Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-11-19
A BOMB ~. PETERS.


The outrages of the desperate ar
archists' band now terrorizing Italy
reached n climax yesterday in the ex-
plosion ola bomb in ST. Peters Cathedral,
ut the Vatican in Rome, just at the
conclusion Of the morning mass. The
Pope was at his MONDAY devotion in his
apartments at the time. That an at.
tempt upon the life of The Poniiii had
been planned Is evident A rumor had
spread abroad tina! he intended to visit
the cathedral yesterday to pray before
the tomb of Clement KILL, where the
outrage was committed, and the anarch
lists at Rome placed the bomb, with q
longtime fuse attached. The Pope how.
ever, remained in his private apart
ments.
The vast ed6ce was crowded, and an
indescribable scene of confusion followed
the explosion. AZ soon as the echoes
of the tremendous roar had ceased a
canon sought by relssuring words to
qniet the people, but in vain.
They fed in all directions, and num-
bef of women tainted. The cathedral
ia 20 large, however, that there was
ample room for the crowd 10 scatter,
and no one was injured. No trace Of
the perpetrator OF the deed has been
found
Since St. Anacetus, who was ordained
By Peter himself, erected an oratory in
90 A. d., on the site of the present ba-
silica to mark the spot where the remains
Of ST. Peter are buried, no such bastard
ly occurrence is noted in the annals Of
the church.
Yesterday was the anniversary Of the
dedication of the basilica to st. Peter,
and it WAS beautifully decorated for the
OCCASION. Holy relics we're exposed and
large number of the faithful attended
the services
Cardinal RampOla, took part in the
service in the choir chapel. The last
mass had Just been concluded when the
explosion occurred, and only one canon,
who had not quite finished, remained at
the altar of 81. Petronila. This altar
is at the end of the right aisle, and it
was near here that the bomb had been
placed.
As the canon turned TO bless the com
municar ts there was tremendous roar,
like thunderclsp. At the same time
dense smoke spread throughout this por-
ton of the baslica, and a 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 out:
"Do not be afraid; it is nothing, mere
ly the MONDAY gun"
These words, however, had little ef-
feet, aud the people continued their head
long fight The screams of children and
cries OF anguish were heard on all sides,
and for few moments it seemed as II
nothing could prevent n grave disaster
Yesterday afternoon the explosion OF q
Grecrscker in the new tunnel, above
which stands the Quirinal, caused con
siderable excitement and alarm, people
fearing another bomb outrage.
The P0ntn's first act upon being as
sured that no one had been killed or in
iured was to invoke mercy for the mis-
creart who committed the outrage
Within an hour after the explosion the
Pope, though pale and visibly affected,
gave audience to more than 2UO people
The bomb which had been placed in
st. Peters evidently consisted of a large
tin box bound tightly together with wire
of two sizes. II must have contained
over two pounds of gunpowder and three
pounds of nails. The nails were envel-
oped in newspapers dated November 10
and II, proving that the bomb was pre-
pared either Saturday or yesterday.
A three-day service Of prayer will be
celebrated in all the churches 10 expla-
ton of this offense to religion. /
This bomb explosion makes the third
anarchist outrage In Italy in four days,
the other Two being the murder OF Pro-
lessor Rossi in Naples yesterday and the
explosion OF bomb in front OF the CAFE
Aragno in Rome on November II.
Cascasweet is harmless compound OF
vegetable extracts that Is wonderful In us /