New-York tribune., 1905-01-11
BOMB UNDER A STATUE.
WASHINGTON SENSATION.
Amateurish attempt to Wreck EN-
peror WHliam's Gift to Nation.

Washington. Jan. 10.-Somewhat of a sensa-
| ton was caused in this city to-day by the dis
! oovery OF what appeared to be a definite and
! serious attempt TO blow up deface the statue
! OF Frederick the Great. given to the United
States b. Emperor William of Germany and
! erected in the arsenal grounds near the Army
War College. on the Potomac River waterfront.
in the southern part of the city 1t believed
ct first that j crank had made a real effort at
destruction of the statue but after careful in
Vestigation the police officials say the material
used was incapable OF producing damaging re-
suits. Al the evidence so far obtained, the po-
lice announce tonight tends to show that the
attempted effort to in5ure the statue was puny
and amateurish 10 a degree. 1t is regarded as
an attempt to work up 8 sensation.
The police are making thorough investga-
tion. but thus far have not discovered any clew
as to The Identity of the perpetrator of the af-
Ialr' the man who placed the bomb" the
statue disappearing before Identification. The
statue O. Frederick the Great was unveiled in
November IN the presence of the President and
large n~-Hher of army and navy officers and
the Diplomatic Corps.
a hola in the soft mud about six inches deep
by siX inches wide and twelve inches long
eighteen shattered window panes in nearby
buildings and five or six splotches Of yellow
clay on many granite steps summed up the
damage done by the bomb which had been
placed on a high picket fence surrounding the
statue An analysis and examination Of the
bomb shows the substance used had not suf-
hcient strength to wreck the fence.
The facts developed by detectives who were
assigned TO The case. show that negro hack
man named Arthur Carter took the man thought
TO have perpetrated the affair from the Penn
sylvania Railroad to the statue. Apparently he
had just arrived in the city His baggage con-
ed of aOd SSllitC
man told the hackman to drive slowly TO the
baTTack ground. On learning the exact location
of the statue he ordered the driver walk his
horse, and 1T soon after when the
statue reached
The stranger alighted quickly. up the
short flight of granite steps leading to the west
erly terrace of the War College esplanade and
disappeared behind the pedestal of the statue.
A minute later he ran back to the cab, and the
hackman noticed that the strangers grip, which
he carried. was missing. The stranger jumped
into the cab and ordered the hackman TO drive
out of the grounds as quickly as possible. Soon
after getting out of the grounds the man jumped
out, paid the hackman and disappeared toward
the river front.
Post Baker Reiger had seen the man jump
from the cab and run toward the statue with a
satchel from which smoke issuing, but he
could not see what became OF the man because
his view OF the statue was shut off by Office
buldlng Two otner employees noticed smoke
rising from the fence in the of the statue.
A negro named Ellis saw the satchel, and hook
ing q section of scantlng through the handle.
ratsed IL OF the hook which held ii 10 the fence
ana landed II at the foot of the steps.
AD instant later ii exploded. Soldiers and
civilians all through the reservation heard the
report Nearly ali force was taken from the
explosion because the substance was not con-
fined. 1t was estimated that from one to five
pounds Of the explosive in the suit case
One effect Of the explosion the hurried
building OF small Matchbox beside the statue,
where watchman will be stationed