The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1918-09-05
FOUR KILLED
AND 75 HURT
BY NITRO BOMB
Explosion Occurs in Chicago in
Midst of Crowd.
THINK |. W. W. GUILTY
Explosion Skaters Federal Building
Where Judge Lands Held Con-
spiracy Trials.

spiracy Trials.
Chicago Sept. 4-Four persons
were killed and more than 75 others
injured by the explosion OF bomb
in a crowded entrance to the federal
building at $40 o'clock this after
noon.
The explosion, which not only
wrecked the entrance of the building,
but shattered every window on the
first three floors OF two buildings
across the street, was attributed 10
The /. w. W., by Phillip Barry, IN
charge of the local Office Of the de
partment of justice.
Raids on two headquarters OF the
/. w. w. Within Is minutes after the
explosion, resulted in the arrfft OF
nine men. Several more were taken
into custody within the federal build
ing and a woman, whose name was
suppressed. was arrested in nearby
building Tonight, more than l50V
government agents and the entire
city police force we're searching for
the propetrator of the outrage
This outrage in my opinion, was
inevitable as an act OF reprisal on
the part OF the l. w. W." Mr.. Barry
declared after hurried investigation,
following the sentencing OF nearly
hundred of their members. We are
certain that the /. W. W. committed
this deed | believe that the bomb
was composed of nitro-glycerine.
Several arrests have been made and
we are questioning the prisoners as
fast as we can
The court room OF Federal Judge h.
NJ Lands. where 95 |. w. w. leaders
were recently convicted and sentenced
to prison for obstructing the govern
ment's war program, is on the sixth
floor of the building. William D. Hay
wood. general secretary-treasurer OF
the !. W. w. and cne of those SEN
fenced to twenty years in prison for
his part in the conspracies. was on
the eighth floor of the building with
his lawyer, who was planning to seek
writ of error in his behalf, when the
explosion occurred He deplored the
outrage and, while emphatically de-
nying that any of his men had com
mitted the act, admitted that he he
lieved the !. w. w. would be blamed.
ut is unfortunate that this thing
happened at this time" he said. 81
know that the I. ". w. will be blamed
but am convinced that no man of my
organization was in any way connect
ed with this matter. 1t would be in
sane for an |. w. w. to commit suF
an act at this time
The bomb which is believed TO have
consisted of at least three wire
wrapped steel cylinders, charged
with high explosive, was carried into
the Adams street entrance of the
building during one OF the most busy
periods Of the day. Concealed j.
suitcase and connected with time
fuse. the device was deposited behind
radiator unnoticed by the passing
throng. Nearly a hundred persons
were in the corridor at the time
The explosion tore the radiator from
its iastenings and hurled it twenty
feet into the street. where it struck
and killed horse smashed desks
tore up great slabs of marble from the
walls and ground the woodwork into
spinters Flying debris filed the
street with plaster, stone and broken
glass.
Directly across the street every pane
of glass in the first three floors of the
Commonwealth. Edison and Marquette
buildings was blown in. Many werC
NUT by these flying fragments. Every
, person in the corridor where the eX
! plosion took place was hurled to thu
5 floor and their cries soon filed thu
E building and halted the panic strickeI
, rush of the uniniured to escape from
r. other entrances.
The streets outside were soon ropeI
4 OF by policement and ambulances ant
I requisitioned automobiles began rush
p ing the victims to hospitals. Within
>. half hour a detail of sailors From
b. the Great Lakes Naval Training sta
3. tion and a detachment of home guard
8 with fixed bayonets took mp the tas
OF keepinr back the crowds,
Z The dead Included two postal clerks
A sailor and a Chicago woman.
Pete Daley OF 81. Paul. who wa
). placed on trial with the other !, w. W
members. but was later released b
-, Judge Lads because of his physcg
y and mental condition, was taken int
- custody tonight for questioning in cor
" ncction with the explosion.