The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-11-21
DYNAMITE IN FRANCE.
Attempt to Murder the Commander
or an Army COrps-Badly Dcmora-
lized, but No Serious Results.

Attempt to Murder the Commander
or an Army Corps-Badly Dcmora-
lied, but No Serious Results.
MARSEILLES, Nov. l6.-This CITY
was thrown into state bordering on
a, panic last night by an attempt to
| blow up the residence of General
Mathelen, commander Of the fiftecnth
army corps, whose headq uarters are in
| Marseilles. The house occupied by
| General Mathelen was surrounded by
| high walls and about the premises
were placed sentry boxes. The SEN
tries were' constantly pacing their
posts and no one was allowed to APP
proach the place unchallenged. Not
withstanding these militry precautions
some one managed to pass the sentries
without suspicion and placed in the
room in the house occupied by the
orderlies some sort of an Internal ma
chine.
AT midnight the occupants of the
house and every one in the vicinity
were aroused by terrific explosion
that shook the houses to their founda-
tion. Everybody rushed into the
streets to ascertain the cause of the
explosion. Tho streets near the divis-
ION headquarters were soon filed with
excited throngs of people. many of
whom were only partly dressed After
the excitement had subsidized some
what the police, who were soon at the
house, made an investigation. 1t was
found the explosion had made breach
in the walls. A large quantity of de-
bris was hurled through the guards
room. Though the ordcrlies were in
bed none were injured. The windows
OF all houses in the vicinity were
smashed.
A ladies' school adjacent to the head
quarters sustained the most damage.
The scene here after the explosion was
most exciting. All the inmates of tho
school had retired and when the ex-
plosion occurred they were thrown
into u state bordering on frenzy.
Many of the girls and women went into
Mysteries and medical assistance was
required to restore them to their
senses. The police found tho lid of a
tin case supposed to have contained
dynamite. They also found an unex-
ploded bomb in the corridor of the gen
erals residence.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Into the sentry boxes a number of
little cases OF dynamite was placed in
room adjoining the apartments oc-
cupied by the general and used by
! orderlies who there await the com
| nanders summons.
The dynamite in the orderlies' room
exploded at midnight, shattering the
walls, hurling debris into the guard
room, but without injury to orderlies
on hurting soldiers in the guardroom.
Every pane of glass in the generals
house and adjoining house was smash
ed. The girls school buildings op-
posite the generals residence were
damaged. A bomb was also discovered
in one of the passages of the generals
house. 1t is believed that the con.
spirators were under the impression
that the explosion of the first dynamite
would be sufficient to explode tho bomt
found In the passage, as we'll as the
{ dynamite placed in the sentry boxes
Had these successive explosions taker
place they would have reduced the
generals residence to a heap of bricks
killed every person, and destroyed the
girls school.
For years no sentries have been sta
toned about the official residence
The effects of the explosion were felt
a mile from the spot. The director o.
the municipal tax headquarters was
awakened in bed by the explosion ant
a shower of glass and plaster which
fell on his face.
An Italian was seen sitting opposite
the generals house late last night ant
was arrested. Some people believe
the explosion was the work of the mos
hot headed horse car strike agitator:
who are known to have feelings bitter
against the military authorities fo
the support they gave the car company
during the recent strike.