New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-19
Executive Mansion PaH.
Wrecked, but None IN
Family Hurt
Explosion Blamed
On German Plotter
Stephens, Calm After At.
tempt on Life, Direct.
Hunt for Suspects

SACkAALNIo, Cal, Dec. ls.-Coy.
ernor William d. Stephens. who's. q,
fetal residence here was damaged l,,,
night BY a dynamite explosion. ek,,
acterized the act in statement 10.
night as probably having been don.
with a view to terrorism, the chic,
weapon Of the alien enemy"
Throughout the day Goy.ro,
Stephens had RETAINED from sdvaneiny
any theory as 70 the probable mO,lv,
Of the explosion, which wrecked the
kitchen and laundry Of the Executive
Mansion and endangered the lives O.,
the Governor, Mrs. Stephens and other
members OF his household.
Combined efforts OF the police. the
Sherif's force and scores Of individuals
failed during the day 10 produce spy
tangible clews as 20 the identity OF ths
persons responsible for the dynami,irr
A search of the debris likewise fsilsS
to reveal any metal fragments thai
might indicate the explosion had beer
caused by bomb.
Heavy Dynamite Charge
Explosive experts who examined ii,
wrecked portion OF the building ex.
pressed the belief that a charge OF
dynamite had been set OF against the
rear basement wall. Charles T.. Fesrl
a government agent, declared that be.
tween twelve and fourteen sticks o.
dynamite with a time fuse attached
probably caused the explosion.
IL is the opinion Of the police tia.
the bomb was thrown by pro.Germsa
sympathizers. The patriotic activities
of Governor Stephens, especially dur
ing the last week are pointed 10 as &
possible motive.
The last person known 10 enter N,
Executive Mansion before the bomb
exploded was a Chinese servant, who
returned to the house at 1850 p. m
The police set the hour OF the explo-
sion az a few minutes before midnight.
The guard which is on duty day and
night about the Executive Mansion
was Just about to be changed, and the
man 10 be relieved had passed the
point where the explosion occurred
only a moment before.
Governor Had Retired
The Governor and Mrs. Stephens, as
well as the servants, had retired Tor
the night when the explosion. which
could be heard al over the city, wrecked
the entire rear end OF the mansion
Policemen and soldiers came running
from all directions, several men rush'
ing direct to the Governors chambers
No one in the house was injured, ard
within few minutes Governor ste
phens was directing the search ior
those responsible for the attack.
II. Clausen, one Of the watchmen, vno
was the first - reach the spot, was Ger
tain that there had been no one on the
grounds for some time before the e..
plosion. His evidence and that offered
by others convinced Governor stephens
and the police that the bomb had been
thrown from an alley IN the rear rs
more than forty feet from where nc
explosion occurred.
A hole several feet in depth and .
least five feet wide was torn IN m
ground beneath the bay window at ~
rear of the house and the entire WsA
up TO the second floor was blown sSsI
The police believe the bomb eontaines
at least twenty-five ticks OF Dynamic
What may prove a valuable clue vn
offered by the Rev. Frazer Lsngiota
who described a man he had noticed iof
four months lurking around the tSesa.
tive Mansion. blr. Langford told tne
police he had seen the man freques ~
but not since a week ago.