Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1920-11-26
Blast Destroys Home Near German
town And Brings Death To Three.


The home Of James Bolton, a farm hand
on the farm of Julian B. Waters, neal
Germantown. this county. was destroyed
by an explosion about 4:30 O'Clock on
Thursday morning of last week.
The two children of Mrs. Hattie Shi pley
Bottoms housekeeper, one boy. 8 years
old, the other girl, years old. were killed
Bolton and Mrs. Shipley were taken to
the Sandy Spring hospital Bolton died
Thursday night.
1t is believed that the house was dyna-
mited. Vernon Thompson. of German
town, was arrested about noon Thursday
and brought to the Rockville jail for in
vestieation in connection with the explo-
sion. He refused to make any statement.
Mrs. Shipley lived with her two children
in the home of Bolton. who is bachelor.
She was hurled from her bed about 4:30
O'Clock Thursday morning by an explosion
which completely wrecked the house.
Crawling from the smoking ruins she lay,
unconscious for about half an hour, IN
able to, find the bodies of her two children
in the ruins. half dazed from the shock,
she started crawling across the fields in
her night clothing toward the home of her
nearest neighbor. Slagle Dorsey, who lives
half mile away.
1t took Mrs. Shipley an hour and half
to reach her destination. She made her
way slowly. stopping frequently. 1t was
after O'Clock Thursday morning when
Mr.. Dorsey and his family were aroused
by knocks at the door and cries for help.
Mr.. Dorsey heard the bare details of the
tragedy from Mrs. Shipley and telephoned
Rockville. where he was put in connection
with the sheriff, George E. Nicholson. who
summoned Deputy Sheriff Stanley Gineell,
secured an automobile and started to the
scene of the explosion.
Arriving, they found the house in ruins.
smoke rising from the debris. The bodies
of the children were recovered. and Bolton,
unconscious and severely hurt, was placed
in an ambulance and rushed to the hospi-
tai, with Mrs. Shipley, at Sandy Spring.
Bolton was under indictment for assault
with attempt to kill. His indictment was
the result of quarrel with Thompson on
election day, during which Thompson wa
wounded.
Mrs Hattie Shipley. housekeeper of Boil
ton, in an interview at the Montgomery
County General Hospital. Sandy Spring,
gives graphic description of the triple
tragedy.
II had just gotten up to look at the
clock" said Mrs. Shipley. ut was between
fifteen and twenty minutes after A oiclock
| went back to bed and was just doing
off when there was a tremendous flash
and explosion. saw the flash and heard
the noise. Then was stunned for a few
minutes. and after picking myself up across
the room, where had been thrown, heard
Mr. Bolton groaning.
my God, my God, Hattie. do some
thing for me. or will bleed to death
II went to him and felt his head and il
was all bloody. Then | heard my baby
girl strangling, as though she could not
breathe. went to her. could not see
thing. was afraid to light a match
for fear the person who had set off the
sHpIosion would kill me. lifted bean
from my little girls throat so that she coult
breathe.
Il CROPPED around for some coat. because
the front of the house had been blown of
and it was deadly cold and was SILVER
ing. | found two coats, and | wrapped
one about Mr.. Bolton and put one around
myself don't know what happened to
my little boy.
II sat there shiverine. with the coat
around me, afraid to move. At the peep
of dawn got up. and Mr.. Bolton implored
me to 60 to Dorsey's, our nearest neigh
Dor. to get help.
at was getting light as | tumbled out
of the house. without either shoes or stock
ings. | waded across two branches and
collapsed about half way up the last hill
toward Dorsey's had picked up a sticl
/ to help me along, and leaned on it unit
finally reached the house. Then fell
on the porch.
II had worked for Mrs. Dorsey before,
and knew where she slept. woke her
up. Mr.. and Mrs. Dorsey said that they
had heard the explosion. but did not know
where it had taken place. | don't remem
her ANYTHING after that"