Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-12-26
DYNAMITE OUTRAGE MAINS
TWO WOMEN FOR LIFE
Des Moines Home Partially Wrecked
by eomb-Motive a Mystery-Des
Moines Street Car Runs Away and
Kills One Man-heavy Fire Loss in
Capital City Business District.
Special to Times-Repubiican

men We're almost Killed, a street Ss'i
accident with one fatality, the injury
of five persons, two being burned,
$4,000 fire and box car fire with a
man sealed inside, following the find
e. ing late Wednesday afternoon OF three
persons dead from gas in a rooming
house.
At a time when only good spirits
are supposed to be about and when
: least of all the victims expected harm
someone approached the bedroom VIM
y dow of Mrs. Sophronia Johnson, aged
So, in Gilberttown. Mrs. johnson and
her daughter Ophelia, II years of age,
were asleep. The little girls stocking
hung at the foot OF the bed, already
filled by Santa.
Bomb on Fuse.
The window was raised and
dynamite bomb attached to fuse
seventy-fve feet long, was placed I'M
der the bed which CHANGED to be near
the window. The window was lowered
the fuse carried back to the alley,
lighted match applied-and the per-
petrator went away.
blocks around were awakened by a
mighty explosion. Neighbors and
persons in another part of the house
found the victims with the lower parts
of their legs almost blown off. The
room was wrecked and every window
in the house had been blown out.
At Methodist hospital ii was said
that Mrs. Johnson's left foot must be
amputated and that part Of the right
foot Of the girl might also be taken off.
Two Of the toes were blown away.
Police detectives searched the neigh
berhood but failed to get a trace OF
anyone whe had been, seen in the vi
cinity. Whether the woman could give
any aid, is not known. When Detective
Bailey asked her something about the
Motive Is Mystery.
That the dynamiting may be one
persons revenge for fancied wrongs
which have extended for many
years sds a theory upon which police
expected to work Thursday. Who
this person is they decline to say.
The facts upon which police have
to work are that Mrs. Johnson was
keeping house for Gus Foster, ne
gros ~Boaa Butram, aged T. lived there.
Tensyears ago Mrs. Johnson's husband
separated from her and has not since
been seen.
Police found the dynamite trail read
lily when they reached the house.
The fuse was traced back to the alley
and the match stalk which had been
discarded was picked up.
The room in which the victims slept
was strewn with bits of the bed
and bed clothing. Only the fact that
dynamite charge had been placed too
near the foot of the bed saved the wo-
men from instant death.
Fatal Street Car Accident.
Brakes that wouldn't work a slip
perry track down long. steep grade,
forty miles an hour-and a Sevastopol
car left the rails at the Southeast
Sixth and Hartford curve last mid
night, struck and fatally injured man
waiting to board 1t, and overturned
with four passengers and the crew in
side.
The crushed body Of Alex Besaw
was found thirty feet from the wrecked
car which was itself twenty feet from
the tracks. Conductor Jeffs and pas
sengers engaged in rescuing Motorman
Ryan heard someone moaning and in
vestigated to find the bleeding and
mangled figure Of a young man. They
had not known until then that any
one had been struck.
Police Surgeon Winnett worked over
Besaw for more than an hour at
Methodist hospital il al attempt to
save him. Seven fractures We're dis
covered Possibly more bones were
broken. DR.. Winnett announced in
ternal hemorrhages as the cause OF
death.
Of the two injured. Ryan was the
more seriously hurt His clothing
was a!olaze when Jeffs went to his
aid. The conductor put out the fire
and succeeded in extricating the mo-
torman who had somehow been wedged
between "A nor stove and the controller
when the car went over. DR.. W. S.
Conkling, who attended Ryan, said he
did not consider the injuries grave.
Motorman Ryan had known all ev-
ening that the brakes were not work
ing properly and had so reported to an
inspector just before he made the las,
trip out.
Fire Loss Of $4,000.
Fire Of unknown origin Wednesday
night caused a loss Of approximately
100000 to the Sol Wolk Clothing Com
pany and to Brinsmaid & Co, whole
sale and retail china dealers, who occu-
pied the building at 213 Fourth street
owned by H. D. Thompson. The loss
both to the two companies stock and to
the building is covered by insurance.
S. L. Harter, driver of the areial
truck, who was severely cut by falling
glass was reported in good condition
today. After his injuries had been at
tended by police surgeons he was taken
to his home.
It is thought that the flames original
ed on the third floor Of the building
which Brinsmaid & Co., had used as
a hacking and storage room.
The dense smoke caused by the burn
ing of excelsior made it difficult for the
nremen to get access to the heart OF
the fire. Their work was much ham,
pered on this account.
Hundreds of Christmas shoppers
watched the hremen at their owrk.
The damage TO the Wolk clothing
company's stock was due chiefly tc
the water which ran down onto it from
- ss.s::ss sss!:!.a floor Nj. Wolk estimated his
manage will be about $4,000.
Three Men Asphyxiatsd.
y j David and Joseph Griffiths. brothers
OF Des Moines, and Guy c. Byers, OF
MaAr9A Ynwa were found dead In