New-York tribune., 1910-07-28
BOX EXPL0DES; 6 HURT
East Side Children Wanted to
See What Was in 1t.
POLICE MAKE AN ARREST
Say Contrivance Was Found in
Building of Which Prisoner
Is Janitor.

A group Of children barely in their teens
were playing yesterday afternoon on the
crowded sidewalk in front Of the tenement
house at Avenue D and East 18th street
See what Able hasr cried one, as that
young member of the Cash family, which
lives at No. COZ East 18th street approached
with a wooden box seven or eight inches in
each dimension
julius Ackerman. eleven years old, of NO.
col East 18th street attacked the box with
a pair of shears and dozen youngsters
pressed about to watch him solve the nys-
terry Without warning from the thing in
his hands a sheet OF flame leaped forth,
accompanied by a deafening report. The
explosion and the screams of the children
Immediately attracted a crowd, and when
the little ones were picked up it was found
that six were painfully burned and stained
with powder
Although it is thought that none of them
is permanently injured. Ackerman who re-
ceived the force of the explosion full in the
face, was not able last evening to tell the
story Of the finding OF the case that held
the powder. Lesser Blatt, who says he is
the lessee and janitor Of the house at No.
610 East 18th street, was arrested last even
ing by Detective Cohen, of the Central Of
fee. He is held on the charge of being a
suspicious person, on the probability that
he had the mysterious explosive in his
house.
DR.. Jones, of Bellevue Hospital had four
Of the children removed there. They are
Julius Ackerman, eleven years old, OF No.
Sol East 18th street, lacerated right leg and
right wrist, cloth Of trousers blown into
flesh; Louise Albreclit, ten years old. of NO.
6n East 18th street, burns and decorations
of body; Francis Gaeb. ten years old, of
No. 6ae East 18th street. powder burns of
the body. face and hands, and Samuel
Loew, nine years old, Of No. 6o7 East 18th
street, burns on body, face and hands.
After treating the burns of Nellie Dunn,
thirteen years old, Of No. ga East 1th
street and Isador Lizzergott, five years
old, of No. 602 East 1lth street, DR.. Jones
gave them into the charge OF their parents.
One of the children in the crowd said
that the box was found in the cellar OF
the dwelling at No. 610 East 18th street,
while another declared that it was discov-
cred in an upper floor of the house. The
police believe that the testimony of young
Ackerrnan will aid in determining the truth
of these statements.
As the box had a capacity OF about four
pounds of ordinary sunpowder, and there
is nothing left to show how It was dis
charged. it is suggested by the police that
the children stumbled on an Internal ma
chine set with decorating caps, one OF
which was exploded by Alderman while
using the scissors in an effort TO pry the
box open
The report of the explosion could be
heard ten blocks away. The excited In
mates Of the tenement house in front OF
which it occurred added to the confusion
in the street by pouring out of their lodg-
ings. The reserves of the Union Market
and 5th street stations had to be called
out to restore order, while for an hour az
terward the frightened neighbors renamed
in the street discussing the accident.