Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-01-11
HURLS BOMB IN BANK.
REFUSED MONEY, MAN BLOWS UP
A PHILADELPHIA ASSISTANT
CASHIER AND HIMSELF.
POLICE GUARD VAULTS.
Panic and Fire Follows in Big Building
Where the Fourth Street Ma
tional Is Located

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, Jan. O.
man hurled a bomb in the Fourth Street
National bank, at Fourth and Library
streets. The resulting explosion tore
the bomb thrower to pieces and killed
W. Il. McLear, the assistant cashier.
Several other employees of the bank and
patrons were injured. Two of these may
die.
He Was Refused Money.
The bomb thrower had demanded
money from President Richard Z. Rush
ton. When this was refused he took
the missile from under his coat and
hurled it at Mr.. Rushton.
y slight fire followed the explosion,
and tenants in the Bullitt building, III
which the bank is located, fed from their
Offices The police were quickly on hand
and they placed the vaults and the Sc
curities Of the institution under a heavy
guard.
ar Steele, Garner, Ia"
Tie only clue to the identity of the
bomb thrower was a bunch OF keys
found in portion of the clothing at
tached to which was plate inscribed
TX. Steele, Garner, Ia
The Fourth Street National bank Is
the largest financial institution III the
city. The explosion occurred rev
minutes before l. o'clock at a time when
the bank is usually we'll TILED with per-
SONS i'll a hurry to transact business De
fore the bank closes.
President Tells His Story.
President Rushton, after the explosion,
rushed to the eighth floor OF the building
from the street floor to the rooms Oh
the Down Town club dining place lie
was very much excited, trembling ike a
leaf. lie tol dthe following story:
"A man who gave his name as u. b.
Williams, shabby dressed, giving no
place OF residence, came III to my othce
and asked me TO lend him $4,000. L was
busy looking over some papers on my
desk at the time and PAID but little at
tenuion 20 what the man SAID. lie SAT
there looking at me very curiously until
/ became suspicious that he was crank
and asked him TO excuse me Tor MN
ute While | Went into another otlce
Tackles the Cashier Next.
AS | left the man he arose and he
went over to the cashiers window. l
noticed him talking to the cashier but
do not know what lie told him. The eN-
p!OSIon followed next.
Il did not see the man throw the
bomb but | have every reason to sup
was killed, | am given to understand,
by the police. My cashier, W. Il; NC
Lear. was killed outright The explosion
caused great excitement amongst us
ALL Glass flew from the smashed WIN,
dowS and fell in i shower over us ana
four OF five women were among the enl-
pIoyes who rushed for the door.
lhe escape of President Rushton was
almost miraculous for the damage Is
greatest in his office. The ceiling over
his desk is despatched with blood, and
under Il pile of wreckage III one corner
of the Office was found the head and
shoulders of the bomb thrower as We'll
as his Overcoat.t
Mr.. Rushton does not know how he
escaped, but he recolects going up the
steps of the building to the Down Town
club a dining organization, where he
was later found in Il dazed condition.
Banker Is Overcome
Mr.. Rushton left the down town club
and returned to the first floor. On his
way down in the elevator accompanied
by several officials of the bank, the Sc
robustness of the tragic scene from which
he had just escaped overcome him and
he was unable to say anything more.
His friends summoned Il carriage and
sent lim to his home.
Brave Boy Is Mangled.
William Crump, a messenger. was ter
ribIy injured. Both his eyes were blown
out. his scalp torn off, and his face so
mangled that he was unacceptable.
He was taken to the Pennsylvania
hospital There the physicians learned
from him that he saw the man raise his
arm to throw something. Crump jumped
at him, but he was too late.
Was Medicine PedGler.
GARNER, Ia, Jan. 5.-Robert Steele,
formerly a resident of Garner, left here
six years ago for the east and is s!.a-
posed to have been living in Philadelphia
or Boston. When here he was engaged
in peddling patent medicines. lie was
about 80 years Of age
0ck CVCTE M IISFI ESS