Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-07-25
STORY Of BOMB
SENT PRESIDENT.
Sherman P. Allen d,id to Have
Opened It and Burned Hand
Distinguishing fuse.

New York. July 1s.--The Tribune to-day
prints the following Washington despatch
from its news bureau: An attempt was
made on the life of President Taft yes
terday, when some one sent to the White
House an Internal machine addressed to
the chief executive.
Had the machine exploded probably
every one in the office of the secretary to
the President would have been killed. AS
IT was. Sherman =. Allen, the assistant
secretary, was hurt, and he only slightly
He received a burn on one hand when he
emothered the burning fuse which greeted
him when he opened the box containing
the machine.
Secret service men were promptly noti-
fled of the affair and the machine was
turned over to them for examination.
When they had finished they reported
that the machine contained six pounds of
highly explosive dynamite powerful
enough to have destroyed the executive
offices.
There was little chance of such an at
tempt on the life of the chief executive
proving successful for President Taft
never opens any of his mail or express
packages. every letter or parcel passing
through the hands of one or two sccre-
taries.
Sheruur t1en found the package con-
taining tie irfernal machiee on his desk
when h, reached thc White House yes
terday molainl. When he opened it and
saw burning fuse he was quick to act,
smothering the fuse with his bare hand.
AS a consequence he received slight
burn, but he saved his life and the lives
Of his fellow workers
PROMPTLY HUSHED Up.
The matter was quickly hushed up,
only few persons knowing anything
about it. The secret service men at once
began an investigation with a view to
finding out who sent the machine.
This is not the first time that an at
tempt has been made on the life Of the
President by means Of an Internal ma
chine, but it is the first time one has
come so near to exploding in the ox-
ecutiNe offices.
Just how the Internal machine reached
the desk of Assistant Secretary Allen
whose duty it is to open all mail, has
not yet been determined. All that Mr.
Allen knows is that he found the small
neat looking package. addressed to tn,
President of the United States, on hi!
desk; that he never for momen
thought of the possibility that there wal
anything wrong with it. and that h,
opened It as lac does all other mail.
After removing the outer wrapper Mr.
Allen found a small box. with n Sliding
cover This he pushed back, only to re
veal a fuse which had been ignited by
the movement of the cover. Instantly h,
grasped the fuse and jerked II out a
the same time smotherng the fire Will
his hand. 1t Is TO this act that he owe.
the burn In the palm of his hand which
he refused to discuss with most of tn,
persons whom he saw yesterday.
There have been other Internal ma
chimes sent to the President but it'll
about them has been permitted to reacl
the public. 1t is the theory of the secre
service that in the ajorty of cases n
least. the senders of such machines an,
the authors of other attempts on the IF
or the President are persons of disease,
brains, and that il is dangerous to per
init the details to become public be
cause they act as a suggestion to other