The herald., 1896-02-07
Attempt to Blow Up the Hand
some StimsOn Mansion
THE BUILDING UNINJURED
Though a Large Hole Was Blown ia
the Ground
Robbery Believed to Be the Motlve-rhe rlan
Seen Running Away From tn. Place.
A Former Attempt at Robbery

Last night abont 10 o'clock people in the
vicinity of Adams and Figueroa streets were
startled by terrific explosion, which
shook the buildings and,rattled the windows
for blocks around. Several police officers,
as we'll as others, hurried in the direction
from which the explosion came, when it
was ascertained that an attempt had been
made to blow up the palatial residence of
F. d. Siimson, at No. 2421 South
Figueroa street. A stick of
giant powder had been placed
against the south wall of the
building, near the front, to which fuse
had been attached, and this had been IL.
nited by the man or men engaged in the
work, who retired to watch the effect.
While the explosion was terrific one,
owing to the substantial character of the
building, which was of brown strone, not
the slightest damage was done, the only
evidence of anything of the kind being
hole about three feet III depth by the same
in diameter where the giant powder was
put on the ground. Mr.. Stimson and fam
lily were not at all excited over the matter,
and after looking around for a few min.
utes, Mr.. Stimson went into the house ANA
again retired,
"A HERALD reporter visited the scene
shortly after the explosion, and from
Frank w. Sabichi, who lives next door to
the Stimson mansion. on the side on which
the explosion occurred, learned all the par
ticulars obtainable. Mr.. Sabichi had re.
turned home from the city about 1O:l5
o'clock, and walked up the drive between
the two houses. At this time he saw
nothing, and went into the house as usual,
The Sabichi residence was lighted up on
the north side, and Mr.. Sabichi's brothers
were in their room studying. His
younger brother, on looking out the
al
paper or some other light material
had been fired, against the side of the
Stimson mansion. He called out to hi,
brother that some one was trying to set
fire to the building, and the two young
men, grabbing their Tevolvers' started
few steps when the explosion occurred. On
reaching the yard they saw man rum
ming across the front lawn, and the elder
Sabichi fired three shots at him. as did
also his brother, but none took effect-at
least the man did not stop. The fuse
which had been attached to the bomb was
found by Mr.. Sabchi, who now has it in
his possession.
Mr.. Sabichi thinks that vobbery was the
motive of the man who caused the explo.
sion, as just week ago last night an at
tempt was made to break into the house
through one of the basement windows.
Mr.. Sabchi thinks that the robbers inten-
ton was to blow hole in the side OF the
building, and, during the excitement, to
effect an entrance and 60 through the
building.
The man who set off the bomb ran north
on Fgueroa street to Washington, where
he Jumped on passing car and came into
the city. He was seen by Carl Klokke and
Harry Butler, two young men who live in
the neighborhood, ON dead run for the
car. When they hailed him. asking him
what the trouble was, he called out to the
young men not to go down that way as
men were shooting at hirn and were trying
to blow up the Stimson residence. Messrs.
Klookke and Butler describe the man as
about medium height, apparently about 40
years of age, with a thin face, clean shaven.
Hc was dressed in dark shirt with light
stripes and dark clothes.
Police Officers Vignes, Benedict, Hopf
and Arguello were on the ground and made
an investigation, but nothing leading to the
identity of the bomb fiend was discovered.