The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-05-20
POLICE SEEKING
MAN WHO LEFT
BOMB IN GAR
Detectives Take Issue With
Those Who Advance
Hoax Theory
PLANS WELL LAID
Explosion of Internal Ma
chine Would Have
Dealt Death
FOES ARE IN ACCORD
FOES ARE IN ACCORD
Both Railroad Officials and
Carmen Pretend to Make
Light of Affair

Whether wanton conspiracy
to kill or dangerous plot to in
timidate prompted the placing of
black powder. bomb in car 1907
of the Sutter street line near the
ferry loop on Saturday afternoon
was not determined by the police
department yesterday. In fact,
the police were divided in opin-
ion, and so are the United Rail-
roads and the carrnens union, the
parties most interested, who, each
from different point of view,
call the bomb affair hoax.
IF the bomb were set with dead
ly intent it would have exploded
at the ferry loop and killed or
manned not only passengers on
the car and the car crew. but persons In
wagons and pedestrians hurrying to or
from the ferry. It would have caused a
repetition of the bomb disaster Of the
Sutter street strike OF 1887. The police
are working on the mystery, but no
arrests have been made. and Bernard
F. Humphreys, conductor of the car in
which the machine was found. has been
released from custody.
In construction the bomb appears
potent with death. In guileless
brown schpolbook case was heavy
wrought iron inch and quarter pipe.
nine inches long and jammed with
black powder. The pipe was closed at
either end with q heavy screw cap,
through one of which a hole had been
bored and a fuse was inserted and at
tached to a candle. This candle had
been lighted and evidently had burned
within the case. There was little ven-
tilation in the carrier and the flame
of the candle seemingly had been ex-
tinguished by lack of oxygen, The
around it were bits of iron, ragged
scraps Of sewer pipe, spearlike heads of
iron paling and small boiler rivets.
Had the scontrivaneo exploded these
missiles would have torn through flesh
and bone with tho deadly effectiveness.
though not the range. Of rifle balls.
TAKING A DARING RISK
A strong argument against the hoax
theory is that none but Desperate
man would have carried such a ma
chine through the city. Had it's bearer
by any chance fallen into the hands of
the police he could not have escaped
a long term of imprisonment, regard
less of attempts to demonstrate that
he was only planning causeless
fright. The hoax theory is conser-
vative one to take after the bomb has
been soaked in cold water and the
candle, fuse and powder uncoupled.
Detective Tom Gibson, who is
familiar with explosives, asserts that
the machine was especially deadly, and
tnaI II IL na0 Deen set with the terri
flying purpose OF wholesale assassina-
tion it would have accomplished its end
but for lack of proper ventilation in
the case, because of which defect the
fuse could not burn.
James Bowling. secretary of the car
mems union. said yesterday that the
bomb was merely hoax. placed In the
car by the street railway management
to win sympathy and create sentiment
against the strikers. For the United
Railroads Secretary Handlon Of General
Manager Chapman's office asserted with
equal candor that the machine was a
hoax. placed on the cars by the strik-
ers for the purpose of frightening
passengers. A third Ey-
pothesis, of more visionary order, fixes
the status of the bomb as a grim re-
ninder placed by the strike breakers
to give the Calhoun management an
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