New-York tribune., 1908-01-05
BOMB SET OFF TN BANK!
TEN HURT IN KANSAS CITY
Mystery Surrounds Explosion in the
First National.
fBy telegraph TO The Tribune.

Icy telegraph TO The Tribunel
Kansas CITY, Mo-, Jan 4.-Ten men were in
jured, only two seriously. shortly after noon to-
day, by what was thought at first to have been
an explosion of a bomb in the toilet room in the
basement of the new 81 100000 building of the
First National Bank. but which later investiga-
tion showed might have been an explosion either
of natural sewer gas
The belief that this latter the cause was
expressed by ]. Myers. mining engineer. who
made a thorough examination Of the basement
this afternoon. He strongly of the opinion
that the explosion had been caused by gas which
had accumulated in the sewer His opinion is
borne out by the fact that seven of the ten in
jured were in the street and that the spreading
effect of the explosion such that window
panes in the building across the street were
broken This 1t is held, would hardly have been
the had the explosion been due to the con-
centrated energy of bomb in a compa ratively
confined space
Despite this expert Judgment, the police to-
night still believe the explosion was Of dynamite
say they found piece of pipe in the wrecked
basement which they believe to have been a
part Of the supposed bomb.
The officers of the bank agree with the police
but add that any motive for bomb outrage Is
lnexplicable to them. They say, though that
the explosion was either the work of crank or
that bomb had been secreted in the toilet
room by robbers for future use and had been
accidentally exploded. No arrests have been
made and the police without any definite
clew upon which to work
e-President Alternately of the hank sup
gested that the bomb might have been placed in
the basement by a disgrunted depositor unable
to draw funds during the recent financial furry
John Hayes. former Chief of Police said the ex-
posion was undoubtedly caused by dynamite.
This theory was Supported by Alexander Hen
derson. Assistant Chief of the Fire Department
John F. Pelletier, superintendent of the fire in
surance patrol, who was in the banking rooms
at the time of the explosion. and E. F. Swinney.
president of the bank, also say the explosion was
due to a bomb
The bank was crowded With customers at the
time these, together with the employees num-
bering two hundred and fifty persons panic
ensued, and there was a wild scramble for the
doors Ebert Ward negro porter, and Logan
Wilson, a bank clerk. were the only persons
seriously hurt.
The First National Bank Building is one of
the handsomest structures in the city 1t was
finished last year The main floor is occupied
by the bank. which is the largest financial in
stitution in Kansas City. The two upper stories
are occupied principally by real estate and law
firms.
The police say their investigation showed that
a bomb had been placed in the toilet room in
the northwest corner of the baSemen>. twenty
feet from the main vault The toilet room was
separated from the adjoining room by three
inch plaster partition. This partition was sup
ported by steel post. The bomb, the police
say struck this post with such force to bend
il foot out of position. wreck the partition and
plumbing and send a cloud of dust up the wide
stairway leading to the banking rooms
Half a dozen basement windows. with the steel
rods protecting them, were blown out into Bal
timore avenue and across the street. The build
ing was shaken as if by earthquake. The ex-
ploson was felt in all parts of the city.