The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-01-07


Kansas City, January "A bomb
was exploded today in the basement
of the magnificent three-stOry mar
bic building of the First National
Bank at the corner Of Tenth and
Baltimore streets, in the business
center, few minutes after the noon
hour. The force Of the explosion
was terrific and caused much dam
age. Eight persons were injured,
none fatally. There is no clue to
the person who placed the bomb and
set it Off
None of the persons injured was
dangerously hurt.
John f. Pelletier, superintendent
Of the fire insurance patrol who was
in the banking rooms at the time Of
the explosion, and e. +. Swinney,
president Of the bank, are author
ity for the statement that the explO-
sion was the result Of a bomb set
off by some unknown person. At
first it was supposed to have result
ed from leakage Of natural gas.
Neither were able to give any cause
for the commission of the act
The bank was crowded with Gus
toners at +Ho time, they together
with the c-.r!OyccS, numbering per
haps 25G l""s0ns 4 panic ensued
jlnd there VS. wild scramble for
the doors.
The First National Bank build
ing was one of the most beautiful
structures in the city. 1t was only
finished last year and the cost close
to $1,000,O00. The main floor was
occupied by the bank, which is the
largest financial institution in Kan
SaS City. The two upper stories are
occupied principally by real estate
and law firms.
Investigation developed the fact
that the bomb had been placed in
toilet room in the northwest corr
ner Of the basement twenty feet
from the main vault. The toilet
room was eighteen by twenty feet
square and was separated from the
adjoining room by a three inch plas-
ter partition. This partition was
supported by a steel arch.
The bomb struck this post W h
such force as to bend the post a
foot out of position, wreck the par
tition and plumbing, and send a
cloud of dust up the wide stairway
leading to the banking rooms. Half
dozen basement windows with the
steel rods protecting them were
blown out into Baltimore avenue and
across the street. The building was
shaken as if by an earthquake. The
explosion was felt in all parts of the
city
Mr. Pelletier. who was standing at
the paving teller's window when the
explosion shook the building. said
"FOllOwing the explosion there was
great volume of smoke and dust
which poured up the stairway into
the banking room. The bank was
unusually we'll filled with people, At
the moment of the explosion the
crowd turned and rushed for the
lsOuth door. leading into Tenth street.
- called out in a loud voice for quiet, |
(ShOuting that there was no danger
and rushed for the stairway; powder
and smoke were pouring uD the en-
trance way | CROPPED my way down
the stairs and at the bottom found
Ward, the negro porter. | carried
him UP stairs where others took care
of him and returned> to the base
ment where 7 was soon able to make
an Investigation. The smell Of pow
der and the heat in the basement
made by the explosion made it Ger
tain that the explosion had resulted
from a bomb being set off. There
was no trace of the bomb thrower
and as Yet 7 have not been able to
find any tangible manner in which
the missile was placed"
Logan Wilson, another of the in
jured, was in the basement at the
time. He was blown clear across the |
basement and probably through the |
partition. distance of twenty feet |
When picked up he was unconscious |
He was removed to the emergency
hospital and so far has been unable |
to give any account of what happen |
ed
J. Donaldson was working in his |
cage in the banking room. He was
cut by glass that fell from chande~
lier.
Every one concerned is at a loss
Ato find a motive for the explosion
Vice President Alternately of the
bank suggested that the bomb might |
have been placed by a disgruntled
depositor unable to draw funds dur
ing the recent financial furry
John HAYES. former chief of police,
who visited the scene. said the ex- I
plosion was undoubtedly caused by I
dynamite. This theory was support