Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-10-01
BOMB NEAR PALMER HOME
Fake Attempt to Blow Residence Of
Chicago Club Woman.
F. c. wAHLENMEYER ARRESTED
Police Believe He Expected TO Get
Reward for Exposing Alleged
PIOt-Career of Suspect
in Dea MOlnes.

CHICAGO, Sept 3O-After placing
bomb beside the residence Of Mrs. Potter
Palmer and cutting his coat into shreds
with a butcher knife. piercing his skin,
Fred C. Wahlenmeyer 20 years old, at
tempted last night to gain entrance to the
mansion. He was arrested.
wahlenmeyer demanded an audience
with Mrs. Palmer, but the Waterman, the
first person encountered, summoned the
police. Wahlenmeyer told a story of hav-
ing seen another man placing the bomb
at the side of the house and of struggling
with him. Later the prisoner confessed
TO having put the explosive there himself
and having cut his clothes to bear out his
first narrative.
Mrs. Palmer was at home at the time,
and the whole household was thrown into
excitement by the proximity OF death or
injury from the bomb.
Wahlenmeyer was questioned by the
police, but refused to explain his motive,
hiding behind the expression:
why did l do 1t? oh, just for In
stance"
Theory of the Police.
The police announced they would ques-
ton Mrs. Palmer in regards to reports
that she had received threatening letters
in the effort to discover the mans reason
for the act. 1t is believed Wahlenmeyer
is not insane.
The police are proceeding on the theory
that he thought to gain a reward for
having saved the house and its occu-
pants from some mysterious bomb
thrower" and that his mutilation of his
clothes to substntiate this claim.
Letter From Des MOines Girl.
wahlenmeyer is said to have been con-
nected with a garage at Des Moines, Ia,
recently. A letter signed Macy" dated
from zoos University avenue, Des Moines
la, on September %, and which the pris-
oner said came from Mary Cummins, and
who, he said, was a niece of Senator Cum
Minis, was found on the person Of the al
legged bomb thrower. The missive was ad-
dressed. Dear Boy" and spoke of receiving
kilograms from Wahlenmeyer on September
n, The writer congratulates him on win
ming something not specifically mentioned
and asks him to eliminate the word love
when telegraphing as the recipient found
II embarrassing
When they telephone the message up
runs the letter, they always laugh and 4
is awful humiliating to me-"
wahIenmeyer's Des MOines Career.
DIES MONIES, Ia, Sept. SO.-Fred C
In connection with the case of Mrs. Potte
Palmer, was in Des Moines for severa
weeks, but left here about one month ago
He represented to the Iowa AUTOMOBILE
Supply company that he was travelling 70
an automobile manufacturer and upon tina
claim was permitted to use the company
machines until he became destructive ant
the company refused him further favors
Wahlenmeyer stayed at leading hotels an
according to reports here failed TO pay hi
bill at one of them. The young man toll
local automobile men that he was in De
Moines enroute from Denver to Chicago
but stopped here to advertise an automu
bile for which advertisement the news
papers in Des Moines have not yet bee
paid. Wahlenmeyer claimed TO be in
fatuated with a prominent Des Moline
young woman and never tired of displayin
her photograph.
Attorney Walter, McHenry resides wit
his family at 1905 University avenue De
Moines. Mrs MoHenry is a sister
Senator A. b. CumminA At the McHenr
residence this afternoon II was stated this
there is no party by the name of Mar
Cummins residing there, nor elsewhere
the city. Mr.. MeHenry has daughte
Mary McHenry, a niece OF Senator Gun
minis. but she was not at home and h
father stated that he did not know h,
whereabouts at that time.
There is nothing whatever 20 the stat
ment that Mr. Wahlenmeyer was engag,
to niece OF Senator Cummins II he meal
by that that he is engaged TO my daughter
said Mr.. McHenry. Mr.. Wahlenmey
came to my home from Spokane along
June or July, He had a letter OF introdu
ton TO me from a friend in Spokane:
extended the Inequalities OF my house
him and tried to make him feel at HON
He has been here often and is friend
my daughter, But there Is no engagement
Mr.. MeHenry was shown an Associat
Press dispatch from a Chicago relative
letter which Wahlenmeyer had in |
pocket from one Mary Cummins.
80 far as l know there is no Mary Gu
Minis" said Mr., McHenry. and do n
believe that the letter was written in n
house There is nothing whatever to Il
talk OF an engagement"
known in Des MOines.
DIES MONIES. Sept. S0-(speoisl TIE