Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-11-20
BOMB In A
CATHEDRAL
EXPLOSION CAUSES A PANIC IN
ST. PETERS ON ANNlvER.
sARY OF DEDICATION
NO CLEW TO OFFENDER
is Flight in All Directions by the
Occupants Of the Edifice-Ncne Of
the People Were lnjured-Explosion
Interrupts Blessing.

the People Were NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Interrupts Blessing.
Rome, Nov. 19.-The pope has re-
ceiyed personal letter containing
threats that he will be assassinated in
the apostolic palace as a protest
against present organization of society.
i Anarchists, it is added, are ready to
lemploy every means to destroy all in
stitutions supported by religion or
military forces.
Rome, Nov ia bomb was ex-
ploded in st. Peters yesterday. The
edifice was crowded and an indescrib-
I liable confusion followed. There were
no fatalities AS soon as the echoes
5|of the tremendous roar had ceased, q
priest sought by reassuring word to
quiet the people, but in vain. They
fled in all directions, and number OF
! women tainted. The church is so
large, however, that there was ample
room for the crowd to scatter. No
trace of the perpetrator of the deed
has been found.
i Since ST. Anacletus, who was ordain-
led by st. Peter himself, erected an ar
atory in 19 A. D., on the site of the
4 present basilica to mark the spot
where the remains of st. Peter are
buried, no such dastardly 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.
Holy relics were exposed and a large
number attended the services.
4 Explosion Interrupts Blessing.
4 The last mass had just been con
I cluded when the explosion occurred
q and only one canon, who had not quite
! finishea, reniifaed Ut the aisar Of ST
4 Petronilla. This altar is at the end ol
! the right aisle and it was near here
that the bomb had been placed. AS
the canon turned to bless the commu
nicants, there was tremendous roar
J which echoed through the lofty arches
Of the immense dome like thunder
clap Confusion and panic seized the
people. The canon turned to stem the
tide of fear. He shouted:
! do not be afraid; it's nothing
Merely the MONDAY gun"
His words, howevo1. had little eff
feet. They were reflted by the smoke
} and the smell of pow.'er And for a
few mements it seemed as II ncthins
could prevent a grave disaster. The
vast size of the church gave room fol
the crowd to scatter and soon the peo
pie were surging toward the doors
excited and nervous, but orderly.
AS soon as the smoke cleared away
a hasty examination showed that no
body had been hurt 1t was discover
ed that the bomb had been placed un
der a scaffolding which had been
erected to facilitate repairs to the
roof over the celebrated tomb of Clem
ent XIII, in the basilica. The scat
folding was found to be smoldering
but this fire was easily extinguished
The tomb was uninjured and even the
pavement shows scarcely any signs o1
the, explosion.
1t is believed that the bomb had 8
long fuse to enable the criminal tc
gain the street before the explosion
1t is impossible to trace him.
The pope was engaged in his regular
noon hour devotions when the bomt
went off He asked anxiously if tho
church had been injured. Upon being
reassured. he fell upon MS k,.ees crying
that he must implore mercy for the
misguided.
The explosion produced no alarm
outsode the basilioa, The Sound helms
taken by everybody for the MONDAY
gun, but by afternoon the affair was
known and stream of persons visit
: ed the church.
Every piece of the bomb that could
+ be found was carefully examined. This
J, bomb evidently consisted of large
, tin box bound with wire. It mus
:. have contained two l,t unds of gun pow
+ der and three pounds of nails The
t nails we're of three sizes some sever
t inches long and sc hcaty thas the ex
: plosion threw them but short dis
. tance The nails were wrapped il
: newspapers dated Nov 16 and IL
; proving that the bomb was PREPARED
/ either Saturday Or Sunday
. The rumor having spread abroad
: that the pope intended to visit st
: Peters to pray before the tomb where
, the outrage was committed drew al
Y exceptionally large crowd to the basil
Y lea. This rumor was unfounded, fo
3 only Cardinal Rampolla entered will
/ the procession. A three days sessio.
of prayer will be celebrated in all the
Y churches in expiation of this offenst
Il to religion.
AT MOUNTAIN AND RIDGE.
I A &