Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-09-21
HEAVY GUARD At
CUSTOMS HOUSE
Card Received BY Collector
Edwards Telling of Plot
Causes Precautions Today.

By The associated Press.
NEW YORK, Sept. 21-The New
York customs house today was un-
der its heaviest guard in its history
because of the warning received that
the Wall street explosion would be
followed this AFTERNOON by the blow
ing up of the great government
structure.
Although both federal and local
authorities were inclined to regard
as a hoax a postcard received by
Collector Edwards. setting 2 O'Clock
as the hour of the second explosion
they took no chance.
Office workers found scores of
coast guards carrying rifles and side
arms entering the csutoms house at
the foot OF Bowling Green. In addi-
tion scores of guards had been mob
ilized stationed inside the building
and doors. Every one entering was
closely questioned. Oficials said
more coast guard reserves were be-
ing held at the barge Offices, located
in Battery Park nearby.
Warnings sent were to keep many
clerks frow lower Manhattan calls
their tasks. Frequent telephone calls
Workers who reported appeared torn
between two sinclinations-the first
to treat the whole matter as a joke
and the second to laugh nervously
when any mention was made of the
warning:
An epidemic of sudden illnesses
and visits from out of town relatives"
were particularly noticed at the
customs house
Collector of Internal Revenue Ed
wards was early at work and assert
ed that 2 o'clock would find him at
his desk. Although regarding the
warning as a joke. he declared
everything the law allows" has been
done TO safeguard the lives of workers
in the building.
The customs house has been given
a thorough housecleaning and is
safe from the inside out" Mr.. Ed
wards said.
Federal and police authorities to-
day were admittedly as far as ever
from solution of the mystery sur
rounding the explosion that spread
death and destruction in Wall street
last Thursday.
Clues at first apparently promis-
ing have not developed and today
virtually the only trail being follow
ed was that supplied by Samuel B.
Wellington, president of the West
Indies Trading company, who told
newspaper men he remembered see
ing three suspicious looking men
Fastening from in front of the United
States assay Office a few moments
before the detonation knocked him
unconscious. Wellington was asked
to repeat this story to the police TO
Chief William ]. Flynn, of the de-
partment of justice agents. investi-
eating the explosion as well as TO
the September grand jury.
Investigators have not entirely
given up pursuit OF the story by
Joseph Meade, OF the Society For
The Prevention of Cruelty to AMI
mails that he had seen the death
wagon standing for more than an
hour before the explosion in front OF
the assay office- The importance lies
in the hope that through his story
they may be able to identify the
driver OF the wagon and this may
lead to discovery OF person OF per-
sons responsible for the plot.
Hope OF developments from ques-
tioning Edwin p. Fischer, lawyer
and former employe OF the French
high commission and Alexander
Brailoysky. Russian journalist. went
glimmering with the commitment
OF the former for psychopathic OBJ
servation in Bellevue and the uncon-
ditional release OF the latter after
authorities had satisfied themselves
he had nothing to do with the
tragedy.