New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-22
POCASSET BOMB WAS
VENGEANCE ON HAYES
Tammany Fight in 18th District
Believed to Have Prompt
ed Outrage.
MANY THREATS IN LETTERS
District Leaders Daughter Also
Received Telephone Message
Saying I'VE Will Have
His Scalp"

The exploding Of a dynamite bomb in
| the arcaway OF the home of the Pocasset
Club, the Democratic organization Of the
I 2Sth Assembly District. No. POS East ll6th
street early yesterday morning. followed
the sending Of several Black Hand letters
to Nicholas ]. Hayes, the Tammany leader
OF the district, and ~ other members of
the club.
The explosion tore ont tho windows in
the front Of the building and partially
wrecked the bowling alleys in the base
mcnt The windows in tenement houses
acrcss the street from the club were also
smashed
/ Haycs. who is a former Sheriff and Fire
/ Commissioner has been the Tanmany
| loacer of the district for several years
/ Ever since he established his headquarters
/ in East 10th street. about six years ago.
/ he has experienced trouble with the ltal-
ian population IN the district About a
/ thousand Italians are enrolled as mem
/ bers OF tie club. according 10 the sccre-
/ tary. Edward Buckley The club takes
| la 4 biz slice of "Ilarlcm's Little Italy
and the best way for the members of ;he
I
atcd with the Hayes club.
In recent years, ii is said. the club has
| lccn unable 20 fulfil promises of jobs and
| /. is believed this fact led to the sending
of threatening letters To Hayes. These
/ letters. while they We're not of the reg
uar Black Hand variety. in so far as
a demand for money was concerned were
bitter in their threats to seek revenge
should Hayes continue as leader of the
district
They demanded that me leave the dis
/ trict under penalty of being forced out hy
drastic means. About week ago tho
phone iu the Hayes home, in East MN
street. was used 10 convey q threatening
message The phone was answered by
Hgvess daughter. who told her father
upon lis return home that some one
who refused 10 give his name called up
and said we are after HAYES and will!
| have his scalp
! The voice was that OF a man. and before
| the Young woman had an opportunity 10
ask any questions the unknown had dis
connected The message was traced To- a
nearby drug store.
This IS not tine first bomb which has
/ been intended for the Pocasset club.
! About six years ago one was found with
/ the fuse sizzling, on the basement floor
/ of the club by two Of the members. This
was during primary fight. The matter
was reported TO the police. but no one
was ever arrested second bomb was
| found some time after this, which like
wise was discovered before II was ex-
/ ploded. This discovery was not reported
! 10 the police.
! Hayes returned from Pittsneld. Mass.
late last night. and said II was untrue
that the POcasset club had offered a re-
ward for Information that would lead 10
the capture OF IN" man or men VINO had
blown up the clubhouse. y have no enc
mics and can't understand the affair
said Hayes. 81 only know the place was
blown mp and by somebody"
/ james .. Farrell. Deputy commissioner
of Records. who is president oi The club,
/ was at loss To- Ofler any solution of the
! bomb mystery Mr. Buckley. the sccre-
taIy. sco'ied al the idea that the bomb
was meant for tn Pocasset club, con
tending that IL was intended FOR some
other house ia the neighbOrhood and was
/ laid in the areaway 10y accident
There was nothing left of the bomb
which might Ice used as a clew 10 the
maker owen Eagan. of the Bureau OF
| Combustibies believes 10 was stick OF
1 dynamite arranged with a time fuse.
The police of the East loith street sta
ton are OF the opinion that the bomb Wis
! sent by "a dissatisfied Italian member Of
the cub. They professed ignorance as To
the knowledge OF Black Hand Letters and
offered little hope for the arrest of the
! guilty persons.
There have been many shootinss and
/ killings IN the district recently. which
have been attributed 10 che Black Hand.
Several of these. IT Is said were due 10
the fractional fights which have been goins
on in the 2sth for many years.