The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-25
He BLEW UP THE HOTEL
Frank McKie Got Mad Because the
Proprietor Objected to His
Too Free WAYS.

Washington, Sept. 25.-The Golden
Eagle hotel. on the corner of New Jersey
avenue and D street was dynamited this
morning at 4:30 o'clock by Frank MCKEE,
one OF the guests, who subsequently COM
mitted suicide. Between twenty and thirty
guests were thrown from their beds by
the explosion but only the proprietor,
Louis Brandt and his wife. were injured,
the latter seriously. The roof of the build
ing was blown off and the falling wreck
age crashed through to the basement,
leaving the structure as if wrecked by a
tornado. Every pane of glass in the build
ing and the adjoining structures was
broken. The explosion called out the fire
department. .~..
The affair is involved in some mystery.
The proprietor gave banquet last night
in honor Of his wife who had just re-
turned from Germany and McKie was a
guest. During the evening McKie and
Brandt quarreled over the formers atten
lions to Mrs. Brandt and McI<ie left the
hotel with threats of revenge. r,
He returned about o'clock and Is said
to have exploded the dynamite in the room
above that occupied by Brandt and his
wife, subsequently shooting himself in the
head, McKie was about % years Of age
and it is said was in fairly good ctrcum-
stances. He came here several years ago
from Philadelphia. A member of the
biduQL 1dlnlly Sldleu CIletI ilS lleu lOSC
considerable money at the races recently
and had acted irrationally. It is said that
he was employed at one time in the navy
yard here.
a FendIsh Plot.
Later developments show that McKie
had boarded at the hotel four years and
had been treated as member Of the
Brandt family, which includes a daugh-
ter, Sophie, with whom MCKEE is said to
have been in love. Brandt denies that
there was any misunderstanding between
the two. McKie remarked last night that
he was going to wait until Sophie re-
turned from Germany with her mother
and then was going to his old home in
Philadelphia. Mrs. Brandt and her
daughter returned about o'clock last
night. The attempt at wholesale murder
followed this morning.
When the explosion occurred. a slight
blaze sprang from the debris, but it was
quickly extinguished by the iremen.
Brandt and his wife were rescued before
many Of the thirty guests of the estab-
lishment had reached the part Of the
building in which McKie's room was To-
Gated. McKie, with a revolver clutched
in his hand, was found lying on the floor
with his head in pool of blood. A bull
let hole near the right ear had caused In
slant death. Brandt was bruised about
the body and shaken up badly and re-
ceived a severe cut on the left leg. Mrs.
Brandt sustained bruises about the body
and q cut hand. ....--- .,-~..--- a->i-t~ -.
When the wrecked building was searched
day, enough dynamite was found in
McKie's trunk to blow up block Of build
ings. There were six. whole sticks and
parts of two or three broken sticks, to-
gether with a box Of caps and a quantity
of wire for long-distance explosion. He
had at least nine sticks of dynamite in
his possession.
McKie was about % years old. He was
formerly Of Philadelphia and had rela.
t1ves in Chicago. His brother, Harry
MCKEE, was killed in Chicago last year
according to telegram found in the dead
mans room to-day. McKie was a ma
chinist in the navy yard here, but re-
signed on inheriting upwards Of 0,00(
about four years ago. This amount he
is said to have lost on the races, and his
act is accredited by some to this loss
Detectives are investigating the case
day.