The San Francisco call., 1908-07-01
LAY EXPLOSION To
HIDDEN GASOLINE
Police Work on Theory That
Wreck of House Was
Caused by Fluid

That the blowing up OF the Sweeney
home was caused by the ignition Of
gasoline stored there was the sole
theory on which the police worked yes
terday All others were discarded.
The detectives devoted their energies
to working out the gasoline theory. but
the conclusion of a hard days work
saw them no nearer the solution Of the
nystifying problem than they were
when they started. No tangible clew
was found on which the theory could
be based. The veil Of mystery sur
rounding the explosion proved as i'm
penetrable as ever
Those who lived in the house main
tained their former attitude and stout
ly denied the existence OF gasoline.
Despite their denials the police be-
lieved they were on the right track.
There is only one possible theory"
said Chief Biggy. "and that was that
explosives Of some character were
stored in the house. 1t has been proved
by at least two witnesses that the fire
started before the explosion and that
the explosives were thus ignited.
we know that stores OF this char
scter frequently keep gasoline for the
use Of automobilists in difficulty, and
though the occupants OF the house
deny that they had any, we maintain
that this was the only plausible theory
OF al advanced. do not care 60 make
any accusations, but ii would be TO the
advantage OF Fred Sweeney TO deny
the existence of gasoline In order to
avoid difficulties with companies with
wh4oh the buildings were insured"
SEARCH FOR FRAGMENTS
The police made q thorough search OF
the vicinity for fragments OF a gaso-
line tank, but could ind none. DR.. H.
S. Miller and R McFarlane. experts on
explosives, went over the ground again
yesterday and agreed that the disaster
was caused by chemicals or OIL. They
came TO this conclusion on observing
that the explosion was OF universal
force and not limited to any one par
ticulsr direction.
The theory that the explosion was
caused by oil stored in the grocery
was secuted by the police as ridiculous.
Like most small groceries this one con-
tained a couple OF small oil tanks,
which at the time Of the explosion were
almost empty. according to Fred
Sweeney. The police held that If the
explosion was of universal force the
oil tanks would have been ripped to
pieces. As it was they were found
practically intact
GOVERNOR WIRES INQUIRY
Apparently misled by the first re-
ports that the explosion had some con-
nection with the dynamiting of former
Supervisor James GaIlagher's houses in
Oakland Governor Gillett telegraphed
Chief OF Police Biggy yesteday for a
full report Of the affair.
The chief sent the governor the re-
port Of Detectives Fitzgerald and Gra-
ham which, besides stating the facts
already made public, maintained the
theory that the fire had started first
and ignited chemicals, probably gaso-
line, stored in the building.
Fred Sweeney. the injured man, was
put through another cross examination
by the police yesterday afternoon. He
admitted that he had been engaged in
the automobile business until recently
and that he knew many of the chauf-
feurs in the city. This. il was thought,
strengthened the belief that gasoline
was stored IN the premises and sold to
automobilists.
TOLD OF RELATIVES DEATH
Sweeney was much improved yester-
day, and as his condition warranted #
he was told Of the death of his mother.
father and sister. The man broke
down and it was some time before he
was able to discuss the catastrophe.
Sweeney's injuries are very serious.
His entire body was burned and man
gled and there is a further fear that
he sustained internal injuries
DIETRICH Dissmeyer. who lost his
wife and baby in the explosion and
who was badly injured himself, seemed
TO be crazed by his grief. Swathed In
sbandages he loitered around the ruins
all day yesterday, talking TO no one
disregarding the advice OF friends 10
stay indoors.
The bodies Of the five who were killed
were removed to the undertaking parlors
Of d. J. Kenny & Co. in Eddy street A
crowd of the morbidly inclined clus-
tered around the establishment for
hours, yesterday, endeavoring to catch
a glimpse of the unfortunate victims
The ruined houses were also the scene
Of a crowd. Hundreds of persons Wis
tied the spot, many Of them taking
away souvenirs in the shape of pieces
Of charred sticks. Others dug out
fragments of glass which had been i'm
bedded into a fence 100 feet away.
That the fire preceded the explosion
was generally accepted as a fact. An
tone Jacobs OF Glen and Fulton streets
declared he saw the fire burning for
fully a minute before the explosion
took place.
y
John Sweeney. arrived in San Francisco
yesterday from Vacaville. He said
that prior to ranching around vaca-
Vile Sweeney had been a prospector in
Colorado.
He did not have any enemies" said
Rupp, @and was not the type to make
them. He went to Vacaville a week
before the explosion to make arrange
ments TO send his sick daughter, Ella,
there. She was to have left San Fran
cisco the morning she was killed"
The funerals viii take place Thurs
day and the inquest a day or two later
While looking over the ruins one of
the neighbors found two pieces of bone,
which were taken for portions of the
skull bone of one of the victims. They
were so badly charred and broken.
however. that il would be difficult TO
say definitely whether they were or
not
A guard was set yesterday afternoon
TO drive away. dogs from the spot. The
animals have been foraging among the
ruins and IL was feared that they
might gnaw to pieces the remains OF
the bodies Of those who died there.
Notice TO Passengers
Check your baggage at the depot.
Then II VIII go on the same train with