The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-11-20
BOMB is EXPLODED N
ST. PETERS CHURCH
Scenes of Excitement and Panic
in Famous Italian Cathe-
dral; None Hurt.
Came Like Thunderclap.
Asks Mercy for Criminal.

ROME, Nov. ia bomb was ex-
ploded in st. Fcter's Sunday. The edi-
fec was crowded, and an indcscribable
scene of confusion followed There
We're no fatalities.
AS soon as the echoes of the tre"
mendous roar ceased canon sought by
reassuring words to quiet the people.
but in vain. They fled in all directions,
and number of women tainted. Wo-
men and children screamed and men
tried to protect their families in the
crush, The church is so large, however,
that there was ample room for the
crowd to scatter, and no one was in
lurcd. No trace of the perpesrator Of
the deed has been found
Sunday was the anniversary of the
dedication of the basilica to st. Peter,
and it was beautifully decorated for The
occasion Holy relics were exposed and
large number of the faithful attended
the services. Cardinal Rampolla, for
merlY Papal Secretary Of State, was
among those present He took part in
last mass had just been concluded when
the explosion occurred, and only. one
canon, who had not quite finished, re-
NAMED at the altar Of st, Peter.
There was Il tremendous roar. which
echoed through the lofty arches of the
immense dome like a thunderclap. At
the same time a dense smoke spread
throughout this portion of the basihca
and strong odOr OF gunpoWder filed
the air. Confusion and panic at once
seized the people The canon at the
altar tried to stem the tide of fear. He
shouted: 'Do not be afraid; it is moth
ing, merely the MONDAY sun" His
words had little effect They were
refutcd by the smoke and the pungent
smell Of powder, and the people con-
tinued their headlong flight. Chairs
were overturned. making the confusion
more serious, Men and women fed,
stumbling in all directions; the screams
of children and cries of anguish were
heard on all sides, and for a few min
ntes it seemed rs though nothing could
obviate a grave disaster, The vast size
of the church. however, gave room for
the crowd TO scatter, and at the end of
few moments the people were surglng
toward the doors, excited and nervous,
but orderly,
The Pope was engaged in his regular
noon hour devotions when the bomb
went off. He heard muffled sound,
which surprised but did not alarm him,
Monsignor Misciatelli, sub bprefect of
the Apostolic palace, and Monsignor
Blsletl, MAJOR domo of the Vatican. at
once hurricdly entered the Pontiff s
chamber. They were so pale that the
Pope Immediately asked; "What has
happened7"
''Do not be alarmed. holy father
was the answer. GA bomb has cXplod
ed in the basilica, but fortunately there
are no deaths to deplore, and no one has
been wounded -
The Pontiff asked anxiously if the
church had been damaged. Upon being
reassured he fell upon his knees, saying
he must implore mercy for the misguid~
ed pcrpetrator of the deed,
Every piece of the bomb that could
be found was gathered up by the police
and carefully examined. The bomb evil
IDENTIFY consisted of a large tin box
bound tightly together with wire of
two sizes, 1t must have contained more
than two pounds of gunpowder and
three pounds of nails The nails were
of three sizes, some seven inches lonr
and so heavy that the force of the ex-
plosion threw them only short dis
tance, The nails were enveloped in
dated November l6 and II,
proving that the bomb was prepared
either Saturday or Sunday.