The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-01-03
DYNAMITE
WAS FOUND
AT Door Of Massachusetts
State House in
Boston
ATTEMPT TO EXPLODE
1T HAD FAILED
The State Police Fire the
Charge in a
Quarry

Boston, Jan. 3.--An attempt made
Saturday to dynamite the State House
was the work Of rank amateur. Thai
fact represents the total result Of |.
hours work on the case by the state
and Boston police. Who the rank anna.
teur was who left the dynamite illed
suitcase hanging from the door knob
of the Hancock street basement entrance
some time Saturday night ~ too much
of puzzle for the sleuths. "If the snow
hadn't fallen we might have got a track
or two" suggested one. Bit the snow
fell, and anyway numerous citizens go
ing about their morning affairs also
left tracks about the basement. Sorting
out tracks is poor sport.
Harris Stahl, day Waterman, found
the suitcase. He united it from the out
side door knob, lugged it to the Office
OF the state board Of insanity close at
hand and dropped it none too dainty on
the floor. He said he thought it was a
New Years joke, and he might as well
let the insanity commissions clerks in
on it. Somebody perceived a tiny hole
in the top of the case into which a
piece Of string seemed to be stuffed.
Sahl picked at the string and then
pulled out two or three inches Of tarred
yarn. 1t was charred at the end be-
tween his fingers. what did / think ~
he answered a query. Il thought Bomb
that's what | thought. So | ran over
to the state police office across the hall.
Deputy Chief Neal of the district po-
lice took one look at the case and the
tarred string. He called his men. The
city police were reused The hunt be- /
gan. After the case had sat conscien- |
tiously untouched for an hour, Walter |
Il. Wedger, chemist for explosives in /
the state police headquarters, took the I
exhibit out to Howes quarries in Brigh- |
ton. He united the rope which bound it, |
cut out the lock from the cheap wicker |
frame, and found section of three inch
castiron pipe made up of two nipples and
coupling screwed together. Inside was
packed four pounds of dynamite; pasted
in evidently by thumb pressure The
remnant Of tarred string, with de-
tonator on the end, reached into the
dynamite.
The bomb was then exploded, 1t blew
a hole is inches deep and about five
feet wide in solid rock. "What would
it have done to the State House," some
body asked Mr.. Wedger q guess it
would have taken most of the basement
wall out" he surmised "But the string
and the way the thing was packed and /
else about it, shows ii to be
the work of man who knows nothing
about blowing up buildings
Saturdays events have sent a shiver {
through the whole working force Of the
State House from officials to scrubwom y
en-. The police suppressed the news I'M y
til 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon, but /
within Is minutes the State House was
full of detectives, newsgathers and pho
It is the second bomb furry
within a year. Last summer dilapi {
lated travelling bag was left hanging on
! door with fuse burned to the cover.
inside there was only vacancy.
Several months ago an anonymous ?
etter was received by one OF the officials
It the State House to the effect that I
,omb would be placed within its walls =
within a few hours. Every official of
Ugh standing at the capitol became !,
Harmed and an immediate search of 4
he building was ordered. Members of
he state and the city police depart $
nents participated in the hunt, but a 4
areful examination of every nook and 4
orner Of the building failed to disclose :
NY trace of bomb. a.