Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-12-08
HIS HEAD BLOWN OFF.
The Millionaire Tells His
Story.

NEW York, Dec. "A terrific explosion
occurred at 1890 O'Clock day in the Ar
cads building, in the southwest corner of
Broadway and Rector street, just across the
way from old Trinity burying ground.
The noise and shock were caused by a dyna.
mite bomb exploded in the Office Of Russell
Sage, the millionaire fnancier and railroad
magnate who occupied rooms Nos. 80 and
~ on the second floor. The bomb was
hurled by a crank whose identity has not
yet been definitely determined, but he is be-
lieved to have been H. d. Wilson, residence
unknown.
Demanded &I,2O0.O0O.
Wilson demanded 81, 200, 600 from Mr..
Sage, and being refused and ordered from
the office took the bomb from a small grip
sack which he carried, and flung it upon the
floor. A deafening crash instantly fol-
lowed; walls and ceilings came tumbling
down upon those In the offices, the windows
OF the building were blown out and across
Rector street into Trinity cemetery, and
ruin and death marked the catastrophe.
The building trembled to its foundations.
rocked to and fro and seemed about to
utterly collapse.
PANIC regned supreme throughout the
building. Every office in the structure was
emptied OF occupants in twinkle, and peo-
pie ran over and t-amped over each other
in their mad haste to get down the stair
ways. People close at hand saw man
blown through one OF the win
dows OF Sage's Office into Rector street
Pedestrians passing the building at the time
were thrown to the ground The noise of
the explosion was heard for blocks around.
For few moments every body in the vicin-
ity was stunned, and then there as rush
for the building, which was now enveloped
In thick cloud Of white dust, which poured
out from the open windows.
In less than five minutes after the explo-
sion broadway and Rector street were pack-
ed from curb to curb with a struggling mass
Of excited humanity. Probably never in
the history of the metropolis has an event
occurred that for the time caused more ex-
element in Wall street and lower Broad
way. Fully 81, 900 people were drawn to
the scene, and for an hour the police were
powerless to bring order out OF chaos.
fire alarm and an ambulance call were i'm
mediately sent out and both were promptly
responded to. A large force of policemen
were also soon on the ground and formed
fire line about the building.
Meanwhile the injured were being cared
for in O'Connell's drug store on the oppo-
site side OF Broadway. They all came from
Ar. Sage's Office, where the bomb exploded.
One of the first to be brought to the store
was Russell Sage himself He had groped
his way out into the corridor after the ex
plosion, and was assisted down the stairway
and across the street. He had an ugly
wound on the forehead, from which the
blood was flowing freely and was suffering
greatly from the shock. He was placed on
lounge in the drug store aud his injuries
were Immediately attended to.
Mr.. Sage rallied quickly and was soon
able to tell the story of his mad visitor. He
said that a man had called at his Office
about noon and sent him a card bearing the
name III. ID. Wilson, His clerk informed
him that the visitor desired to see him i'm
medlately and he left a gentleman with
whom he was conversing to go to the outer
Office to see the stranger
The man told him he must have s., 200 600
for Immediate use, Mr.. Sage, seeing that
the man was crank, began to temporlze
with him.
81 want it right away" said the visitor.
II have lot OF dynamite in this bag and
II don get the money forwith III blow
up the place"
Mr.. Sage thought this was mere buster
ana telling the man to get out, turned to 20
back to his private Office.
Then can't have it ~ said the man
''well, here goes''
After that Mr.. Sage said he knew moth.
ing until he found himself on the Iounga in
the drug store. After his wounds had haan
dressed and he had recovered son,owbo+
from the shock Ar. Sage was taken home in
a cab. "
The Crank's Head Blown or
The police cleared the building of all nor
sons and made a search in the wrecked
office. Just inside of the door of the gen
eral office was found tho body OF q man
The head was severed from the trunk. Tho
man had pointed reddish beard and brown
curly hair and heavy moustache. The whole
lower part Of the body was shattered to
pieces. The right arm was missing as was
the left leg. The remains are supposed to
be those OF H. D. Wilson, who threw the
bomb He seems to have been the only
person killed outright.
Other Fatalities aud Injuries.
Benjamin +. Norton was blown tbronpb
the window. He was clerk in the office of
M. Sage, and was removed to Chambers
Street Hospital. where he died at 40 while
under operation for a fracture of the sI,uu
Reports which could not be verified in reas
cd the number Of those killed. II was said
that young woman employed as a tyne-
writer in Mr.. Sages Office had been instant.