New-York tribune., 1920-01-03
Outrages Spurved Hunt
For Anarchists IN II. S.
Mailing Of s'May Day. Bombs Revealed Wide
spread Conspiracy to Murder Officials; Thou.
sands Seized in Raids by Federal Authorities

The intimation that radical activity
IN this country had reached the stage
| OF open violence came on May Day Of
last year, when the nation was shocked
by the discovery of countrywide
plot to assassinate more than score
OF high government officials and promi-
knent citizens.
The fact that it was nationwide
conspiracy was brought to light when
seventeen dynamite bombs were found
in the mails in the New York postofhce.
In the meantime warning was sent
broadcast and other bombs were seized
in various postoffices throughout the
country. Several Of the internal ma
chimes reached their designation, but
with one exception either failed to
explode or did not damage.
The bombs were addressed to many
Cabinet and government officials and
prominent citizens, including Attorney
General Palmer, Postmaster General
Burleson, United States Judge, Lands,
OF Chicago; Secretary of Labor Wilson,
John D. Rockefeller, j. P. Morgan,
United States Commissioner Of Immi-
grafton Caminetti, W. M. Woods, OF
Boston; Governor Sproul, of Pennsyl-
vania; John l.. Burnett, chairman Of
the House immigration Committee, and
W. ]. Shaffer, Attorney General Of
Pennsylvania.
/ Mrs. Hardwick Injured
One Of the internal machines, which
was sent to Senator Thomas Hardwick,
OF Georgia, when opened at the
Senators home, exploded and blew the
hands off negro maid and injured
Mrs. Hardwick. a
All the bombSR found at this time
were cleverly concealed in small col
lapsible boxes and were wrapped with
paper, which bore the forged nama
of Gimbel Brothers. They we're COM
monty known at the time as the
"Gimbel bombs
Following the discovery of these
bombs the police Of the various cities
throughout the country and Federal
agents launched upon a nation wide
raid in search Of anarchists, Bolshc-
visits and radicals. Although large
amount OF explosives was seized and a
number of arrests made. the senders
OF the bombs were never apprehended
On the night of June 2, the coun-
most daring bomb outrages in the
history of the nation, when the home
OF Attorney General Palmer in Wash
ington was wrecked and internal ma
chimes were exploded damaging the
homes of public officials and prominent
business men. Explosions took place
IN Washington, Pittsburgh, Cleveland,
Newtonville, Mass, Boston, Philadel-
phaa, Paterson, N. j., and this city.
Watchman Killed Here
None Of the men for whom the bombs
were intended was hurt, but one man,
watchman here, was killed, several
persons were injured, buildings were
wrecked, and in Washington one of
the plotters was blown to pieces when
the Internal machine intended for At
torney General Palmer exploded pre-
maturely.
The explosions were. practically all
accompanied by the scattering of
ana rchistic literature. written. by per
SONS WHO we're not' illiterate. The ii iii IL
erature advocated the overthrow of the
government and q class war,
secret Service agents at this time
declared that the new bomb outrage
was but another unsuccessful attempt
on the part Of unknown" anarchists
TO resume campaign of terrorism be-
gun with the May Day attempt to de-
liver Internal machines through the
mails out of New York. 'e
Attorney General Palmer character
lzed the activities of the anarchists
as an attempt Ito terrorize the ceun-
try and stay the hand of the govern
ment, in rounding up radicals and
anarchists throughout the nation.
Many arrests followed the bomb ont
RACES. Groups Of l. w. W. agitators
and Russian Bolshevik leaders Nand
members were rounded up throughout
the country, but all efforts to place the
blame for the explosions failed.
/ Relentless War ON "Reds"
During the succeeding months aoents
of the Department of Justice and police
carried on a relentless war against radi-
Gals Of all kinds. The various state
I governments also augmented the Fed
eral authorities work and conducted
| special Investigations. In New York
State the Lusk investigating commit
tee launched a campaign against an
archists, Bolshevists and Communists
| radicals were brought in and ques.