Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-24
DANGER IN A TRUNK.
A Charge of Dynamite Explodes in a
Car, Badly Burning the Agent,
WHOHAsAV VERY NARROW ESCAPE.
A Picture and Marriage Certificate Cause
the Owners Arrest.
MIKE CODY, A HUNGARIAN. WAS THE MAN

Newspaper paraSrapners oIten "ri'e
funny stories about putting powder IN
trunks to scare baggage smashers, but j. j.
Otto had an experience on the Pennsylvania
road last evening that will last him a life
time. He had a very narrow escape from
being blown through the side OF
car, and as it was he was pretty
badly burned. An innocent-looking trunk
was smashed into smithereens from charge
of dynamite or some other explosive which
had been placed in it. The car was set on
fire and the passengers were thoroughly
frightened
The way train from Philadelphia, which
is due here about o'clock in the evening,
had just left Irwin and was. nearing
Shafton when Baggage Agent Otto thought
he would arrange his stuff to
unload in this city. Three trunks were
piled up, one upon the other. The middle
one belonged to a Hungarian.
Side of the Car Blown Out.
The agent pulled down the top trunk,
and in falling it struck the corner Of the
Hungarian's. There was a sudden and
loud report, and the car door, with part of
women's clothing and household ar
ticles Of various kinds were scattered
over the floor and took fire. Otto was
startled by the explosion and the ugly gap
in the side of the car. The fire was gaining
rapidly, but as soon as he recovered from
the shock he rushed through the flames
toward the passenger coaches, and stopped
the train. Nobody could be hired to enter
IL icto
hands took hose line, and with water from
the locomotive put the fire out. The agents
face, neck and hands were severely
burned.
He said he was about two feet away
from the track of the explosion, and he was
glad to escape with his life. If he had been
caught, there is no doubt about his fate.
He would have been crushed, and probably
ground up under the wheels of the train.
Otto was brought to the Union station, and
his burns were dressed.
Caught by a Woman's Picture.
After the accident had occurred the ques-
tion was to find out who owned the trunk,
and what his object was in conveying ex-
plosives in that way. A search was
made among the passengers, but
none of them claimed it. Anybody
could have had it then for gift. Stories
about an Anarchist plot we're freely dis
cussed, but no dangerous characters ap-
peared among, the people on on
tns Woman 'Fa1ni and MARRIAGE Prisges certificate
were found in the wreck. The mans name
was Michael Cody and the wife's had been
Annie E. Digony. They were married in
Cambridge, O., last June by Probate Judge
Nathan II. Barber. When the train ar
rived at the depot Officer Zimmerman was
shown the photograph and he soon picked
out the woman in the crowd. Her husband
was with her and he was promptly arrested.
He admitted his name was Cody, and a
check in his pocket corresponded to the
number on the trunk. He was locked up
in Central station and will have hearing
in the morning. His wife wept bitterly
when her husband was taken from her, and
the unfortunate woman put in a sleepless
night in the depot.
Cody is a Hungarian miner who got on
the train at Phillipsburg and he
was going back to Cambridge.
He said he had some powder and matches
in the trunk, and this is all the explanation
he would make. He couldn't speak
English very we'll and was badly scared. 1t
is not thought he is an Anarchist or a
dangerous person, but that he was taking
the dynamite, which he used in mining, in
The Railroad Company to Push the Case.
Special Agent Hampton Houghton, of
the Pennsylvania road, said he would push
the case, that whether the explosion was
due to ignorance or design, there is law
making it criminal offense for anybody to
carry explosives on train. He added that
it was only miracle that saved the agent s
life, and the case was too serious to be
passed over lightly.
Otto, with his hands wrapped in cotton,
sat in Mr.. Houghton's Office and remarked
that he was sorry for the poor Hungarian;
but in the future he would be afraid to
handle their baggage. He had been told
that they often carried powder in their
trunks, but this was the first accident that
had happened to him. He hoped that the
special agent would be lenient with the
Hungarian and let him off easy. A re-
volver was also found on the floor of the
baggage car.
A brother of Cody was at the depot, and
tried to console the wife. He could talk
some English, and realized the position of
Michael. He talked very guardedly. and
claimed he didn't know what his brother
had in the trunk. Otto says it must have
been dynamite, as powder wouldn't explode
unless there was fire. Dynamite must
have an opening, and doesn't act in all
directions like other explosives. 1t was
fortunate that the force of the concussion
took the course it did. Strange to say the
trunks above and below the Hungarians
were scarcely scratched