Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-12-21
BOMB WRECKS EXECUTIVE
MANSION IN CALIFORNIA
Both Governor and Mrs.
Stephens Have Narrow ES-
cape From Death

SACRAMENTO. Cal. Dec ls.-What
is believed to have been an attempt 70
kill Governor William d. stephens by
means of a powerful explosive bomb at
midnight last night resulted in the
wrecking of the executive mansion. the
entire rear end of the building being
blown out. The Governor and Mrs. Ste
phens, as well as the household serv-
ants. were asleep at the time and all es-
capped injury.
Two men were seen fleeing from the
house Immediately after the explosion.
The defamation of the explosion was
heard all over the city and windows
were broken by the force of il two or
three blocks away. 1t was believed that
from twenty to twenty-five sticks of dy-
Mantle were used.
Governor and Mrs. stephens were
asleep in the wing of the house adjoin-
ing the spot where the explosion oc-
CURED. but beyond a nervous shock they
were unframed.
The attempt occurred just as the
guard was being changed. II. Claussen
one OF the watchmen, was the first on
the scene. having passed the spot but
few minutes before the explosion.
Claussen said he was certain there was
nothing unusual occurring on the
grounds. He expressed the opinion
that the explosive was thrown from an
alley which runs along the rear of the
house to a distance of about forty feet
from the porch under which the charge
was set of.
Whole Block Shaken
a hole several feet in depth and at
lease five feet wide was torn in the
ground beneath a bay window at the
rear uf he
wall up to the second story was blown
away. The entire neighborhood was
aroused and a crowd was on the scene
a few minutes after the explosion
There was scarcely a house in the
block which was not affected.
A clew as to the perpetrators was
given to the police by the Rev. Frazer
Langford. pastor of a church, who re-
ported that four months ago a man was
noticed looking about the executive
mansion. and that he continued to
haunt the locality until a week ago,
when ne disappeared.
According to my judgment" said
Governor Stephens, "the bomb was
thrown from the alleyway about forty
feet to the rear of the mansion, and did
not light as far under the house as it's
owner had intended I am strength
ened in this statement by the fact that
usual and the Waterman had visited the
basement just a few minutes before the
explosion occurred. He says thar when
he passed the steps he turned his fash
light on the place where indications
prove the bomb was placed and at that
time there was nothing there"
Governor Caln
The governor was probably the calm
est of the group that surveyed the
wrecked mansion.
Detectives searched downtown room
ing houses without success for man
said to have been seen in the neighbor-
hood of the mansion at an early hour
in the evening.
William d. stephens became governor
OF California last spring, when Governor
Hiram Johnson assumed his duties as
United States senator.
Last week Governor stephens made a
series of patriotic addresses in southern
California. dealing largely with the
duties of Californians in supporting the
national government during the war.
No Clue Obtained
The police had found neither mo-
tive for the explosion or a definite clue
to its perpetrators.
They were inclined. however. to reject
the theory that the explosive was
thrown against the building from an
auey. because of a high fence. but moth
ing has been shown to indicate the bomb
was planted"
The last person admitted to the ex-
ecutive mansion was Chinese servant
who came in about 1850 p. m. Tne po-
lice saw the explosion occurred between
.h,t hnur and midnight.