The Washington herald., 1908-03-29

New York. March 2S.-A determined ef.
fort to hold a socialist meeting in Union
Square, despite the fact that no permit
had been obtained, and in defiance Of tho
orders of the police, ended in the explo
sion Of bomb in the middle of Union
Square Park this afternoon.
One man was instantly blown to death
The man who held the bomb was SC
badly injured, the hospital surgeons say,
he is certain 10 die
The man who held the bomb and who
was about TO hurl it at 2 squad of police
men when it exploded had his right hand
blown on just above the wrist, and both
eyes were blown out
Despite his terrible injuries, he was oc-
casionally conscious in the course of the
afternoon and evening.
He told both the police and the coroner
WHO took his ante-mortem statemen. that
he had intended to throw the bomb at the
police. He also said he had been beaten
by a policeman over on the East Side
about a week ago when he was trying TO
make a speech, and he wanted to get re-
venge.
Gave Fictitious Address.
The bomb thrower said his name was
Selig silverstein. and that he lived at p
Nantine street. Brooklyn. There is no
such street. Later his home was found
10 be at 81 Beaver street. Brooklyn.
An aunt of the bomb thrower and two
relatives found there were taken to
Brooklyn headquarters for examination.
Compromising documents, It was claimed.
were found in the house.
The dead man was identified late to
night as Ignatz Hildebrand. a tailor. Of
2SS Third avenue, New York. The iden-
tifcaticn was made by Herman Beck
man, Of 81 Prospect place, Brooklyn.
The bomb itself appears to have been
filed with 'ten-penny nails and buttons
Fragments picked UP around the scene
Of the explosion indicate that these. to-
gether with the explosive used. were
placed in a small covering Of thin sheet
brass.
Several witnesses agreed that they saw
sparks coming from the bomb just before
it exploded This makes it practically
certain it was set of by means Of a fuse,
and that the explosive used was gun
powder.
Chance Saved Many Lives.
That the loss of life was no greater is
due 10 a combination of fortunate circum-
stance. Had the bomb exploded half an
hour earlier, the chances are that many
persons would have been killed.
AS it was. nearly everybody in the park
had been driven out by the police. II
had been trying afternoon both for the
policemen and for the thousands who ha
been trying TO hold a meeting. AT 3
o'clock it seemed as if things were pretty
well cleared up
Five minutes later, when the explosion
took place. excepting the police. there
were not more than dozen persons with
in the limits Of the park
Around the dead" fountain in the
center Of the park was a little group
of half a dozen persons who, somehow
or other. had escaped the police dragnet
and had not been driven out. The bomb
thrower and his dead companion were
among these.
Not fifteen feet away stood Capt. Miles
OReiIly, Of the Mercer street station
he was lining up twenty men from his
station. and was just about to give them
the order to march back to the station.
Held Bomb Too Long.
1t was at o'Reiny and his men that
Silverstein aimed his bomb Whether
from fright or bad Judgment, he held il
too long.
The meeting was planned by the leaders
OF the so-cailed unemployed conference OF
the Socialist party. prominent in whose
councils have been Morris HiIlouit aud
Robert Hunter. once head worker Of tho
University Settlement and now husband
Of the former Miss Caroline Stokes sister
Of J. G. Phelps Stokes.
Hunter himself was in the crowd tho,
Int