The sun., 1903-11-13
DISCLOSED BY AN EXPLOSION.
sry ALLEGED SAFE BREAKERS
WRECK THEIR DEN.
ooe, OF Them Handled a Bottle Of Nitro.
Gl,cerine Carelessly and II Went on
All OF the Men Injured More or Less
safe Breaking Tools In the Room.

All OF the Men Injured More or Less
safe Breaking Tools In the Room.
pulI.r ELpHIA, Nov. ~. Through the
s,ploson of a bottle of nitro-glycerine
\ rhich practically wrecked 1876 Wood street,
In the heart of the Tenderloin. and damaged
adjoining property, the police late last night
unearthcd what they believe to be a nest
NJ safe robbers The explosion injured
four men. impcrilled the lives Of a score Of
nersons and resulted in the arrest Of six
men who we're in the room. Four of these
are suspected Of being members Of gang
Of safe robbers that have been operating
extensively through this State, New Jersey
a9S p"''~are.
Besides the nitro-glycerine there were in
the room other articles that are used by
professional robbers. Gun cotton, dyna-
mite fuses, lock picks. a jimmy, safe punch,
and revolver and a supply Of cartridges
were there. The collection was taken
roDoce headquarters.
Several books containing maps and list
Of suburban post Offices in this region were
found and the police intend to try to put
Spring City and Port Kennedy, Pa, on the
Y.
dresses: william Marshall, Batavia street,
New York; John Moore, st, Louis; Fred
Davis, one-legged man, thought to have
been the gangs lookout" Boston; James
Patton St. Marys, Fix county. Pa; Joseph
Anderson, Scranton, Pa. and William
Jones, Philadelphia.
Patton, who was handling the nitro-glyc-
crime. was hurled from the floor to the CELL
ing and came down with his clothing in
shreds and minus the tips of his shoes.
Both feet we're burned and lacerated and
his head was bruised by contact with the
ceiling While the other five men were
Just far enough away to escape the direct
effect Of the explosion they were pitched
head foremost from the bed upon which
they were sitting and. as they lay on the
floor stunned, we're blinded and choked by
the shower Of mortar, stone and tattered
wall paper that came from the ceiling
and walls. Nearly all the furniture in
the house was smashed. The floor where
the nitro-gycerne fell was torn asunder
and the entire house was shaken.
Several weeks ago a man and woman,
who gave the name of st. Clair, rented
the room in which the explosion occurred
The man had many visitors. Among them
we're four Of the six arrested. According
to the woman who leases the house, st. Clair
and his companion left the house on Tues
day night after sending away some trunks
They did not give UP their keys.
Concerning the presence Of the prisoners
in the house, the landlady said
Il thought st. Clair was in his room last
night, for early in the evening the four
men who were arrested after the explosion
came to the front door and let themselves
in with key. had seen these men about
the place before with st. Clair and did not
question them, for thought he had given
them his key"
The police are securing the city for the
st. Clairs. 1t Is believed by them that he
was the organizer and chief of the gang.
| apd that Patton is his right hand man and
ne one that handled the explosives at each
N b. None of the prisoners will say what
70 was being made Of the nitro-glycerine
zen it exploded.
\ Patton did say that the bottle containing
tie glycerine accidentally fell from his
pocket, but the police do not believe him
They think he was experimenting with the
explosive and that he was illustrating to
the others how it should be used in attacking
a safe.