The sun., 1919-06-03
Special Despatch TO The Sun.

"AsH1NGrOS, June 2.-Premature ex-
piosion OF IN enormously powerful bomb
tonight probably saved the life OF At
] torney-General A. Mitchell Palmer. his
wlte and young daughter The bomb
olew up on his doorstep blowing to frag-
! ments the man who carried II and com
pleteiy wrecking the front OF the At
torney-Gensrars residence at 2l32 r
| street Northwest
MT. Palmer and his family had re-
tired early and only this fact saved them
from destruction. Mr.. Palmer was not
injured. nor were his wife and daughter.
although they We're considerably shaken
up.
Houses on both sides OF the Attorney
Generals residence were damaRed and
80 powerful was the explosive used that
windows and crockery in houses across
the wide street. including the residence
! tered.
The detonation OF the bomb aroused
all that part OF fashionable Washing
ton within q radius OF a mile.
Police reserves were rushed to the
scene to try TO keep back the mob that
quickly gathered and preserved until
daylight, II possible any clue to the
perpetrator OF the outrage
round.
Pieces of metal declared by experts
to be parts of what is known as a
"potato-masher'' bomb were picked up
in the street hidden in the litter of shat
tered glass. blood and parts of the cloth
ing OF the single victim OF the bomb
Scraps of leather discovered in the
debris led TO the theory that the power
ful explosive was carried in a satchel
by the assassin. The explosion evidently
occurred within ten feet of the front
door OF the Palmer residence, where a
piece six inches deep and foot and a
half long was blown out OF the stone
coping.
There is little hope OF identifying the
man who attempted the Attorney Cen
erals assassination. The only clues the
police have 50 far found Is the remnant
of the bomb itself. fragments OF anarch-
istic literature scattered about in the
vicinity and mans left leg encased in
fragment Of trouser leg.
From the sample OF clothing on this
shattered bit of leg II was evident that
the assassin was poorly and roughly
dressed The force Of the explosion blew
his leg and foot across r street onto
the doorstep OF the house opposite that
OF the Palmer Vesidence
Other Fragments Discovered.
Shortly after this was discovered an
other foot was found in the street some
distance away. This was so badly
mangled that the police at FIRST en-
braced the theory that two men had
been killed when tho bomb went OF.
as they thought the second fragment
was OF a left leg, as the first fragment
found evidently was
Examination by ambulance physicians
proved though that the second fragment
was tho right foot OF the victim of
tho explosion One part OF tho anar-
chist. a piece OF bone, was discovered
more than 100 yards from the soene
of the explosion.
The Attorney General has bean the
target for threatening letters and one
prior attempt at assassination ever since
he declined TO interfere in any way with
the sentence OF the court In sending
Eugene V. Debs to the penetentiary for
violation OF the spy law. on the former
| occasion when Mr.. Palmer was singled
out for an attack by bomb.
II was mailed TO him from New York
on May l. when a number OF other
| similar bombs were sent to prominent
officials OF the Government. particularly
| those who have to do with the suppress
| sion OF alien activities drr'ng 'h- war
Palmer an Enemy of Radicals.
As Attorney General MIR. Palmer Ia the
ldireOt snsmv NE she aAdisalA xhOaa