New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-22
KILLED IN HIS OFFICE.
A TRAGEDY IN YONHERS.
HAMLIN ]. ANDRUS BLOWN TO PIECES
WITH DYNAMITE.

HAMLIN ]. ANDRCS BLOWN TO PIECES
WITH DYNAMITE.
MYSTERY IN THE AFFAIR THAT BATTLES THE
PoILCE-THE BOMB BELIEVED TO HAVE
BEEN INTENDED FOR HIS pROTHER-
VARIOUS THEORIES ADVANCED
SEVERAL or WHICH ARE
DIscREDITED
Intense excitement in Yonkers was caused
yesterday morning by the sudden and horrible
death of Hamlin j. Andrus a prominent and
highly respected citizen of that city, who was
secretary Of the Arlington Chemical Company
His body was blown to pieces by the explosion
OF dynamite bomb or other Internal machine
i'm his office on Palisade-avc. He was alone in
the office at the time Of the explosion. and there
was more mystery connected with the case than
the police of Yonkers could begin to solve yes
terday, but there was a prevailing belief that
the explosion was the work Of some Anarchist
person who had grudge. 1t had the appear
ance OF dastardly crime. In which the murderer
meant to kill John T. Andrus. the brother OF
Hamlin j. Andrus. who is the president of the
chemical company and has caused some ill-feel
ing among former employees who were turned
away from the company's works
The man who was killed had no enemies, so far
as anybody knew. He amiabe man. and
was known as an earnest Christian. His
brother IS wealth. and recently was threatened
by a stranger, who told him he must he made to
divide his wealth with the poor. The widest
1I...l.I
laton regarding the explosion. and some of these
reports connected meeting OF Socialists in
Yonkers on Tuesday evening with a supposed
plot to kill John f.. Andrus. Other reports were
that recent political discussion had caused some
Anarchist to plan the crime.
The police were inclined to accept as true
report that the man who was blown to pieces
had been experimenting with dynamite bombs.
with the intention # placing bomb In his safe
as n means Of protecting the contents Of the
safe against attack by burglars. and that he
had been killed by an accidental explosion while
handling such bomb. Investigation showed
that Mr.. Andrus had been known 10 take To
his home some pieces Of iron and tinker with
them in mendng gas pipes. but II was not known
that he ever had made any experiments with
dynamite There even n report that he
had committed suicide. but that was dscredited
SITUATION OF THE OFFICES.
The factory of the Arlington Chemical Com
pany stands back from the street ard the offices
occupy yard at the southern end There is a
gatehouse leading to them. At I:3O clock yes
tcrday morning Matilda Hooks. the caretaker,
passed through this gate. crossed the yard, en-
tered the outer office and passed into the private
Office ~ Andrus Brothers. where the explosion
occurred She began her usual task Of sweep
Ing the floor and dustng the furniture without
noticing anything wrong. The doors OF ma
hogany closet situated on the north side Of the
room were open. hut she thought nothing OF
,his AZ tho time She finished her work at :
o'clock. but failed to empty the contents OF n
large wooden waste-box that stood under high
bookkoeper's desk overlooking the yard. on
leaving the place she did not lock the outside
door. as II Is customary 10 leave that open al
ways The next person known to have entered
the Office was Hiram Andrus. a son of the dead
man. lie passed into the room without meetin;
any one, opened the safe. and placed the
books on the high desk before described. lie
then proceeded to his own desk In arother part
II the small office building.
THE SONS HORRIBLE DISCOVERY.
Uamlin J. Andrus arrived a Few moments later
and went directly to his Office a few moments
aftcrward Il terrific explosion shook The building
and volumes of n light -colored smoke issued from
th, shattered windows. Young Andrus who In
the mean time had gone upstairs II the shipping
Office. was alarmed by the report and fastened
,o his fathers Office. which he for1d in a state
Of indcscrihable confusion. In front of the big
safe Law the body Of his father. He had fallen
h,,7ia md ma nag of
debris lie nearly tainted at the sight. for he
saw NJ a glance that his father was dead. Tur..-
ing away he hurried home to inform his mother
and sisters Of the terrible event
Coroner Miles and the police were summoned
bv telephone. ON arriving at the scene they
found that Mr. Andrus's body had been literally
torn to pieces by the explosion. His left arm
WAS blown of. his legs were torn off at the
knees. the whole top of his skull was missing
and he was disembowelled The Coroner searched
through the pockets Of the dead man. and found
several small bits OF steel In the trousers such
nc are uscd by burglars In boring safes. This
led the police to think at first that burglars had
bcer AT work I'm the office. and had left some
dynamite behind them IN being scared away.
Eut when a further search resulted in the find
ing OF several pieces OF wrought iron gaspipe
and II cap for the pipe. they abandoned this
theory and decided that Mr.. Andrus had Deem
killed by a dynamite bomb.
MAKEUP OF THE EXPLOSIVE.
Mr. Andrus was believed TO have been stand
ing at his long high desk when he was Killed.
and tho explosive probably had been placed In
the wooden waste-box under it. 1t Is the opn-
,ou of Coroner Miles that the bomb contained
giant powder and was exploded by means OF IL
can made of chlorate OF potash and pulverlHed
sugar mixed little sulphuric acid spilled on
such n compound would cause 1t to Ignite anu
oynode the bomb The high desk was shat
tered into a thousand fragments and great
n.,ch Of the ceiling was blown away. but not a
hoard I'm the floor was splintered.
Tho fragments Of the body wee ;emoved 10