The Benson signal., 1919-06-07
| ANARCHISTS ATTEMPT TO BLOW
UP LEADING PUBLIC
| MEN.
TEN BOMBS EXPLODED
HOME OF ATTORNEY GENERAL IN
WASHINGTON is WRECKED
BY BLAST.
Western Newspaper Union News Service.

Western Newspaper Union news service.
Washington, June 3.-AnOther at
tempted reign of terror, directed chief
ly against public officials who have
been active in their prosecution was
launched by American radicals shortly
before midnight last night.
A bomb explosion which damaged
the residence of Attorney General
Mitchell Palmer, in the fashionable
Northwest section of Washington, but
which apparently resulted only III the
death of the bomb planter, was fol-
lowed at brief intervals by similar ex-
plosions in seven other cities in belt
extending from Cleveland to Boston.
Besides Washington, Cleveland and
Boston, cities in which bomb OutrageS
occurred were Pittsburg, Paterson, n.
j., West Philadelphia, New York and
Newtonville, Mass. West Philadelphia
and Pittsburg were subjected to two
separate explosions.
Public officials against whose lives
it was indicated attempts had been
made were: In Washington, A. Mitch
ell Palmer, United States attorney gen
eral; Claude A. Swanson, United
States senator from Virginia. In Bos-
ton, Justice Albert F. Hayden of the
Roxbury municipal court. In Cleve-
land, Mayor Harry L. Davis. In Pitts
burg, Federal Judge William FL.
Thompson and w. w. Sibray, chief in
spector of the bureau of immigration.
In New York, Judge Charles G. Mott,
Jr., of the Court of General Sessions.
In Newtonville, Mass, Representative
Leland w. Powers of the State Legis-
lature.
In all cases except Paterson and
Philadelphia the bomb attempts were
directed against the lives of public Of
ficials. In Paterson the home of a silk
manufacturer was wrecked, while in
Philadelphia, where two explosions oc-
Cured attempts were made to blow
up a Catholic church and a private
residence.
The bomb planted under the steps
of the home of the attorney general at
2132 r street, in the fashionable
Northwest section Of Washington,
wrecked the dwelling, smashed in the
windows of adjoining houses for a
block, but injured no one within the
Palmer residence.
An empty suitcase, found near the
entrance, and a handbill signed ''The
Anarchistic Fighters" printed on red
paper, worded in inflammatory fashion
and serving notice Of intent Of it's au-
thors to begin general war on leaders
of society, was the only clew available
at late hour tonight.
The body of the man killed was
literally shredded over the block and
driven into the asphalt pavement
Mr.. Palmer and other members of
the family were at home, but escaped
any injury, though the front of the
residence almost collapsed with the
force of the explosion. They were on
the second floor preparatory to retir-
ing at the time. SO thoroughly was
the body of the man killed scattered
that surgeons had difficulty in ascer-
tanning whether one or two persons
had been involved. Pieces of two sepa-
rate firearms were also located, one
an automatic pistol and the other a
revolver.
The suitcase was of cheap construc-
tion. The handbill, which was grease
spotted, was headed in large type,
plain Words" 1t opened with the
statement: ''The powers that be make
no secret of their intention to stop the
worldwide revolution in America -
and concluded, after announcing it's
acceptance of a challenge to some kind
of a war with a printed signature,
'The Anarchistic Fighters