Of Frank Robertson and Charles James.
MI. James had been thrown up to the calling
and when he fell to the ground again found
blood pouring from q wound on the top OF
Frank Robertson lay unconscious near
the door.
Norton was not to, be seen, having been
blown through the window, and was at that
moment lying unconscious on the sidewalk
in Rector street.
In q corner near the door lay the head of
a man. The eyes were open, the beard singsd
ing with blood. Bits Of flesh were stuck
to the torn plaster Of the wall. A patch
Of blood dripped from the ceiling. A
leg, without q stitch Of clothing. upon it
save for the tattered remnants Of q black
stocking, lay upon a pile Of papers. A fool
wa in another corner. A piece OF flesh
was all mixed up with a lot Of Chica
go, Burlington & Quincy bonds. Checks
| signed and blank; ledgers, blank certificates
and mortgage bonds were scattered here,
there and everywhere. Blood was spattered
over everything.
In q corner near the door was q great, gap
ing hoe, its edges showing the sagged
smashed ends OF the timbers and lath OF the
floor. This was the spot were the bomb hae
exploded. The floor was broken right through
into the OOH below, which was, fortunately,
~untenanted.
Next door. in the office of Conner & Co.,
the confusion was almost as bad. Every
thing was wrecked.
MIR. Norton died as soon as he was placed
in All ambulance. In his pocket was found
a card bearing the name Of b. D. Wilson
Wilson & Hedenberg. No. Ill Broadway
1t is supposed that his was the card witt
which the would-be assassin introduced him
self at Russell Sage's Office.
Russell Sage that night identified tn,
head found in his Office after the explosion
as that Of the man who demanded thu
money. He gave this account Of his inter.
view with the dynamite fiend:
Some one came into my private ofice
where I sat with Mr.. James, and said a ruar
wanted to see me on important business.
went tn the outer Office and found a we'll
dressed man of good address. He was some