New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-10
|DYNAMITERS THREATEN SHIPS.
INTERNAL MACHINE, LAID TO MAFIA, FOUND ON
CIyNARD PIER AND SUBMERGED JUST IN THE.
Wornng Sent to Police Declares Italian Society Viii Dr.
VesseIs from the Port zcith Explosives.

covered. Captain Dutton reversed his order re-
gardng the sailing OF the steamer, acd she
started time the passengers being unaware
of the plot 10 annihilate them. AS soon the
steamer sailed a detail of police who had ar
rived by this time. cleared the pier of every one
except the detectives and the men from the
Department Of Combustibles. The box then
raised from the water in gingeriy manner and
closely examined. Inside was a board to which
was attached at one end. set Of clockwork
similar tc that OF an eight day clock To the
perimeter of a large wheel connected with the
clockwork was attached an upright metal post
This post was intended to engage the end of
lever. At the other end of the board was
fastened an electric cigar lighter of the kind SO
often seen in cigar stores. A spring attached
to one end was so arranged that the lighter
would perform its function when the lever
actuated by the clockwork released It, At the
lighting point was affixed a black powder fuse
This fuse and the wires working the hghtet leo
beneath the board, the former to another loop
OF fuse, the ends of which entered the com
partrnents on either end of the box The latter
ran TO a pair of dry cells. In the compartments
were found hundred pounds of dynamite
enough 10 read fOrty-fve tons of solid rock, de-
stroy the pier or tear out the bottom of the
Umbria or any other steamer. The dynamite
was in bars wrapped in light brown paper on
made by the Climax Powder Company. when
has an Office in the Park Row Building. The
dynamite was divided equally between the two
commandments there being one hundred half
pound sticks in each.
To the astonishment of Superintendent Muir
raw il was found that the end of the fuse was
scorched and burned down for about quarter
of an inch suggesting that the clockwork had
released the lever just before the steamer sailed
He expressed the opinion later that had the box
not been put in the water at the precise mo-
nent it was done explosion would have oc-
Cured. The fuse he said, short that it
would have required hardly more than second
for it to reach the decorating medium which
was supposed to have been gunpOwder and gun
cotton packed around the dynamite. Superin-
tendent Murray declined to say exactly what the
detonatiEg medium was, but assured the news
paper men that it surely would have proved its
efficiency He declared the machine TO be the
most perfect one he had ever seen.
The box was placed patrol wagon from
the Chares-st station Patrolrnan John Cava-
nagh drove the wagon, and Roundsman Robert
Quinn and Patroiman Frank Gallagher sat at the
back. PatroInen and detectives were sent ahead
to clear the street and the wagon driven,
with the horses walking very slowly. TO the
station When that was reached the box was
carefully emptied in the wagon and the box
taken into the station. The contents were taken
TO Fire Headquarters
Investisa ton showed that the box
b,cught TO the pier on Friday about p. m. in
wagon painted dark green and resembling
pedIer's wagon. Two Italians were on the
wagon They delivered the box to Tom Pryor.
the baggage master. He noticed that there was
no name on the box, snip to which it was to
60 or address He inquired. and omen of the
men said it would he all right that it was 70 go
with the Umbras baggage and would be called
for They said they came from Thirty -ninth-st.
Pryor later, it said. became suspicious
of the box and informed Superintendent Wat
SON Yesterday morning he became more sus-
picious and a watch was kept for any one get
ting the box. Superintendent Watson said:
II cannot account for such an Internal ma
chine being placed this dock was told
about the box and was suspicious about 1t.
About forty-five minutes before the ship sailed
notified Police Headquarters"
The two men who drove the wagon were
described by Mr.. Pryor follows: One
about twenty-eight years cid. weighing 40
cap The other was taller. about thirty-seven
years old, weighing about 10 pounds, and wore
a dark cutaway coat and waistcoat, light
trousers and a Fedora hat Both men were
dark with dark complications and hair
Superintendent Watson said that the box
would not have been put aboard the Umbria
unless claimed by some one who was intending
TO sail on the vessel 1t Was at the gangway
Continued on tnird page.