The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-03-17

Expert From Police Headquarters
Had One Hand Almost Blown
OF When the Bundle
Exploded.

NEW YORK. March 16.-What the
police believe to have been an organ
lied attempt on the life Of Judge Otto
A. Rosalsky, of the court of general
sessions. who has been given much
notoriety lately because of his sent
encing of Foulke e. Brandt, the for
mer Schiff valet, to thirty years i'm,
prisonment, took place tonight.
A mysterious package was delivered
at his house. Rosalsky became sus-
picious and sent for a representative
of the bureau Of combustibles. Ex-
pert Owen Eagan rushed to the scene
and on attempting to open the pack
age an explosion occurred, Eagan s
right hand being very badly lacerated
squad of central Office men were
rushed to the scene and an immed-
late search for the sender of the
bomb was begun.
The bomb was delivered through
the mail this afternoon. 1t remained
in the hall several hours before maid
took it out Of the mail box and placed
it on a table in the judges library.
When Rosalsky returned home and
saw the package, he became suspic-
ious and decided not to open it until
after he had called the police. In
spector Eagan, of the bureau Of com
bustibles, and squad of officers were
rushed to the Judges apartments.
Eagan took the package up and listen.
led to learn if possible whether there
was D clock work deasce hidden ~ sft
in. Upon hearing nothing he told the
judge that he would open the package
in the room if he would consent.
Just then there was a ring on the
telephone and the judge hurried to
answer, eSclaiming as he picked up
the receiver:
Go ahead boys, but for Gods sake
be careful. There is something wrong
about that package, | am satisfied OF
that. Do not take any chances. l do
not want any Of you to get hurt
AS the Judge picked UP the tele.
phone receiver there was deafening
Explosion, Eagan having started to
unwrap the package. Eagan's right
hand was terribly lacerated and he
was badly injured about the face.
| The library was almost completely
| wrecked. All the windows were de.
molished, the book cases were smash,
ed and a piece of steel was blown into
the top of the library table
Eagan was rushed to the j. Hood
Wright hospital, where it was stat
/ ed that he would probably recover
/ His hand was so terribly lacerated
! that it was believed amputation would
be necessary.
Judge Rosalsky said tonight that he
i became suspicious of the package
when he noticed that it was addressed
on a typewriter. He said that he
had received no threatening messages
and he was totally unprepared for the
attempt on his life
81 have not the least suspicion con
i cernings the sender Of this bomb" the
Judge said tonight. Il suppose / have
made enemies by sentencing people
that came under my Jurisdiction, but
4 / know of no one who would wish tc
lake my lie. AS long as nave peer
! on the bench I have never been threat
ened The whole affair is deeI
4 mystery to me.
4 Il greatly regret that Superintend
ent Eagan was injured | was afrait
to allow him to open the bomb with
out taking great precautions but | de
cided that he knew best how to pro
ceed. I pray to God that he has no
been fatally hurt
According to the officers who wer,
4 present when the package was open
ed, the bomb was of the dry cell bat
terry variety and was set off by means
Of switch connected with the lid o
a pasteboard box.
The spark was transmitted to th'
interior of small steel box filed will
4 giant powder and small pieces 0
; steel.
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