Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-10
OUTRAGE FAILED
Attempt to Wreck T red
erick Statue.
VERY CLOSE SHAVE
Unidentified Man Comes and
Goes in Coupe.
POLICE AFTER SUSPECT
BRAVERY OF CoLoRED WORKMAN
SAVES EMPERoRs REPLICA.
Explosive Was in Satchel, Which Was
Hung on Fence Surrounding the
Monument-Finally Exploded.
BRAVERY OF COLoRED WORKMAN
SAVES EMPERoR's REPLICA.

An unsuccessful attempt was
made today by one or more civilians
to blow up the statue of Frederick
the Great, recently presented to this
government by the Emperor of Ger
many, and now standing in the War
College grounds. A charge of ex-
plosives with lighted fuse was at
tached to the fence surrounding the
statue, but was removed by an en-
ploye before it exploded. No dam
age resulted to the statue or to
property or person.
Prompt measures were taken to
detain the perpetrators OF the crime
before they left the grounds, but
they did not succeed. The police
authorities have been notified, and
all available information is being
placed before them with a view to
arresting the guilty parties.
At noon today an attempt was made by
some unknown person or persons to blow
up with dynamite the statue of Frederick
the Great on the esplanade of the War
College in the Washington barracks res
ervation. The statue was not injured, as
the explosive was taken from it's prox-
unity to the statue by a negro laborer,
George C. Ellis, before the fuse which
was lighted had "A chance reach the
dynamite. The man or men who made the
attempt escaped from the grounds and
up to late hour this afternoon were at
liberty and unidentified.
The vandals entered the reservation in a
closed carriage; one of them attached the
package of dynamite TO the fence surround
ing the statue and the escape was made
in the carriage before any one could take
measures to stop them. 1t is not known
whether there was one man or two. The
dynamite was thrown some distance from
that statue by the laborer, Ellis, and ex-
ploded with such force that window panes
were shattered several blocks away and a
great hole was torn in the ground.
Person Not Identified.
Major Sylvester and Captain Boardman
were communicated with as soon as the ex-
element had subsided and were given a
description of the man who is alleged to
have made the attempt at destruction. He
entered the grounds in a coupe and left in
The same vehicle. A cheap satchel con-
tanned the bomb and was hung on the
fence which encloses the space about the
statue Private Albert Reger who en-
listed in the service in New York, was
the first person to notice the alleged sus-
picious conduct of the man in the coupe
When the vehicle stopped near the statue
The occupant, man with blonde beard,
got cut and hurried toward the statue with
something under his arm He soon disap-
peaTed from Rieger's sight behind an office
building, but the latter did not give up the
Idea OF following the man to see what he
was doing. Seeing the satchel hanging on
The fence and a small curling smoke COM
ing from II, Rieger surmised that an effort
had been made to do some damage
Realizing the necessity for hasty action
N order that the perpetrator of the outrage
might not escape, Rieger started to have
the man in the coupe stopped before he
could get out of the grounds
Everything seemed to operate against
him He was called by one of his superior
oihcers and in an excited frame of mind
he attempted to tell of what he had seen.
Ills first thought was to telephone for
somebody 10 stop the team but thinking
ne might be able TO overtake the animal or
Keep in sight of the team, he hurried to-
ward the gate after telling the colored
workman on the war college building to
remove the suspicious-appearing package
The fact that smoke was coming from
two fuses which led from the opening of
the satchel did not deter the laborer but
DID serve to make him more careful. TAX
ing stick in his hand he reached over
and removed the smoking satchel He did
not waste time in placing it carefully on
the ground, but threw IL as far from the
statue as he could. 1t had hardly touched
the ground before the explosion occurred
Stranger Escapes.
Captain Walter is the official who was
first told of the suspicious conduct of tn,
man with a light beard. and he was con
Versing with Rieger when the explosion oc
CURED While Rieger was springint
toward the gate others were using the tele-
phone. but the horse drawing the cour,
passed through the gate with the mysteri
Gus passenger before the news reached tn,
entrance to the grounds.
hen those on duty at the gate learned
of what had occurred they recalled tn,
team and bearded passenger
Detectives Muller and Cornwell were de-
tailed upon the case. and messages were
sent TO all the police precincts n have tbs
uniformed men look out for the man anC
team. The message sent to them reads
Look out for a white man. five feet ter
Inches tall. sandy hair. light beard; was
N a coupe driven by a colored man in gree.
: livery. He had a bay horse with kickine
straps and left the Washington barracE.
about noon. He is wanted for attempting
to destroy government property. Inquire
OF all hack stands and stables and locat,
The team"
At a late hour this afternoon the police
and detectives -7ere still looking for tn,
perpetrator. Capt. Boardman said he hat
received nothing to show whether the mar
lived here or if he had just come here fcl
the purpose of destroying the statue. =
Is thought he may have worn a false beart
In order to throw the police off his track
and avoid being suspected.