The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-10-04
Placed Explosive Before
Home of Mrs. Palmer.
THE POLICE ARE MYSTIfItD
slashed His Clothing With Bic
Knife and Demanded Audience
With Her - 0verpowered
BY Waterman

Chicago, Oct. Mystery attends
the placing Of bomb on the sidewalk
In front of the mansion of Mrs. Potter
Palmer. the society leader. Before II
could explode the missile was plunged
into a bucket Of water
A man who is said to have con-
fessed that he was the one who had
dropped the explosive on the sidewalk
had cut his coat into shreds with a
butcher knife when he was arrested.
The blade had penetrated his skin.
The police think It possible that
their prisoner intended. after dropping
the bomb. to inform the occupants OF
the house OF their danger and 70 give
thonr the impression that he, after a
desperate battle with the man who had
placed the bomb on the pavement, had
come to warn them. II Is contented
that he might have done this with tle
hope OF gaining a reward.
The prisoner. who says he Is Fred
c. Wahlenmeyer. twenty-six years old,
at first declared that another man had
dropped the bomb and that he had a
struggle with him. Later. il IS said,
he confessed that the explosive had
been placed there by himself. and that
he had cut his clothes to give the i'm
preston that he had been in a fight.
The police have been able TO learn
little from Wahlenmeyer When he
was asked for his reason in placing
the bomb near the Palmer mansion
he shrugged his shoulders. smiled and
said
why did ! do ii? Oh. just for in
stance"
His constant repetition Of these
words during the hours he spent IN
der police examination gives rise to
the belief that he may be- insane. Ply
sicians will Try to determine whether
this g. the case
Wahleumcycr's mother AMI sister,
who we're found at their home here.
declare the young man suffers from
an exaggerated form Of hypochondrla,
amounting 10 dcmontia at times. This
strcngl hens the belief that the prison
er's act was due to an unbalanced
mind
Still anothtr theory Is to the effect
that in the confusion which might
have resulted had not the bomb been
promptly seized and plunged into wa
ter. Wahlenmeyer had hoped to gain
access to Mrs. Palmer's residence.
supposedly with the intention OF max
ing a rich haul" Of iewelry.
Wahlenmeyer was observed loiter-
ing about the Palmer residence Mrs.
Palmer was home. but neither she nor
those In her household noticed the
man. 1t was late at night when n
Waterman saw Wahlenmeyer. bleeding
from numerous cuts his coat slashe J
TO ribbons, running mp the front steps
of the Palmer mansion
"A bomb" he cried There In front
OF you. The Waterman glanced down
at his feet and saw a round black OBJ
jet Of metal With an exclamation Of
alarm, he lifted II gingerly and hurried
into a nearby areaway. There he
placed it gently in a half empty bucket
Of water
Then he returned to Wahlenmeyer.
who was striving to awaken those in
the house Jerking him from his feet.
the Waterman calmly sat upon the
struggling man and then blew his
whistle for a patrolman. To Waterman,
policeman and the scantily attired
neighbors who quickly gathered. Wah'
lenmeyer first told Of his struggle with
a man whom he had seen place the
bomb on the pavement
Numerous questions soon riddled his
narrative and finally. It IS said, Wah-
lenmeyer broke down and admitted
that the man who had dropped the
bomb was himself
Mrs. Palmer and others in the house
were greatly excited when they learn
ed that their lives had ben menaced.