The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-02-13
BOMB THR0WER WRECKS
A. PHILADELPHIA BANK
RoIIo Steele Kills Himself and
Cashier Mclean.
CRAZY MAN DEMANDS MONEY
Had Asked For $4,000 Loan-Identi-
fed as a Man Who Had Lived In
Chicago-Ten Persons Injured
Several Fatally.

AA&o ohS IVA PcNo0 NO"h
fled as a Man Who Had Lived In
Chicago-Ten Persons Injured,
Several Fatally.
Philadelphia bomb that prob
ably contained itro-glycerine, thrown
by a mailman upon the marble floor
Of the Fourth Street National Bank,
wrecked the interior Of the building,
killed William q. McLear, the CASH
Ter, tore the bomb thrower himself
to shreds, and badly wounded a score
of clerks and other employees.
The bomb thrower, identified as
Rollo Steele, who lived in Chicago
had made a demand for a loan OF
$4,000, for which he could show no
collateral. This had been refused.
The man then drew the deadly mis-
sile from his pocket and threw 1t at
his feet.
The big building trembled at the
shock. The bomb thrower and the
cashier, who was nearest to him,
were the only ones. killed, but every
Nv o1 Ia 'uduh llOOl Woo SuIOWn
from his feet, some severely injured
in the wreckage. Many were made
temporarily deaf by the terrific de-,
%tonatfon, heard many squares away
from the bank, which occupies part
of the first floor of the ssBnHittsB Build
ing, in Fourth street, below Chestnut.
A shower Of gold and silver swept
through the bank from the desk Of
the paying teller. SAt least $40 900
was scattered in the w~reckage about
the place. Partitions, Adesks and
chairs were thrown in a tangled mass
upon the floors. Flames started,
among the splintered woodwork near
the dead cashier, but were quickly
eytinguished by those who rushed
inside to the aid of the injured.
President Rushtons said the man
came into his oficerand, after stating
that his name was g. e. Williams,
and that he lived In t~hessuburbs OF
Philadelphia, asked for a loan OF
$4,000. nnS
II asked him what Security he
had" said Mr.. Rushton, "and he e
piled that he had none. He added.
however, that he was honest, and
would pay the interest annually, and
return the loan at the end of five
years."
Mr.. Rushton told him finally that
1t was out of the question for the
bank to leId him money without
| even being assured of his identity.
He advised the man to get somebody
who knew him and return to the
honk Como othnr dav SHGQGt
The president Hoped In this way
to get rid Of him ,sbut when the man
continued to Insist that he must have
the $4,000 Mr.. Rushton excused him-
self for a moment and left the caller
sitting in his Office. Stepping ont
into the waiting room President
Rushton asked Cramp, the colored
messenger, to get thesman out OF the
offices. Then the president walked
through the second vice-president's
Offices and out of sight into the
banks general Offices.
Cramp told Williams that the
president was engaged with other-
business and could not see him again.
Williams %thereupon walked out
into the waiting room, still declar-
ing, however, that he would not leave
until he had had another interview
with the >president.
Cashier McLear was sitting at his
desk Just inside the wooden counter
which separated his Office from the
reception room. Williams walked
over to the counter and renewed his
request for q loan Of 5000, which
was refused.
Just at that moment the cashiers
telephone bell rang. He picked up:
the instrument, listened for a second
and said:
"All right, come In Monday and
we'll fix that up"
He was sitting in his chair half
facing the man on, the other side OF
the counter when the latter quickly
pulled a shining metal cylinder from
his pocket and tossed it over atltne
cashier. There was a pun OF WHITE
smoke, a tremendous report n tnen
all was confusion. ,
When the police got In they found
the cashiers body about twenty feet
from the spot where he had e !slt,
ting. The force of the explosion nad
struck the upper part OF us Dooy'
and 1t was torn to pieces.
Cramp, who was standing about
ten feet from the spot where the
missile exploded, but in 'frontsof the
counter, was blown into the big open
CRATE. Both eyes were blown out;
His clothing was torn into rags and
his face and body cut horribly byitne
flying particles of glass and the
splinters. -
The other injured are: Harry
Beck, bank employee; Miss Jpila
| Brady, stenographer; A. 8. Dominci,
C. R. Horton, Frank LaBold. once
boy; Eugene McIlhone, clerk; Arthur
McNichol, clerk; Harper Mercer
clerk; T. B. Rutter, Albert Smith,
hurt by flying glass while walking
along the street; William wright
clerk. ~ at
All doubt of the identity OF the
man who hurled the bomb was re-
moved by finding some of his cloth
ing, marked R. Steele, In the room ne
occupied while in this city. In a
brown satchel which he left In the
room we're six long electric fuses with
loaded caps, four yards OF dynamite
fuse. a box of cartridges and a re-
yolyer. .4.