Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-09-18
FOIL PLOT TO KILL
JERSEY EXECUTIVE
POSTAL EMPLOYEES DISCOVER IN.
FERNAL MACHINE MAILED
TO GOV. FORT.
ECHO OF HIS CAMPAIGN
AGAINST LAWBREAkERS

Package Contains Bullets, Powder and
Matches Mailed from Philadelphia
Little Hope Of Catching Guilty
Party.
Sea Girt, N. j., Sept. 14.-An at
tempt to assassinate Gov. Fort of New
Jersey has been thwarted by the
watchfulness of post-office employees.
who discovered in the mails an in.
fernal machine addressed to the gov
ernor. The package was cleverly
contrived combination of powder, bull
lets, and matches which had been so
arranged that had the governor opened
1t In the ordinary way there is little
doubt 1t would have killed him.
That the death-dealing package was
destination was due to the vigilance Of
the postal officials, who have scanned
the governors mail with unusual care
since the executives stand was taken
against violation of the law at Atlantic
City. The attitude of the governor
when he directed that the excise and
similar laws at the great seaside re-
sort be enforced strictly and threat
ened to order out the militia If neces-
sary, aroused great resentment in GER
| tain quarters. 1t was to guard Mr..
Fort as much as possible from annoy
ance that a watch was put on his mail.
Package Attracts Attention.
Several days ago when package OF
somewhat unusual shape was found to
bear insufficient postage 1t was taken
by clerk to one of the postal inspec.
tors. The inspector became more i'm.
pressed by the form and condition Of
the package than by the shortage OF
stamps and at once wrote the gov.
ernor informing him that package Of
suspicious appearance addressed to
him was being held at the Office. The
inspector asked for permission to open
it without forwarding it to its destina.
ton. The permission was given at
| once.
Exercising the greatest care the In,
| spector and his assistants removed
| the wrappings to find that their fears
were confirmed. 1t was real Internal
machine, crude but so cleverly con.
structed that it was capable of doing
l tremendous damage. 1t contained a
quantity Of powder and bullets, with
matches so arranged that a hurried
opening of the package would have
set off the powder and hurled the bull
let's in all directions.
That the sender of the machine had
grim sense of humor became APP
parent from an examination Of the
contents Of the package. On bit of
paper he had written: please notify
us promptly of any change in your
post-office address," Another read:
"You will know me better after we are
acquainted"
Another line by which It is believed
the sender sought to give the impress
sion that the machine was sent by a
foe of constitutional government in
stead of personal enemy of the gov
ernor read: And the gun against
this rotten government"
Governor Refuses to Discuss Matter
Gov Fort said Saturday that he did
not care to discuss the matter in any
way. 1T speaks for ITSELF" was the
only comment he would make when he
was questioned about his narrow es-
cape. Pieces Of the wrapper from the
package are now in the possession Of
the governor. having been forwarded
to him by the post-offlce inspector who
intercepted it.
1t was learned here Saturday that
the officials of the Philadelphia post
Office have arranged to make close
examination in future of all packages
addressed to the governor. Every
package of any kind which reaches
the Philadelphia office bearing the
governors address will be submitted
to inspectors and officially passed"
! before it will be permitted to reach
the governor.
Was Mailed from Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Sept. 14.-Postal an
spectors admit that they ares investi.
eating the mailing of an Internal ma
! chine in this city to Gov. Fort of New
Jersey. It was learned that the au-
thorities have little hope of catching
the person who mailed the package.
The package was mailed August %,
! the day after Gov. Fort issued his
5 proclamation regarding the sale Of
! liquor on Sunday in Atlantic City.
The device was in an ordinary two
? cent government envelope and the
Philadelphia authorities had their at
! tention attracted to it because its
weight required the placing of two
cent due" stamp upon it. Suspicion
: arising, the inspectors were notified
and after an examination of the pack
4 age w. d. Ryan, an Inspector wrote
: Gov. Fort.
. Gov Fort replied that he wished the
authorities to open the package and
: forward him the contents whether
g they were of value or not.
Probe Mysterious Death.
p Pueblo, Col. Sept. 15.-The sheriff
4 and coroner of Pueblo county are In
p vestigating the mysterious murder of
Y an unidentified man, whose badly de-