The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-10-22
ANARCHIST DEED?
Mystery Surrounds Killing Of
Hamlin J. Andrus.
Killed By Explosion of Bomb In
His Office.
He WAS "a RICH MAN.
Did an Anarchist Place the
Fatal Bomb There,
Or Was Andrus Experiment.
ing With ExpIosives2

New York Oct. 22-Hamlin J. An
drus. secretary of the Arlington chem
zeal works. located in Palisade avenue,
Yonkers. was instantly killed yester-
day morning by a dynamite bomb,
which the police think was placed
there for the purpose of destroying life
and property. There is a deep air Of
mystery about the entire affair. and
one particularly sensational rumOr is
ahOat- The body of the victim was
frightfully mangled by the explosion
ana death must have come Instantly
Hamlin Andrus was a man of wealth
and ne lived in Nonkers in handsome
style with his family. He left home
in company with his son Hiram, aged
20 years. a little before 6 a. M. and
they went to the factory together. AS
was his custom. the young man opened
the safe and got out the books after
which young Andrus went from the Of
fee into the factory. The Office is
one story structure and stands detach-
ed from the factory proper. The room
used by Andrus in the Office building
was separated by thin board part-
ton from the part occupied by the
clerks of the concern.
tt was few minutes after o'clock
when the explosion occurred. 1t shook
the factory building and was accom-
panied by the sound Of crashing glass
and a volume of smoke. A wild rush
was made by the factory employees TO
the office They We're headed by young
Andrus. He found the floor of that
portion of the Office building occupied
by his father covered with glass, NOR
tar and broken furniture. In one cor
ner of the room ne saw the bleeding
and mangled body Of his father, partly
covered with debris 1t was in a ter
ribly mangled condition.
Embedded in the floor were several
pieces of cast iron. Other pieces, cor
responding to these, We're found in the
office They were carefully placed to-
gether. and although all the pieces
r4rmNn IN
show that the bomb or machine that
exploded was piece Of cast iron pipe
about six inches long, by one and
half in diameter. Fastened to either
end of this piece Of pipe was a cap.
which screwed on The Odor and
smoke indicated that the explosive
was dynamite or giant powder. In
formation of a startling character was
discovered by the police which may
aid in the solution of the mystery.
Tt was to the effect that the bomb
was intended for John +. Andrus,
brother of the dead man. several times
q millionaire John F. Andrus did not
appear at the office Of the chemical
company this morning, as was his Gus
tom
on learning of the explosion and the
death of his brother, ne hurried to the
police station and communicated with
Captain Mangin. To the captain he
said that the explosion of the bomb
might have been the work of anarch-
lists and offered an explanation for his
belief. About three weeks ago he said,
he was walking along Wall street. New
York. when he was accosted by a rath-
er seedy looking individual who took
him by the arm and said. Mr.. An
drus YOU are a very wealthy man.
You have too much money and I am
one of q number Of people who believe
that you ought to distribute at least
one-third of what you have among the
poor. You will either do this or there
viii be a way found to compel you to
do it."
Andrus paid little attention to the
man at the time.
Up to the present no arrests have
been made. The police We're informed
that HamIin Andrus was In the habit
OF experimenting with explosive chem