The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-05-11
No illuminate Caps on the Cart.
ridges in Umbria Machine.
THINKS IT WAS ALL A JOKE
Commissioner Gresne Has a Poor 0pilltn
Of the Affair, but VIII Keep Up the
Search for The Perpetrator.

tectives were trying today 10 find VINO
sent TO the Cunard pier on Saturday a
box containing 100 pounds OF dynamite
of the Climax Powder companys make
leaving 1t there on the pretence that it
was part OF the baggage OF a passenger
who was 10 sail 10y the Umbria.
II all detective tales are true the po-
lice will be able to discover the writer
OF the letter that notified the police that
the box had been sent as preliminary
steps In the plans Of "our society to
clear the harbor OF British shipping.
The handwriting Is hardly disguised at
all. except by an apparent effort 10 write
backhanded. neglected from time to time.
IL has nothing about IL to suggest an
Italian, but would pass current in e.
New York newspaper office as the work
OF an accustomed writer for the press.
Police Commissioners Greene sent for
Inspector McCluskey lad hau ing Z. lI
with hi.-. = general order was Issued
10 the police 10 try and find who had the
box taken 20 the pier. Gen. Greene said
that he was inclined TO believe that II
was some body's idea OF practical joke.
The absence OF caps I'm the dynamite
sticks made the box as harmless as amy
other piece Of baggage. he said
knows something about explosives. the
box could have been dropped from the
roof OF building without any serious
results. He saws that In the past hVe
gears all first class manufacturers have
made dynamite that would not explode
without detonation. The dynamite IN
the box. he says. is Of superior grade.
The police, however. regard the placing
OF the box on the pier as very serious
matter. and purpose TO make II anything
but a joke for the perpetrator'
The Cunard~,people denied emphaucally
a rumor that was current that they
also had received n letter or letters OF a
threatening character.
CLUES TO WORK on.
The clues the police have to work on
are the letter OF warning signed "Pietro
Demartin." obviously a fictitious name,
the description of the men who left me me
box At the pier. and of the horse and the
wagon with the green body which brought
them and the contents OF the box ltseH.
The two men said that they had got the
box on Thirty-ninth street. On the
chance that the men may have been non
est enough and didn't know what the pox
contained inspector tor, McCiasHy NC .i,.h hbe iba
other searched.
No trace of the horse and wagon de-
scribed by Baggage Master Thomas
was discovered. At every stable they
could get into on Sunday the detectives
asked about the box. but NOBODY nau seen
such a box and nobody had carted such
a box to the Cunard pier. or knew or
anyone else having done such job. They
also tried such carpenter shops as they
could get into and made inquiries about
the box or chest.
Because OF the Italian name signed 20
Gen. Greene's letter, and the fact that
the men who brought the box 10 the pier
were Italians, Detective Sergeant Pet
rosino was sent to the Italian quarters
OF this city 10 see what he could learn.
Petrosino said when he returned that
all the Italians he had talked to laughed
ut the idea that the machine was the
work OF an Italian. or that ii was the
work OF the Malta or an Italian society
OF that kind They said that Italians
didn't work in that way, and. besides,
that Italians, either as individuals or as
societies. had no special interest In driv-
ing British trade from this port or any
other American port.
The dynamite In the box can. II IS be-
leved be traced. Inspector McCluslly
sent a detective to the factory and cX-
poets 10 get some clue which will lead
him to where the particular dynamite
now in his possession was sold.
NO CAPS OK FUSES.
An exmination Of the Internal machine
made at police headquarters settled 1t
that there was no illuminate caps on the
fuses, and no explosion oc the dynamite
was likely under the circumstances The
cigar lighter which was to- ignite the fuse
was not even set i'm position.
Superintendent Murray OF tho bureau
OF combuStlbles admitted that the mach
inc WAS harmless I'm tho condition I'm