The Indianapolis journal., 1894-01-12
Looks as Though al Effort Had Been
Made to Blow Up Car Crowded
with People.
TURNED OVER TO THE POLICE
Internal Machine Made of Gas Pipe
and NitrOglycerine.
Fuse Had Been Lighted and Burned Up
ClOse-Elam's Resemblance to John
Z. FrehZel.

Locked up in the private room OF Super
intendent Powell at the police station is
a section Of gas pipe, supposed to be
nitro-glycerine bomb If the test this morn
ing at 10 o'clock, on a river sandbar,
proves the gas pipe to be a bomb, as il is
supposed to be, there is every evidence that
an attempt TO work a most diabolical plot
has been foiled.
Edward NJ. Elan, broker for a tobacco
company, found the bomb in his overcoat
pocket last night upon reaching home short
ly after o'clock. There are a number OF
circumstances which would disprove a the
ory that some of his friends were attempt
ing to play a practical joke him. Mr..
Elan bears a very close resemblance 10
John p. Frenzel. president Of the Mer-
chants National Bank, ex-president Of the
street-railroad company, president Of the
School Board and managing director Of
the Gas Trust, and on a number Of occa-
sons has been mistaken for the banker.
He does not believe, should it be shown
that the gas pipe was placed in his pocket
with a sinister purpose, that he was the
intended victim, for he has no enemies and
has not been in public life to attract the
attention of any vengeful dynamiters. He
is willing to give credit to his resemblance
to Mr. Frenzel-if the bomb is dangerous
one.
About twenty minutes before o'clock last
night Mr.. Elam, who has his office with
Hendrickson & Letter. on South Meridian
street, closed up his private desk put
his overcoat, and started for home. He had
occasion to call at the Grand Hotel, and
so he turned off Meridian street into Mary
land He did not stop TO talk TO anyone on
the way to the hotel nor while in the hotel
did he hold more than passing conversa-
tion with the man he went to see Ii was
within ten minutes of when he reached
the corner Of Illinois and Washington streets
to take for his home, at Sc East Pratt
street. There was no North Illinois street
car at the corner, and Mr.. Elam walked
over to the fruit stand which sets out from
the Pennsylvania railroad offices. at the
northeast corner, To buy some fruit for his
wife, who has been ailing for some time.
He bought a bag of apples and. after pay
ing for them, dug his hands down into his
overcoat pocket to make room for the bag.
He is positive that there was nothing in
the pockets at that time The apples were
placed in one of the pockets
He started towards the north and in few
minutes car came along, very crowded.
After he stepped, aboard he found himself
wedged in with a dozen others in the aisle.
There was the usual confusion attending
the ingress of passengers, and it may have
been that the bomb was slipped in his over
coat pocket at this time.
After he reached the house where he and
his wife board he took off his overcoat. re-
marking TO his wife that he had some fruit
for her in one of his pockets. She reached
her hand down in a pocket and drew out
the gas pipe which is in the possession
of the police. Both were surprised, al
| though it did not occur to them just then
| that the iron affair was dangerous. Mr.
Elan did not know how the pipe hap
| pened to be in his pocket. He took it down
| to the dining room and showed
| 1t to several of the gentlen en- who board
| at the house 1t was their opinion, after
| mere cursory examination, that it was
bomb. Both ends of the pipe had been
plugged up with some material and out OF
one end was the stub of a fuse, blackened,
| and Indicating that it had been burning at
| one time. After noticing the fuse the gen.
| tlemen were very chary about handling the
| mysterious pipe. Lieutenant Carter, of the
United States secret service, lives at the
| house. and he was not slow in pronouncing
| the affair a bomb although he thought
perhaps it contained nitro -glycerine instead
| of dynamite He had seen similar bombs
used in labor troubles in the West some
| .
Seguin and Mr.. Bradshaw were in the
room when the inspection was made. One
| of them suggested that telephone mes
sage be sent to Superintendent Powell. OF
| the police force. The superintendent was
| called up at his residence. and after being
informed briefly of the find. he asked the
| gentlemen to meet him at the police sta
| ton.
Mr. Elan and the others brought the
| bomb down town on a North Pennsylvania
! street-car They laid the pipe on seat and
I moved several feet away from it, The curl
| osity of the people on the car was quite
| naturally attracted To the gas pipe. and
when whispers were heard TO the effect that
there was dynamite bomb aboard, a few
nervous passengers manifested much un-
easiness. One or two left the car. The gen.
tleman who had the Danger under escort
lifted it carefully when the corner OF
Washington and Pennsylvania was reached.
One carried the bomb while the others
| formed a Gordon around the carrier. so as
to reduce the danger TO pedestrians 10
minimum. In this manner the march TO the
| police station was completed.
| Superintendent Powell received the gentle
men in his office, and after the case was
explained 10 him he called in Chief Splann,
of the detective force. The bomb was laid
down on a table. No one desired to dig in
the lead which plugged up the ends Of the
| gas pipe. Upon being shaken lightly there
was faint gurgling. Indicating a liquid in
the pipe. Mr.. Elan was asked to detail his
| movements after leaving his Office. which
| he did, giving minute accounts of his move
ments in answer to the questions OF the SUI
| perintendent He was asked particularly
about the size of the crowd in the street.
| car which he had boarded at o'clock. The
superintendent exchanged significant looks
with the chief of detectives He thought the
| finding OF the bomb might give substance
to a clew the police have been working on.
1t is known that the detectives have been
watching several OF the North Illinois street.
cars at O'Clock for several evenings past.
The iron bomb is a section OF ordinary
gas pipe, a little over a foot in length and
about three-quarters Of an inch in diameter.
Scarcely an eighth OF an inch OF the fuse
remains now. and IL is clearly evident that
the fuse had been lighted. burned for awhile
| and then was in some manner extinguished
/ 1t is possible that Mr.. Elan. swinging hif