The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-09-17

ment of justice and police investiga-
tors to have been caused by an infer
nal machine, rocked the heart of New
York's financial district at noon to-
day, leaving death and destruction IN
it's wake.
Thirty-one persons were killed,
more than 200 were injured, the bank
ing house of J. P. Morgan & Co.,
the sub-treasury and the assay Of
fee were partially wrecked and prop
erty damage estimated in excess of
s1,OO0,OOO was caused by the blast.
Thomas w. Lamont of the j. P.
Morgan firm expressed the belief,
however, that the explosion was pure
ly an accident caused by collision
between an explosive-laden wagon
and another vehicle. The firm had
received no threats of any kind, he
said, and there was no real reason for
the planting of a bomb outside the
firms office.
The noon hour had struck and an
almost endless stream of Office work
ers had just started pouring into the
streets from buildings in the neigh
borhood. Suddenly, a cloud of yellow
ish, black smoke and piercing jet of
fame leaped from the street outside
the Morgan Office. Then came a deaf
ening blast. A moment later scores
OF men, women and children were iy-'
ing prcstr2te or the ground and the
streets were covered with debris from
thousands of broken windows and the
torn facades of adjacent buildings.
Two minutes later the stock and curb
exchanges, the financial pulse of the
world, had closed. Panic and confu-
sion rsig3ed II the heart of New
York's financial district.
Thousands Flee in Terror.
Thousands of clerks and stenog-
raphers fled in terror from adjoining
structures. Scores tainted, fell and
were trampled in the rush. Mean
while the noise Of the explosion was
heard throughout lower Manhattan
and across the river in Brooklyn and
brought thousands of the curious to
the scene.
The few police on duty in the dis
trict were unable to cope with the
crowds and hurry call for police re-
serves was sent to all downtown po-
lice stations.
Sub-treasury officials fearing that
an attempt Fight be made to rob the
building, all the windows of which
were broken, required assistance of
the military authorities at Governors
Island and a company of soldiers was
sent to guard the institution.
: Hurry calls were also sent to all
hospitals in the downtown section of
New York and scores Of ambulances
were soon speeding through the mar
row streets. Dressing stations were
established in the lobbies of the build
ings nearby where the less seriously
injured were given immediate treat
ment.
Evidence tending to confirm the
theory that the explosion was caused
by bomb or some other internal
machine came from several sources.
Chief Police Inspector Lahey re-
ported late today that he had found
evidence to justify. the conclusion that
the explosion was caused by a huge
bomb loaded with T., N. T. (trinitro-
toluol) reinforced with iron slugs
fashioned from window weight bars.
Pieces of these slugs were found in
several adjacent structures. This type
of weight bars, a close inspection by
police and department of justice
agents disclosed, is not used in any
degree within radius of several
hundred feet from the scene of the
explosion.
Warning that radicals planned re-
cewal of bombing outrages were sent
less than month ago to all Eastern