The Topeka state journal., 1897-06-12
WHO DID 1T?
Search For the Author of the
Outrage
At the Residence of Governor
Smith of the Home.
J. W. OLIVER TAKEN.
The CircumstantiaI Evidence
Against Him is Strong.
A Tough Character and Had
Made Threats.

Leavenworth, June 12.-There are
many theories as to the cause that
could have prompted an act so diaboH-
cal and so carefully planned as the
blowing up of Governor Smiths resi-
dence at the Soldiers home. It is
public that Governor Smith had many
political enemies, but none believed
any of them so bitter as to plan and
carry into effect an attempt to delib-
erately murder his family in order to
reach him. No other conclusion can
be reached from the evidence at hand
than that there was dynamite bomb
with fuse or Internal machine placed
on the sill inside the bay window by or
at the order of someone who knew the
house and was acquainted with the fact
that Mrs. Smith usually occupied that
room.
Within a short time after the ex-
plosiOn a council was held among the
police officers at the home and it was
the concensus of opinion that some Of
the persons who had been known to
have made threats that they would
take the governors life had attempted
to put the threat into execution. Sew
eral were named and among them was
Joseph w Oliver, who has figured in
the police court of the city and was
fined $50 a few months ago for taking
a shot at an electric car conductor be-
cause he would not haul him for moth
ing. 1t was stated Oliver had threat
ened to blow the governors house up
with dynamite
The city police were teIephoned, and
Police Officer O'Leary, who was on
duty at headquarters, was detailed to
find divers stopping place. The officer
found that Oliver had been boarding
for some time at the Missouri House
at 223 Cherokee street. 1t was also
found that he had been out until
very unreasonable hour. About 8 o'clock
Officer Mandel, who had been on the
lookout found the man and taking
to oI hi
over to Deputy United States Marshal
e c. Murphy.
Oliver was placed in the police patrol
wagon without his shoes by Deputy
United States Marshals VIII Neely and
E. G. Murphy and conveyed to the Of
fee of United States Commissioner H.
Miles Moore, where he found COM
plant had been lodged against him 1t
was made by Governor Smith and was
sworn out before United States Com
missioner E. B. Wheeler Of the Soldiers
home.
He was asked by the commissioner
if he had any statement to make as to
his guilt or innocence and he replied
that he had not His preliminary ex-
animation was set for next Tuesday,
June Is. and his bail was fixed at 81, 900.
He was then committed to the care of
United States Marshal Neely, who was
present. Not being able to furnish
bail, Oliver was taken to Jail.
Another dishOnorabIy discharged vet
eran is suspected of completely, but
has not been apprehended.
Oliver is a. tough character and few
months ago was arrested and punish
ed for deliberately shooting into an
electric car. a few nights ago John
Biringer's powder magazine was rob
bed and it is thought this man caused
the explosion. Many friends of Gov
ernor Smith and his family in this city
went to the home to offer assistance,
and the authorities are active in their
efforts to hunt down the perpetrators.
It is the universal opinion that the
outrage is a direct result of the perse-
cutiOn waged against Governor Smith
for the past five or six years by certain
persons in LeavenWOrth and elsewhere
in Kansas. Threats to blow up the
governor have been made freely by dis
charged veterans since the national
board of managers made the order
transferring Colonel Smith to the Pa
cific branch home at Santa Monica,
Cal.
A number of veterans have threaten
ed to take the governors life during
the past few years Many imagined he
had wrOnged them, and they thought
revenge was due them. Both the mem
bers and the officers of the home took
side in an open fight on Colonel Smith,
which finally resulted in his being
transferred to the Santa Monica
branch. The congressional investigation
of Governor Smiths management of
the home was directly due to charges
brought by DR.. J. L. Viewer some years