The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-09-17

Says There Is No Doubt.
There Is absolutely no doubt that
it was a bomb" said Chief Flynn. IAN
important development of the last two
hours has convinced us of this. The
bomb apparetly was placed by per-
son who was within four blocks OF
Wall and Broad streets when the ex-
plosion occurred"
Certain at last OF the cause Of the
explosion, federal agents and city po-
lice increased their search for the
driver Of a wagon drawn by one horse
which was blown to pieces. No trace
of him has yet been found.
The theory of the Investigators is
that time bomb was placed on the
wagon, and that the driver hurried
from the scene, just after he had
arranged for the explosion to occur at
noon.
Six expert chemists attached to the
bureau of mines of the department of
the interior arrived at police headquar-
tiers this afternoon from Washington
and assisted in reconstructing metal
fragments, believed to have been part
Of bomb.
Hope to Decide on Kind
Chief Flynn said that the bureau of
investigation hoped to know definite
ly by tomorrow just what kind of
bomb was used. Metallurgical exam
ination Of bits of wire found in the
financial district was fastened with
view OF obtaining this information
While half dozen official investi-
cations were under way, members of
the firm of j. P. Morgan & Co. con-
ferred in regard to the disaster. Then
they issued a statement to the effect
that they had no knowledge as to the
cause or motive of the explosion.
Several members of the firm have
received verbal and written commu-
nications in regard to the explosion,
but none has thrown any light on it.
The Morgan firm began an investi-
cation independent of those conducted
by federal and city authorities. Rep
resentatives of the police and depa rt-
ment of justice attended the confer
ence Of the members of the firm.
Edward F. Fischer, a former en-
ploye Of the French high commission
in New York, who was detained by
the police in Hamilton, Ont, today,
after he had, 1t is alleged, sent two
postcards to friends here from Tor
onto, warning them not to be in Wall
street at o'clock on Wednesday, the
18th. will be brought to New York to
testify before the September grand
jury. This body was today ordered
to inquire into the disaster.
Shortly before word of Fischers de-
tention was received here, a repre-
sentative of the district attorneys Of
flee left for Toronto with subpoena
for him.
VI Mile Away; Is Hit
George Lamb. division superintend-
ont of the bureau of investigation of
the department of justice who today
examined evidence brought him by
a score of special agents, found one
man had been struck while on John
street, fully quarter mile from the
scene of the explosion, by window
sash weight. The metal nearly two
inches in length, was thought to be
hot when it fell.
Assistant District Attorney Kelly
said today:
The big thing is to establish own
ership OF that truck. Every livery
stable in the city is being canvassed
to find if a horse or truck is missing
Places where explosives are stored
have also been canvassed and we have
not been able to find that the eXploS-
ives came from any place authorized
to handle them
Vehicle of Old Design
Six expert wagon makers expressed
the opinion at police headquarters
that the powder wagon" was a closed
vehicle of old design. They said that
fragments Of the vehicle indicated it
was SO distinctly a relic of wagon
making of former days that the task
OF esta blishing its identity should be
easier than at first was expected.
The theory that the combustible
which caused yesterdays explosion
trinitroloul has been discarded by in
vestigators. according to announce
ment by Chief Of Detectives Coughlin
today.
A close examination of the neigh
borhood of the explosion by the fed
eral mine experts resulted in differ
ence of opinion regarding the exact
nature of the explosive. While most
investigators believe bomb was
used, others adhere to the theory that
an accidental collision caused the
blast.
100000 in Securities Missing
After checking up today reports
from lost securities as result of the
explosion yesterday, officials of the
stock exchange said that several pack