Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-29
NEARLY KILLED WELLS
Bomb Blows Up Manager OF
the SmuggIer Union.
PREDECESSOR WAS SHOT
Man Orchard Swears He Helped to
Assassinate.
HAD LOOKED FOR TROUBLE
House Wrecked and Great Damage
Done, But Intended Victim Has
Wonderful Escape.
LAD LOOKED FOR TROUBLE

the night guard stationed at the Snug
gler Union mine at Pandora, two miles
south Of Telluride. and the searchlight
which is constantly thrown about the
premises during the night from the high
tower of the mill as precautionary
measure. an unknown person gained &C.
cess to the residence of Gen. Buckley
Wells. general manager of the Smuggler
Union Mining Company. last night and
planted dynamite under his bed The
dynamite was exploded by igniting fuse
on the outside of the building about
o'clock this morning when the intended
victim was asleep. He was hurled agains,
the ceiling and alighted under mass OF
debris. but escaped with a few scratches
and bruises and Impaired hearing.
Where Collins Died.
Although a systematic search has been
made by Sheriff Fitzpatrick and deputies
aided by hundreds of citizens, no clue
has been found to the perpetrator of the
deed. One man who is charged with hav-
ing said that Wells should be killed is
being held on suspicion.
In the same building where the attempt
to kill Gen. Wells was made Arthur l.
Collins. predecessor Of Gen. Wells as
general manager, was assassinated six
years ago while playing a game of cards
with a number of friends at night.
The man who killed Collins fired a
heavy load of buckshot through the win.
dow into his back
Steve Adams. Harry Orchards alleged
accomplice in the murder Of ex-Gov
Steunenberg of Idaho, now in Jail in Tel
luride, will soon be placed on trial on thu
charge of numbering Collins. Wells Il
chiefly responsible for Adams beint
brought back to Colorado on this charge
Gen. Wells Statement.
DENVER. Col, March 2s-The follow
ing statement was given to the Associated
Press over the long-distance telephone
this afternoon by Gen. Bulkley Wells IL
regard to the attempt to assassinate hin
at Pandora. near Talluride today:
IAN attempt was made to kill me shortly
after O'Clock this morning as lay sleep
ing In my bed on the open sleeping porch
directly above the dining room in the
frame building of the Smuggler Unior
mines at Pandora. used for offices ant
living quarters for myself and family
That l was not killed is due to the fac
that the force Of the dynamite used wa.
mostly downward instead Of upward. the
floor beneath the bed offering but little
resistance.
The explosion wrecked the bed, tore
the mattress and bed clothing to shreds
and hurled me fully fifteen feet acros:
the sleeping porch rendering me temper
arily unconscious and deaf. as we'll al
decorating my face and head. The charge
also tore a hole three feet in diameter
through the floor OF the sleeping porcf
and the ceiling of the dining room
beneath.
Telltale Ladder.
las soon as l recovered consciousness.
1 hurried to the telephone in the mair
Office on the first floor Of the building
and notified Sheriff Fitzpatrick at Tellu
ride of what had occurred
II spent the early part of last evening
in Telloride and returned at Il o'clock
retiring about thirty minutes later.
went to sleep Immediately and knew moth
ing more until the explosion occurred.
alongside the house which had been usee
by the man or men who planted the dyna
mite under my bed. This ladder had beer
taken from its accustomed place. carried
to a spot on the north side of the building
and raised beneath bathroom window
The paint on the window sills had beer
scratched off when the ladder was raised
The man who climbed the ladder prieC
open the screen and then the window
through which he climbed in order tC
reach the sleeping chamber. He left thu
house the same way he entered.
Il understand Sheriff Fitzpatrick ha.
made one arrest. a man who talked loudly
concerning the justice of this attempt tt
murder me.
Suspects His Enemies.
specifically speaking. l do not know
whom to suspect of this crime, but in &
general way / believe ! know who the
responsible parties are. l have received
many anonymous letters threatening my
life since the arrest and trial of William
F. Haywood and George Pettibone. bu,
recently these communications ceased tc
come. l never paid much attention tC
them, but since Steve Adams was brought
back to Telluride to be tried for the mur.
der of Arthur L. Collins. my predecessor
here my friends have warned me to be
careful.
MY family is at present in Colorado
Springs The explosion has given me a
bad shock and my ear drums are sc
strained that II causes me much pain &c
use the telephone.