New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-03
MEANT FOR PRESIDENT.
MISSILE BREAKS WINDOW.
Webb Hayes Has NarroU Escape
on Special Train IN Philadelphia.
EBrom Tho Tribune bureau. ]

LBrou1 The Tribune EUreau-
Washington. Dec 2-The President and Mrs.
Roosevelt, with their children. returned the
White House at IL: 20 o'clock the train bearing
them from the football game at Princeton being
over an hour late on account of the dense fog
prevailing tonight.
The return trip was without incident so far
as the Presidents immediate party was con-
cerned. although a sensational occurrence at
Philadelphia caused great concern and excite
ment among the guests on his special train. AS
the train pulled slowly through North Phila-
delphia, and was just passing Oxford-st.
heavy iron plumb bob, like those used by
masons, was hurled through one of the windows
Of the buffet car Saliva the first of the train,
shattering the glass over Webb Hayes. son Of
the late President Hayes but fortunately in
hicting no serious injury.
The train was brilliantly Illuminated and the
shades we're not closed. so all the passengers
we're in plain view of people outside. The train
was proceeding slowly, which gave ample op-
portunity for some misoreant to commit the
outrage.
webb Hayes has long been noted for his
.rked resemblance to the President and it'Tasa
the belief of those on the train that he was mis-
taken for President Roosevelt tonight by some
nervert Wing in wait at the point where the
missile was thrown and dastardly ATTEMPT
had been made to bruise or dishgure the Presi-
dent
The Philadelphia police are already looking
into the matter and the United states Secret
Service men have begun an independent inves-
ttgation and search for the man Or woman who
threw the missile.
The weather was heavy, and dense fog
which prevailed rendered it almost impossible
for the engineer to see a train length ahead Of
him. Broad-st in North Philadelphia, had
been. crossed about 7:3O p m. and the train
was near oxford-st.. when the crash Of glass
aroused the occupants Of the car. The Saliva
was the first car Of the train, and in appear
ance might have been mistaken easily for Presi-
dent Roosevelts. private car. That, however,
was at the rear of the train
Doubt was expressed by officials Of the Penn
sylvania Railroad who were OF the train
whether the missile was intended to be hurled
at the President They say that several times
recently stones have been thrown at trains pass
ing through North Philadelphia, and on one re-
cent occasion man sitting at one Of the win
dows was severely cut by broken glass when
heavy stone crashed through it.
The implement thrown at the train tonight
was a most unusual one to be in the hands of
a boy who might, in a spirit OF devlltry, throw
a stone at a train. It is of cast iron and weighs
about three pounds Had it struck Major Hayes
on the head. as it certainly would if it had
passed through the window foot lower he
certainly would have been injured very seri-
ousy, if not killed
fhe President knew nothing of the incident
for some time after it occurred. He made no
comment upon it, passing it off as the wanton
act of some irresponsible person. AS a meas
ure of precaution, the curtains at the windows
of several of the cars were drawn down after
the news spread. among the passengers on the
train