Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-18
CITY HALL GETS REAL
SCARE AS MYSTERY
TUBE COMES N MAIL

A bad scare for Mayor Woodward
was dissipated by United States Gov
eminent inspectors Thursday when a
mysterious and ominous looking gun
metal tube stuffed at one end with
paper wadding was found to contain,
not nitroglycerin to blow his honor
sky high as at first feared but
Carbon dioxide.
The fact that no attempt had been
made on the Mayors life was es-
tablished only after much Consulta-
ton and examination that was
shrouded in a veil of utmost Sc
crecy.
How Mayor Found Tube.
The Mayor opened one uninterest-
ing letter after another in leisure
ly fashion Thursday morning. Then
he picked up an oblong envelope
with something heavy in it. Mayor
Woodward ripped 1t open with one
stroke of his penknife and the con-
tents dropped on his desk with a
sharp rap.
He reached for his electric bell and
gave two sharp rings Secretary
Frank Hammond bounded into the
executive office in response. The two
looked askance at a little package
carelessly wrapped Ia blank paper
Slowly they unwrapped it to find a
dark metal tube about the size of a
mans finger and about two and one
half inches in length. 1t had the ap-
pearance Of a test tube of a chemist
One end was rounded and solid. but
the other was stopped up as though
with a cap to be discharged
Secretary Hammond was hastily
dispatched to the office Of Chief In
spector Barry, in the postoffice, for
detective aid
While he was out the City Hall re-
porters called on Mayor Woodward
The Mayor received them with out
ward calm and discussed only such
subjects as the latest development in
the building Of the crematory and his
ANtVAAN NOAAiONttS ~ Win 1T. Lincoln
Mcconnell
fact noted but considered unim-
portant at the time was that he care
fully placed a long envelope on the
manteI in his Office, some ten feet
from his desk AS the reporters went
out Inspector H. N. Graham entered
but his identity was not known by
the reporters at the time.
Mayor Keeps Mum.
Later Information showed that
Mayor Woodward explained the re-
ceipt and opening of the strange
package. Inspector Graham left for
an examination of the tube
He had hardly left when the re-
porters returned with the tip" that
Mayor Woodward had received a
nitroglycerin capsule through the
mail. Mayor Woodward evaded all
questions, and real sleuthing began.
Inspector Barry and superintendent
of Mails Hart, in the postoffice, were
closely questioned as to the contents
of the envelope. Only Mr.. Hart had
seen IT, He said the envelope was
postmarked 9 p. m. Wednesday but
that he could tell nothing further
about it than It looked suspicious.
1t was learned that Inspector Ora
ham had gone to a gunsmith to have
the vial examined to determine its ex-
plosive possibilities. The reporters
struck out hot on his trail. Everv
gunsmith in the city was visited.
Finally at 2:30 o'clock Inspector
Graham walked into his office in the
postoffice building.
The vial was nothing more than
small carbon dioXide drum, capable II
nothing more dangerous than gene
rating two glasses Of carbonated wa
ter. They can be purchased at the
rate Of SO cents a dozen
The package containing the tube
was turned over TO the postofice de-
partment early Friday morning as
soon as the Mayor had taken it gin
gerly out of long envelope plainly
addressed
Looked Mighty Dangerous"
It looked as if the sender wanted
the receiver to pull the paper out OF
the end and explode cap-and the
rest you can imagine for yourself