Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-09-12
Clumsy Package Came Along With
Insufficient Postage so Inspector
Asked Permission 10 Open 1t.

Sea Grit, n. j., Sept. 12--An attemp.
to assassinate Gov, Fort of New Jer-
sey has been thwarted by the watch
fulness OF ex-postoffice employees who
discovered In the mail an Internal ma
chine addressed to the governor. The
package was a cleverly contriyed COM
bination of powder bullets and matches
which had been so arranged that had
the governor opened 1T in the ordinary
way, there is little doubt it would have
RELIED him.
POSToFFICE AWAKE.
That the death dealing package was
Intercepted before it had reached its
destination was due to the vigilance of
the postal officials who have scanned
the governors mail with unusual care
since the executives recent crusade
against violation of the law at At
lantic city. The attitude taken by the
governor when he directed that the
excise and other similar laws at the
great seaside resort be strictly en-
forced and even threatened to- order
out the militia if necessary, aroused
resentment in some quarters. To guard
the governor as much as possible from
any annoyance arising from that af-
fair, unusual watch was put on his
mail.
Several days ago when a package of
somewhat unusual snaps was found to
bear insufficient postage 1t was taken
by a. clerk to one of the postal in
spectors. The inspector became more
impressed by the shape 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
without forwarding it to its destina-
ton.
DEADLY AFFAIR.
The PERMISSION was given at once
Exercising the greatest care the in
spector and his assistants removed the
wrapping from the package 10 find
that their worst fears We're confirmed.
1t was d real Internal machine, crude,
but so cleVerly constructed that it was
capable of doing tremendous damage.
1t contained quantity of powder and
bullets with matches SO arranged that
a hurried opening of the package would
have set off at1e powder and hurled the
bullets In all directions. N
That the sender of the machine had
q grim sense of humor became appar-
ent from an examination of the cons
tents of the package. On IL bit of pa
per he had written a message to the
governor which read:
Please notify us promptly of any
change in your postoffice address,
Another read:
You viii know me better after we
are acquainted"
CARE DOUBLED.
Another line by which it is believed
the sender sought to give the impress
sion that the machine was sent by Il
foe of constitutional government in
stead of q personal enemy of the COVER
nor. reads:
And the gun against this rotten
government
Gov. Fort said today that he did not
care to discuss the matter in any way
at speaks for itself" was the only
comment he would rake when he was
questioned about his narrow escape
Pieces of the wrapper from the pack
oge are now in the possession of the
governor, having been forwarded to
him by the postoffice inspector who
intercepted it. 1t was learned here
today that the officials of the Phila-
delphia postoffice have arranged to
make a close examination in the future
of all packages addressed to the gov
ernor. 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.