New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-30
BOMB IN A WOODPILE
DIABOLICAL ATTEMPT TO BLOW Up AN
ENTIRE FAMILY
GUNPOWDER CONCEALED IN \ STICK OF FIRE
WOOD--THE DANGEROUS PIECE or FUEL
FORTUNATELY DISCOVERED By ONE
OF TIE INTENDED VICTIMS
4 NEIGHBOR ACCUSED
OF THE CRIME.

OF THE CRIME.
William Rath a stOcl'ly built German. about
fifty years OLD Of No. % Staggst. Jersey City.
was Yesterday held IN 81 600 for the Grand jury
by Police Justice Douglass. a serious charge.
lie is accused b. Mrs. Mary IIilsenbock wife OF
Frank Hilsenbeck a next-doOr re ghbpr, OF
placing a bomb in Hilsenbcck's wooGple. with
the evident Intention Of bio wing up the entire
Hilsenbeck family. The examination took pla e.
Yesterday afternoon.
In gathering up some wood with which -
make fire on Sunday morning Mrs. ililsen-
beck noticed some peculiarly about one Of the
sticks. At first her attention was simply at
tracted by the fact that that one piece was
covered with mud. But there were other pecu-
liar marks upon 1t. She laid 1t aside. ar.l after
starting her fire she began scraping the mud of
the stick. Then she noticed a ring In the centre
OF one end. The stick was about seven inches
long and about three inches square. and up-
pe&red to have d plug in one end She showed
it to her husband who examined it. AMI after
inspecting what seemed to be a plug, cut off
evenly with the surface, suggested that II might
be loaded"
The innocent-looking piece of wood was taken
10 the Oakland-ave. police station. and
kept there until yesterday morning. The more
Mrs. Hilsenbeck thought over the matter. the
more she became convinced tina, It was a bomb
and then she remembered numerous threats
which Paul Rath. who lives next door had made
against her life. Only last August. she testified
at yesterdays examination. an explosion oc-
CURED in her stove. and ever since then she has
carefully examined the wood before starting a
fire.
Rath once owned the house IT. which the Hi
senbecks live. He at one time boss carpcn-
ter. and well-to-do. The house was sold Il
year ago for taxes. J. r. Van Wagenen bought
IL for $1,000, but was obliged 10 sell ii for 500
less than he paid for It, because. il is alleged. #
10 live In II.
Mrs Hsnbeck testified that Rath had caused
her trouble since her family moved into the
house. When she first called upon Justice Doug
lass for warrant for Rath's arrest, the Justice
refused to issue one. But subsequently he did So
after the alleged bomb had been investigated hy
Patrolman John Mcguire former coal miner
who had considerable experience in dealing with
the Molhe Maguiree in PENNSYLVANIA.
Mcguire drew out the plug from the stick with
knife. Inside he found a tin cylinder about four
inches long and an Inch and thrccqus rters In cir
cumfere nee. 1t filled with No. ! salt pe ire
powder lightly waddcd with wall paper. This va
rlety of powder will not explode unless Il comes IN
contact with fire The bomb was So arranged that
when the oily cotton which o;rudel from the
tin cylinder gnted. IT would carry the flame t.
the powder. The block Of wood had a number Of
headless nails driven into it but the marks they
made were deity covered up with mud.
Rath denies that ne had anything - DO with
placing the bomb on the woOlp!lc. and laughs At
the charge. but the police say that they have
corresponds with that with which the bomb was
Waddel.