Evening star., 1915-07-11
GAS EXPLOSIONS i'm CAPITOL

tom s9s s's es OF
explosion in the Senate wing
of the Capitol. caused by the bomb
placed by. a fanatic, instantly they
1eaped to the conclusion that it was
but another gas explosion. But when
they took second thought they remem-
bered that for many years there. has
been no gas in that portion of the
Capitol.
Twice before, and each time when
great political movements were stir
ring and the overt act Of crank might
have been expected. the Capitol has
been the scene OF sensational explo-
sions. In both instances gas was found
to be responsible. The explosion of
July 2, however. was the first time
since the British troops burned the
edifice. in 1914. that human agency
operated to work material injury to
the historic building.
The fanatic might be ranked as the
American Guy Fawkes And possibly,
of solemnly searching the cellars of
the building Immediately before the
convening of Congress may be insti-
tuted In the Capitol. pust as in the
years that have passed since Fawkes
tried to blow up that building, the con-
vening of each session of parliament
is preceded by this imposing ceremony.
Here, however, there is likely to be
more of a practical than a ceremonial
search The Capitol police force will
not be content to give the place a
perfunctory ''once over" but will go
hunting diligently and daily for hidden
bombs The war period has begotten
an unusually large crop Of cranks in
Washington, and the Capitol police
force is on the alert.
The first sensational explosion in the
Capitol came In the centennial year of
of that year the Senate sat for many
days in secret session considering the
matter of the impeachment of w. w.
Belknap, Secretary of War. charged
with having accepted money for the
Dakota. One day. while the Senate
was so sitting, Capt. Cutler, then su-
perintendent Of the Senate document
room, and one of his assistants went
into a closet under the stairway which
leads from the Senate restaurant to
the floor of the Senate chamber above.
They were in search of some ancient
documents that had been stored there
for years. At that time the whole build
ing was lighted with gas.
The assistant mounted a stepladder
to reach an upper shelf. Then he struck
q match. there being no light in the
cellar. Leaky pipes had filled the up
per part of the closet with gas and in
stantly there was a terrific explosion
that shook the entire building.
So great was it that the assistant was
blown through the door and across the
broad corridor. his body spattering
against the stone wall on the opposite
side. A deep mark in the plaster
marked the spot where he struck. He,
was killed instantly.
The fame of the explosion burned the
clothing and every hair off Capt. Cutler
and inflicted other severe injuries.
Crazed by the pain. he gathered him..
self up from the floor where he was.
thrown and ran shrieking to window,
through which he leaped. He ran for !.
some minutes in the plaza before he
was caught and removed to hospital. :
His burns were SO deep that the hair
never grew afterward on his face and
head. and for years his glazed scalp and :
lashless eyes made him a marked figure
about the building.
When the explosion occurred the first
thought was that bomb had been ex--