The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-03-30
"A BOMB IN
UNION SQUARE
One Man Dead, One Dying,
After Explosion
in NEW YORK STREETS
Had Filled the Square With About 1O,-
600 Men and Women, Who Had
Been Dispersed by the
Police.

New York, March 30.-One man, Irwin
Rassky was killed, selig siycrstein
was fatally hurt and number 81 other
persons received more or less serious
injuries Saturday as the result Of the
explosion Of d bomb BY SiIyerstein in
Union square, Saturday The bomb *.
ploded just after the police had prac-
tically cleared the square Of about 10000
men and women who were engaged in a
demonstration Of the unemployed. sill
verstein, according TO bystander, said:
II done it because a cop beat me up
There were many women in the gath
ering and several speakers OF local prom
lnence had been announced to make adj
dresses. A force Of 100 policemen, most
Of them mounted we're on duty in the
square TO maintain order As the big
crowd assembled, 1t was noticed that
there were numerous red flags to be seen
and that a number Of persons wore red
hats. At some signs OF disorder the
police started to dispense those who
We're responsible for the disturbances
and drove many Of the men and women
into the side streets around the square
Little or no resistance was offered and
the square was almost cleared Of the
thr0ng. One Of the men engaged in the
demonstration rushed swiftly into the
square and threw bomb, which landed
near the Union square fountain and in
the rear Of which squad Of policemen
had been stationed. There was cloud
Of smoke and loud report and mum.
her Of persons were seen to fall. The
police at first reported that two men had
been killed and number Of other per.
sons injured The crowd, now composed
Of sightseers as well as those who had
taken part in the meeting Of the unem-
ployed, was panie,stricken and fed rap
idly.
Selig Siverstrin, about 30 years old,
who lived in Brooklyn, and who Is ac-
eused OF having thrown the bomb, was
taken 70 Bellevue hospital in a diving
condition. One leg was almost severed
from the body The top 81 his head was
ripped open, both Of his eyes were blown
out his face was terribly cut and mu-
tilated and both hands had been blown
oil at the wrists Despite his suffer
ings, however. Ne was still conscious
when he was taken 10 hospital. a
bystander who was IN the square when
the explosion occurred told the police
he saw SiIvcrstein sitting on the edge
oil the fountain inst before the explo
sion His attention WAS attracted to
Slyerstein, he said, because the latter
was holding in his hands a large object
from which i spiral Of smoke arose
Suddenly Silverstein arose and began To
walk slowly toward group OF police
men at the edge Of the park, but before
he had reached them there came d flash.
accompanied BY terrific report He
thought the bomb exploded in Silver
STEMS hands just Is be was about Co
hnrl It into the crowd Tile bystander
said be rushed to the spot where The
explosion occurred and as he bent over
Silverstein, who was lying on the ground
writhing III horrible agony, he heard the
diving man mutter that he really in
tended the bomb for the policemen An
other bvstandef who said he was pres
ent when Silrerssein was picked up and
placed on bench III The park ID await
The arrival Of an ambulance, said he
heard the injured man admit that he
caused the explosion. Ask why he did
it, Siiverstein is alleged to have replied;
II done ii because a cop beat me Up.
Rassky, the man who was killed was
close to SilNersteia when the bomb ex
ploded- Both Silverstein and Rassky
were poorly dressed
When the police, so strong and most
OF them mounted, descended upon the
crowd, before The explosion, the march
ers, under The leadership Of several wo-
men, began to sing, "Ihe Marsellaisc."
The air was taken up by the crowd. |
and in moment the volume al song
every other sound in the big
square. The crowd appeared to be i
go0d-natured one, however, and there |
was little real resistance offered to the /
police The throng began to move away
in different directions 70 the sidewalks |
and tO the side streets. and gradually /
the song died out From time TO time |
ieering. singing crowds would defy the
police, only to break away and run for
safety when the officers turned upon
them Within few moments the sqaaEe
was practically cleared, and it was be.
lieved that the trouble was at an end. |
Gradually the police lines were with
drawn and small crowd began 10 gath.
az III front OF the park. They appeared /
to have had nothing TO do with the /
and were standing quiet I
III when a man followed BY another big /
crowd, rushed into the square The new I
corners headed directly for the crowd IN /
front OF the park, aud the man in the /
lead hurled the bomb. The crowd fled III +
terror at the sound Of the explosion,
leaving several OF their number lying Oh
the sidewalk.
Immediately after the explosion a
hurry call fer ambulances was sens to I
half a dozen hospitals When the am /
balances rushed back to the hospitals /
they had as occupants several injured /
policemen, and some eli the participants
in the demonstration who had been In.
iured either by the bomb or in the clash /
with the police Intense excitement pre- +
vailed in the vicinity Of the square for
some time after the explosion. and the /
police had even greater difficulty in
clearing the streets and restoring order t
than when tbs enormous crowd had gath.
cred for the meeting earlier IN the day.
The police arrested as many - possible
of those Immediately within the neigh
harhood q the explosion. One Of the f
patrol wagons. which had come tilled
with police. was promptly loaded with
suspects and driven back to the ueW
West Twentieth street station-house
Little Is kaoWn of the bomb thrower
beyond what be has told himself Rem