Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-03

Louthan. sergeant-at-arms HiesinA
Supt Woods and all other officials.
Room Is Badly Damaged.
They found that piles of shattered
plaster from the frescoed ceiling and
walls. broken crystals from the big
chandelier. pieces Of the immense mir
ror. glass from the windows and spiin-
tered woodwork Uttered tho noov.
Glass was broken and part of the
paneltng smashed in the door alouG
the rear of the Senate chamber. A
heavy door opening into the Vice
Presidents room. but which had not
been opened for many years. was blown
partly open by the force of the con-
cussion. and the door leading into the
room of the sergeant-at-arms on the
opposite side from that of the Vice
President was damaged.
The explosion was heard for many
blocks away and guards in all parts of
the Capitol and excited persons from
some distance came running to sec
what had happened
While no one was injured. WatchmAn
Jones. who was seated at the Senate
entrance door. almost Immediately be-
Meath the wrecked room, was almost
lifted from his chair by the force OF
the explosion. watchmen in the far
end of the building, a long city block
away, thought the dome Of the Capitol
was falling in or that some equally
great catastrophe had occurred, So
great was the force Of the concussion
which caused the building to tremble.
Those who were early on the scene
said there was strong odor of smoke
which lasted for some time. not only
in the reception room. but in the ad-
joining rooms and hall.
Capitol Searched for Suspects.
The polca uara fpefrucfad not tn a.
nit any one into the building and
search was made, but no one of a sus.
picious character was found.
Mr.. Woods declared that IL an sx-
plosive substance of any kind had been
placed in the room the guilty party
evidently had not intended any great
damage to the building. II a bomb. it
was not large enough to damage the
construction of the building. MI.
Woods asserted that If it proves to
have been a bomb it was placed by
some crank who wished to create a
sensation.
Some officials of the Capitol expressed
the opinion that the explosion might
have been perpetrated by some one
as a protest against the policies of the
American government.
Woods estimated that the damage
would not exceed $500. 1t was believ-
ed, however. that a complete investiga-
tion will show the damage to be much
greater.
Crowds made their way early today
to Capitol Hill in the hope of seeing
the wrecked portion of the majestic
building. They were doomed to dfsap-
pointment. however: because the pig
visitors pending the inquiry into the
cause Of the explosion.
No Metal Fragments Found.
supt. Woods had spent the entire
evening in his laboratory south of the
Capitol grounds and was therefore
within easy reach when called. He
searched the room high and low for
clues and found old waste tucked be-
hind one of the telephone booths. some
of which was smoldering. He said il
probably was placed there a long time
ago and had no connection with the
case. He and policemen who were sum-
moned searched diligently for frag-
ments of metal that might indicate a
developed the statement from watch
men that no one not connected with the
Capitol had been seen there after $50
O'Clock last night. The hunt for a
and begun early today without the
slightest success except for the chlor-
ide of silver cell and the receipt of the
letter from "R. Pearce."
The cell did not come from one of the
batteries used in the telephone 4ex-
change on the wall of the wrecked
room. 1t was said by officials of the
Capitol building, as cells of different
character are used in that.
".t is entirely probable that this cell
was hurled by the force of the explo-
sion last night to the spot where IL
was found this morning" said Supt.
Woods "The only theory 1 have of
this affair is that 1t was perpetrated
by some crank. / do not see how else
there could have been any explosion.
There was no gas in the building to
explode. and, furthermore, the room
opened through archways into other
parts of the Capitol. There could have
been. no sewer gas explosion because
I made an exploration of the cellar and
there was> not the slightest trace OF
sewer gas in the building anywhere"
Possible to Enter Through Window.
Capt Louthan before he kq Of the
letter had declaf& II WAa