The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-05
AWFUL DEED OF A CRANK.

AWFUL DEED OF A CRANK
Hurled q Bomb at Millionaire Russell Sage
Because He Was Refused 81, ,a5O,OOO.
NEW YORK, Dec. 4.-Russell Sage the
millionoire broker. had marvellous escape
from death to-day, his office and the en-
ing shaken to its very foundation by the
explosion Of dynamite bomb, hurled by o
crank who made a demand upon Mr.. Sage
for the immediate payment of 81. .250, 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 is it
probable that an event has occurred that
for the time caused more excitement In
Wall street and lower Broadway. Fully
fifty thousand people were drawn to the
scene of the explosion, and for an hour the
the chaos.
The offices of Russell Sage were on the
second floor of the building. Nos. 60, II and
% Broadway. situated on the southwest
corner of Rector street overlooking the
Trinity church-yard and stones throw
from Wall street. 1t was just twenty-five
minutes past IL o'clock when the explosion
came with q force that was absolutely
startling. completely wrecking the second
floor of the building throwing pedestrians
on the street to the ground and startling
people for blocks around. Those W ho were
close at hand saw a man blown through
one of the windows of Mr.. 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 O'Connelrs drug store.
just below Wall street on Broadway.
There also was carried the man blown
from the window. Within ten minutes
after the explosion DR.. w. p. Mum. the
physician of Jay Gould. was at the side of
injuries, which proved to be not of serious
nature. 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 the explosion.
MR.. sAGE's STATEMENT.
Mr.. Sage, though suffering from shock.
made the following statement while his
wounds were being dressed: "A man who
gave his name as HI. ID. Wilson came to my
Office just now. 1 had never seen him be-
fore. He had o carpet bag in his hand, and
said: If you will not give me $3.50, 600
will blow you all to pieces
II know nothing further. except hearing
q great explosion. falling on the floor, and
regaining consciousness here The man
lying on the floor of the drug store is, be-
lieve, 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.
Outside on the street everything was con.
fusion. 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 firemen led or car
ried the dead and injured. Ambulances
were summoned from three hospitals, and
soon the streets around were solidIy filled
with struggling mass of persons. all
eagar to get to the scene of the disaster.
When the police arrived in force the
building was quickly cleared of all per-
! sons. and a search made in the wrecked
Offices. Just inside of the door of the gen.
eral office was found the trunk of a man in
q state that rendered recognition nearly
| impossible, the head having been severed
| from the body. The head had a pointed,
reddish beard, and the appearance was that
of an educated man, which was enhanced
heavy moustache that adorned the upper
| lip of the dead one. When the body was
taken up 1t was found to have beentorn into
shreds by the explosion
| The interior of the Offices plainly showed
that the force of the explosion was some
thing terrific. All the PARTITION walls were
blown down. and the sashes and window
! frames forced outward. 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 root was shivered into thou