Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-17
THINK 1T WAS DYNAMITE
Enemies of the Soldiers Blamed for the
Chicago Tragedy.
Gossfping About "The Unlucky
Seventh Cavn1ry-Viefssitude Of
That Troop Recalled.

Special Dispatch From q Stan Correspondent.
CHICAGO. July 17.-Despite the many
abstIuse theories given out from depart
ment headquarters as to the explosion
which yesterday resulted in the death of four
soldiers and the woundfrg Of fourteen
others, it is the almost unalterable opinion
of many experienced officers that dynamite
was the cause.
The train Of reasoning by which this
conclusion Is reached Ii not difficult to
follow. Very many threats have recently
been made against the troops. and every
one Of the promises of slaughter intimated
that the deadliest Of common explosives
would be used IL the people were compelled
to attack the hired butchers-that being
the language Of one Of the mysterious
warnings. To guard against surprises has
been the main endeavor of the authorities
and at no time have sentries knowingly
permitted any one to approach either the
guns or the limbecs. but 1t is nevertheless
thought by large proportion of the off,
GERS that one or two shrewd anarchists
succeeded In tampering with one Of the
ammunition chests. How this was done is
not and may never be known. for the Gals
son Is In splinters and every fragment of
possible evidence is destroyed.
Before the column started out on its
march every shell and shrapnel was exam
med by a sergeant who is thoroughly con-
versant with the business. With a wrench
he carefully frightened the caps, and then he
saw to 1t that everything was put in its
proper place. The line of march was over
smooth streets, and save for the jolting
consequent upon crossing railroad tracks,
there was no movement powerful enough to
loosen cap or to cause friction such as
would explode the powder charges.
The theory iowa rd uh ia
Inclination is that one Of the boxes was
opened within day sr two to permit an
tnQuisitive visitor to see what the interior
looked like. ard that by sleisht- hand a
small but suficient quantity Of a high ex-
piosive was put where 1t would probably
work down to the bottom Of the box and
there be started on its devilish mission
without much trouble.
Some Of the officers at Headquarters an
pear to regard this theory as untenable.
but II Is noticed that the police are under
the direction OF those same officers max
ing Investigation on the dynamite line.
Offcers and enlisted men who are not
worrying over the probable cause are COS
sipfng about 'the unlucky seventh" Troop
b OF the seventh cavalry was at the rear
Of the column. and 1t suffered considerably.
Capt. Varnum was with Capt Dodd Of the
third cavalry at the head. so troop was
then commanded by Lieut.. Tompkins.
whose escape from death was miraculous
One cavalryman was instantly killed and
I'll &C OthcAS WcfS SoVeEoAy luluIeQ-
The seventh has always been an unlucky
organization. having suffered all manner Of
defeat and encouragement. Its most
prominent disaster was on the Little Big
Horn. where Custer and a battalion Of the
seventh were overwhelmed on June 70.
is1e On the same day Reno and his bat
TALON narrowly escaped humiliation.
At the battle Of Wounded Knee, in Deem
oer, 1880 many = trooper Of the seventh went
down before the fire Of misplaced comrades
and on the day following. at the Drexel
Mission. the entire regiment (save one
troop that was safe In Indian territory
would have gone the way Of Custer and
his men had they not been calamity res
cued by Guy v. Henry's battalion. Of the
ninth cavalry.
Then when the seventh was returning
to Fort Riley from Pine Ridge the regi-
ments train was derailed and additions
were mads to tie list Of killed and
wounded. ..
Now one Of the seventies troops Roes
out on a twenty-mfls march through the
streets of Chicago and once more Is as
saulted by fate. Truly, It is THE un-
lucky seventh g. H. II.