New-York tribune., 1920-09-18
Grand Jurors
Begin Inquiry:
Visit w all St.
sguad of Policemen Escort
Jury Over Scene of Bomb
Explosion i'm First Step
of Sweeping Investigation
Hear Witnesses Monday
Court Directs Attention to
Possibility of Negligence:
Prosecutors Quiz Many

afternoon visited the scene of the Wall
Street explosion. The jurors, headed
by their foreman. William NJ. Douglas.
were accompanied by Assistant District
Attorneys Talley, Murphy, Hastings
snd Ryttenberg.
Deputy Police Commissioner Shaw
took them to the spot where the
wrecked auto was found and showed
them the break in the pavement in
front OF the Assay Office. They were
shown the position of the dead horse
and demolished wagon, and the places
where the victims were found. Their
attention was directed to the many
breaks on the Morgan Building caused
BY flying slugs.
Mr. Ta.ley explained "a the jurors
that he had information that the break
in the pavement, which was at first
reported to have been made by the
explosive. had been there for some
time The jury spent about ten min
utes looking at the buildings, paying
close attention to the marks caused by
flying missiles. Then they visited the
Morgan Building.
sec SpOk SCyCc w as hlfieQ
The Jurors viewed the spot where
office employee told the foreman of
the jury ;aat Joyce was standing near
& counter When the explosion occurred
and that he fell dead.
4 number OF questions were asked
by the Jurors concerning how Joyce
met mis- death They were anxious to
determine whether ne died Of shock
or had been struck by a slug. They
we're referred TO the detectives who
have quest.ond everybody in the Office
The jury then returned to the Criminal
Courts Building. where it adjourned
until Monday.
Three men. who are said to have told
stories OF having seen a vehicle sup
neighhorhood OF the explosion, have
been su5pnraed to tell their stories
to the grand jury on Monday morning
They are Gl!ber. c. Smith and John
Fur!ong, OF 2l1 Broadway, and John
Michel John, OF 24- East Seventy-seventh
Street. They Will be asked to tell the
time he vehicle passed and whether il
bore name.
Mr.. Tal!ey during the day questioned
many witnesses. John W. Mutch, Of
IA Main Street, Astoria, according to
Mr.. Talley, Unpset the theory that the
horse and wagon was on the north side
Of the street facing west. Mutch said
that when he parked his auto in Broad
Street before noon Thursday there was
single horse truck standing about 35
teec ahead ot him on the south side Of
Wall Street IN front of the Morgan
eas..
Identifies Part of Wagon
When shown a part Of the wagon
Much SAID he believed it to be part.
OF the one ne saw. He said that when
the explosion occurred he was on his
way TO consult his lawyer at 20 Broad
Street
according 20 Mr. TalIey, all the
eTidence now being collected by the
police and :;re departments, the Dis
triet Attorneys Office and the Federal
Investigators will be pat at the dis
posa. Of the grand jury Mr. Talley
sala tina; chemists are now at work
10 learn tae type OF explosive used.
he sa:G that every story was being
neced together in an effort 70 ascer-
sal2 whether INT or an equally high
explosive was Used. This IS IN
pcrtaA-, re said. and will enable the
Investigators 20 trace it's source.
Joan F. joyce. Assistant District
A1forne.:, to!d Mr.. Tal.ey that two
men wao had been treated at the
Volunteer Hospital were said to have
.epofted tnat the wagon, in addition
/" oe:2g painted red, bore red faq
IN ne rear and or the sides were signs
reading Explosives Their names
YER aeEt "!;hHe.d and they Will be ques-
tioned tur:he.
Seek Owners Of Truck
Ar; Tsi.ey made this statement:
All We can do IS wait and pick up
staoua;.y a.! we can get about the mat
'ef' We viii examine witnesses as
speediy as possible. The big thing is
n n ests fishing ownership Of thai truck.
Every livery stable in the city is being
eAa'sssed 70 t.nd Il horse or truck'is is
missing, and the police are awaiting
information.
Places where explosives are stored
&Ao lave been canvassed, and we have
h'E neen able 70 ind that the explo-
ives came from any place authorized
70 handle them. / think that We can
.a5 pretsy conc!us!vn!y that either the
o'mo gas set o@ b. contact by some
one willing - sacrifice himself or was
Ased BY :.ra:c2 device"
~NSr - s--. II ii. NJ aOnaMS, IN ms
eAaFge 70 ne grand jury yesterday
aorn.AG- said:
nave summoned you before ne be-
cause q ."e { -4ster which has oc-
CURED ,? al eXplos on in Wall Street
iz Common knowledge that upward
y, tweHtye gh. persons have been
'Hi-!ed and .arge number seriously in
;-fed liz ..ew d .ae5e circum stance
eonsiher !. ny Ia.v 10 charge you i'm
A.a-a,e.y q MAKE inquiry and exami-
AsHoh :br ne purpose Of asccrtaining
"assher, !rst. &ay crime has been com
.'::.;F's .:.s - tr!a county IN connection
ia she eHp'os!on, either in mitigating
.: n perpttratlng il; second, wheth-
.he ex:9t.a2 law jr sufficient 20 pro-
seI me p-0iIc; third. whether there
nH1 been any neglect og duty in the ad-
A.."1hsfa,i ,ion u existing law on the part
o! any of!sc .al Or any Individual charged
"isn an Obligation 20 the public.
ln'a inquiry On your part will di-
g .e.e hseif, naturally, into two phases
:itst' as 70 whether or not "a crime haa
zen zen com nn:tted and IN that connec-
~. cal! Jour attention 10 sections
.s's and 1895 u the penal law con
.sh'hg the po%Esssion and uac Of ex-
Z.oaiSes and combustibles and the en-.
hssrng u life through explosion.
May Summon Any Witnesses
fonf examination should 90 to the
s syI o1 the matter. You have power Il
.shHsSh 1saa befor" you any who have al
10y made !nyestigation for the diff
SashS s,,.S ne~Epapefs, the officers of ths