New-York tribune., 1908-03-30
THINK BOMB VICTIM
INNOCENT BYSTANDER
SURGEONS M4T SAVE LIFE
OF PLOTTER.
anarchists and Socialists COndemn
Police for VioIence-Robert
Hunter Repeats attack.

day in solving the motive Of Seg Cohen in
seeking to destroy platoon of police in Union
Park Square Saturday. following the dis
persaI of the unlicensed open air meeting OF the
unemployed. Although the open air meeting
was called by self-constituted committee of
socialists and East Side agitators- every one
concerned spent yesterday in denying absolutely
all knowledge Of Cohen. the bomb thrOver, or
the slain man, Ignatz Hidebrand Both the po-
lice and the park departments refused TO give a
permit TO the committee hold the parade and
meeting. but they went ahead
The park was jammed by thousands Of per-
sons just before the explosion of the bomb. ard
the police reserves were about 10 go TO their
quarters after having cleared the park with
great difficulty. Cohen then ran up behind the
platoon OF police and was about 70 hurI the
bomb when il exploded in his hand. severely
wouDdfng him and killing Hildeorand. who
stood behind him There is cnance, the
geons say that the bomb throwcr viii recover.
and they have hopes in that event to save the
sight of his left eye
The police inclined to believe that Hide
brand was the victim Of an attempt to stay the
hand of Cohen
Everything learned about Hildeb-ands life
history made it appear most improbable that he
should be associated with an anarchist and a
Russian Jew. Toward either one Of these he had
held for many years a feeling of repUsuance
that almost fanaticaI in its intensity In
addition to this he had an almost equally pro-
nounced antipathy toward labor unonism in any
form.
Fully twenty years go he lost much money
through the embezzIenent OF certain union
funds by It's treasurer. He saved I'D more
money and set UP in business. only TO be driven
out of it by two Jewish rivals Who undersold
him. From the time that their competition
ruined him he had felt a deep hatred for that
race. A lifelong Republican. he was always
ready. his wife said. to combat both socialism
and anarchism-
The stories of the eyeUitnesses 10 the tragedy
would bear out this to remarkable degree All
those who saw the two men said that Cohen
was leading the way. and that HiIdebrand ap-
peared be running walking fast after him
Mrs. L. G. Stonebraker. who saw them aD-
proach the police from behind and Cohen hurl
the bomb said: 1T looked though the second
man CHfldebrand) chasing the other.
There were several stories, too that Hildebrani
apparently passed something 10 Cohen az a.
most the instant Of the explosion HiIdebrand-s
effort seize the bomb at the last second may
have given rise this opinion
COHEN HAD ACCOMPLICEs.
That Cohen did have accompltces is reason
ably certain from the story of eyewitness
found by The Tribune This a man,
article. with all the outward appearance Of a
bomb. to another man. and both make their e.
cape The appearance Of the man with the Sec
ond bomb not unlike that of Hilde5rand
while the third man was probably the other tail
man described by several witnesses Cohen at
the hospital yesterday insisted 10 the police that
he had been all alone in the outrage bur to one
OF his sisters he told another tale when shs
visited him. His two sisters. Sarah and SeIia.
were taken to Cohen's cot When he them
he managed to rise from his bed and the nurses
had some difficulty. notwf 1standing his critical
condition in getting him back
What made you do it - the sisters asked
Il don't know anything abCut it Cohen re-
piled. Il walking through the park and
was just standing there. when saw two men
Then there explosion. and I did not
know anything until saw the police standing
over me-
To the police however. Cohen maintained his
air Of defiance and his only regret he said was
that he had failed in his work
Il wish that 1 had killed every policeman IN
the park" he told the detectives in OF hts
conscious moments.
PRISONER HELD WITHOUT BAIL
Only one of the seven prisoners arrested after
the outrage was held without bail yesterday.
the others. Russian and Rumanian Jews. being
held in $4,000 by Magistrate Droege in the Jef-
ferson Market court until tomorrow PatroInAN
William Z Murphy OF the Headquarters legal
bureau. appeared as counsel for the men On
his statement that George Robertson a Bow
erv derelict was directly implicated in tho
bomb throwing the fellow held without
bail Robertson is inonenstve looking man.
with three days growth OF beard on his face
and the odor Of iodoform still clinsing TO him
from a recent stay in a hospital Whatever
connection he could possibly have with the Jews
vas not explained by Murphy. who threw about
him all the available mystery he could sum-
up
II don't know anything about Robertson" he
finally admitted but was told that he made
some statements TO several members Of the
detective bureau | do think that he will
nrove TO be more than a material witness
This statement was toned down good deal
from the one which he made 70 the magistrate.
When the seven prisoners were arraigned. Muir
uhv asked that they be held forry-eight hours
10 allow the police to investigate further their
possible connection with the case. The magis-
trate said he would hold all in $4,000 bail Tbs
Jews left the bridge sullen and slowering but
Robertson smiling
Have YOU any Of these men directly implf-
Gated with the throwing OF the bomb asked
the magistrate as the men entered the corridor.
besides the man in the hospital?
Yes. one" replied Murphy.
Which one?"
Robertson" Murphy replied We believe
that he was directly implicated IN the throwing
Of the bomb"
The men we're ordered back. while the magis-
trate told Robertson he could not he allowed
bail one Of the other prisoners. Walter Uppit.
said he ha tesn fcrrsI ~