Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-03
by an explosion of gas or trouble with
electric wires of the telephone cable.
Place for Intruder to Hide.

Discussing the explosion this morn
ing. Detective Pratt explained that the
force of the exploson seemed to have
been against the wall back of the tele-
phone exchange that is used only dur
ing the session of Congress. The ex-
! change, he said, was covered with a
piece of canvas and afforded an excel
lent place for an intruder to conceal
himself.
Electricians from the Chesapeake and
Potomac Telephone Company were on
hand to make an examination. They
looked through the debris and declared
that the telephone wires could not have
figured in the explosion.
The first theory of the explosion
heard by members of the police de-
partment was that the trouble had
been caused by leaky gas pipe. That
theory was quickly abandoned. now
ever. the police were told. and practi-
cally every person in the building ex-
pressed fear that the explosion, was
the work of an outsider.
Nothing was armed by the police to
suggest that any suspicious looking
persons had been seen lettering about
the Capitol recently. Many persons
were in the building yesterday. some
visitors from other cities. the police
were told, and others residents of this
city, but not one of them displayed
signs of being there for an unlawful
purpose.
Easy to Conceal Ones Self.
The police think it an easy matter
for a person to have concealed him.
self in the building before the clos
ing hour, but the Capitol police, on
their usual rounds of the building, had
detec-e ed nothing to indicate that there
was any one there last night.
Capitol policemen were in the grounds
outside the building when the ex-
plosion occurred. while on the out
skirts of the grounds was Policeman
O'Dea. None of them saw any sus-
picious persons before or after the ex-
plosion. and pedestrians who were
questioned declared they saw no per
son making a hasty exit from the
building or grounds.
Quite crowd of curious persons
gathered outside the building SOON
after the explosion occurred. the po-
lice said, but none was admitted. Only
officials and the police were admitted
to the building and the city police
were admonished not to disturb any
thing.
Maj. Pullman Out of Town.
Mai. Raymond W. Pullman, superin-
tendent of police, went to New York city
last night to be a guest of Police Com
position to take an active part in the in
vestigation. Inspector Boardman. acting
superintendent of police. this morning told
of the offer of the department to par
ticipate in the investigation
The inspector said he supposed the In
vestigation will be conducted by federal
officials. although the police department.
he stated. is ready to do all in its power
to assist in solving the affair.
OHciaIS of tho police dena rtment raw
they have in mind no particular crank or
other person who might have set off a
bomb in the Capitol. Letters from cTanks
are received in large numbers by various
public officials, many of them reaching the
White House. Such letters are promptly
turned over to officers of the secret
service.
number Of persons who have made
threats of various kinds, some arrested
at the White House and others taken in
custody before reaching there, are con-
fined in the Government Hospital for the
Insane.