New-York tribune., 1913-07-23
CARNEGIE BOMB SPURTS
DEADLY SALAD DRESSING
Intrepid Experts Solve Mystery
of Construction and Find
FiendiSh 0dOr.
ASPARAGUS TRULY AWFUL
Breathless Crowd Sees Marks
man Puncture Internal Ma
chine-Soap and Water,
Not Red Cross, Needed.

The mystery of the terrible Carnegie
bomb. constructed with such fiendsh in
genuity that. for an afternoon and a night
and the greater part of another day, it
baf7ed the Internal machine experts of
the Bureau of Combustibles in their ef-
forts TO solve the enigma of its cOnstruc-
ton. blew up" softly yesterday. The
only thing terrible about it proved to be
the odor of rancid salad dressing witty
which the asparagus. that made up Te
greater part Of its contents, was fur
rounded.
After reposing al night i'm the secret
vault Of the Bureau Of Combusubless the
strange zinc package which was received
bv parcel post Monday afternoon atNthe
offices of the Carnegie Corporation. Vt
No. $40 Fifth avenue. was subjected ~
another series Of examinations yesterday.
and each examination gave rise TO a new
theory as TO its nature. All theories.
however. agreed that the contents were
liquid, frow the fact that mysterious
"clug-gluC" came from the interior Of the
Thing whenever il was turned over. They
also agreed that il must have tremendous
explosive powers.
one expert made the startling discovery
that when IL was placed on end the upper
portion became hot while the lower por-
tion remained COOL and when its position
was reversed the heat was again notice
able at the upper end From this his
imagination drew a picture of ingeniously
arranged Intervals, consisting, probably,
Of tubes containing different liquids, and
so arranged that when the proper time
came the two liquids would rush together
in a terrific explosion.
Sure Contents Were Deadly.
Another was sure that there must be
pitro-glycerine inside the fateful zinc cas-
ing. while a third dnated on the theory
that the contents were nothing less IMAM
phosphorated hydrogen, which would
spread destruction over three city blocks
when il came into contact with the ar.
Despite all these terrifying theories IN
spector owen Eagen, who lost nnger
when a bomb sent to Judge Rosalsky eX-
ploded as he was opening 1t last year.
offered 10 brave this one, if he were
ordered 10 do so, but his superiors refused
10 assume the responsibility OF placing
his life in danger
II was then decided that long distance
methods should be employed to explore
the interior Of the mystery. The boino
was taken 10 a sand pit at 6oth street ana
East River. where 1t was thought IL was
far enough from any buildings to DO
damage. however great the force with
which il might blow up. Lloyd Wills
secretary to Commissioner Johnson OF
the Fire Department, was chosen as the
man whose steady nerve and sure aim
should do the deed.
He was given a rife and then the vicin-
ity of the sand pit was cleared OF the
crowd of curious folk. Willis took his
stand 80 feet from the bomb, adjusted
his necktie and then took long, caretuI
aim He aimed and aimed. and all eyes
twitched with expectancy as the onlookers
involuntarily moved a little further back.
Bomb" Was Deaf to Bullets.
The report of the rife rang out and the
bullet was heard TO strike the zinc box
with a twang, but there was no eXplo-
sion. The more intrepid pressed forward,
but they were ordered back. There was
dangerous work yet to do. Again Wills
took aim. again all eyes twitched ex-
pectantly, again the rife cracked and
again nothing happened. SO Willis ad-
vanced few PAGES pointed his rife vim
dictively at the unresponsiye bomb and
blazed away three times more.
"Hoh Enough" cried Inspector
Fagen. While the police still held the
crowd back he went to the much-shot
object and picked It up A broad SMILE
started 10 widen his features But IT sud
denly gave way 10 a look OF panied dis
gust as he turned away with upturned
nose.
'It is nothing but rotten salad dress
ing" he announced as the unrestrained
crowd closed about him. pointing TO the
thick yellow liquid oozing from the bullet
holes. He finally gathered himself to-
gether as the cheers died down and ripped
the casing open revealing the asparagus
inside.
Then he threw the whole thing into the
river. and II was announced by the Bu-
reau Of Combustibles that the Carnegie
bomb incident was closed. But the mys-
terry was not solved. All possible clew as
20 the sender OF the package was lost.
AS for Inspector Eagen, he hied him
self to his ONCE and put in the afternoon
scrubbing his hands to remove the odor
Of the dressing.
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