The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-09-20
HEAR CUSTOM
HOUSE IS TO
BE BLOWN UP
Big Bill Edwards, Collector
of Internal Revenue, Re-
ceives Warning - Grand
Jury Calls Blast Witnesses.
rockefeller WARNED?
(By Associated Pressl

NE" 1OHk, Sept. 20-A postcard
warning that an attempt would be
made tomorrow to blow up the GUS
tom house after the Wall Street ex-
plosion last Thursday was received in
the mail today by William B. Edwards,
collector Of internal revenue for this
district.
This postcard signed "a Citizen
was turned over to the custodian of
the building by Mr.. Edwards, who also
notif1ed Postmaster Thomas G. Patten.
The department of justice, too, was
Informed Of receipt OF the postcard.
The warning said that the custom
house, already under heavy guard,
would be blown up at 2 p. m.
Thinks 1t A Hoax.
Mr. Edwards said that preliminary
Investigation had shown no evidence Of
a plot and he was inclined to view the
warning as a hoax.
The police announced today the re.
lease of Alexander Brailtowitsky,
Russian journalist, detained after he
had admitted he was near the scene
of the explosion soon after it had
occurred.
The department of justice denied re-
ports that Brailowitsky had been
turned over to them. All local authori-
ties declared they had found no evi-
dence on which to hold the Russian
A few minutes before the warning
postcard had been received by big
Bill" Edwards. Edward Fischer, held
in connection with the bomb plot, had
declared at police headquarters that
more will happen in the future"
Says Powers Were "Unseen."
Unseen powers had communicated
that to me-" he said.
Fischer, the former metropolitan
tennis star, who was detained in
Hamilton, Ont, in connection with his
post card warnings of the Wall Street
explosion, arrived here this morning in
the custody Of New York and Hamilton
detectives. He was taken to police
headquarters at once.
The regular September grand jury
before which % witnesses were to ap-
pear today in connection with investi-
cation of the Wall Street explosion,
will not question either Fischer or
Brailtowsky, unless federal investiga-
tion makes such investigation neces-
sary, according to the statement of
Federal Attorney Tally.
The jury will confine itself for the
present to investigation of the two
lines laid down by Judge William
Wadham in his charge. These were,
first, whether the explosion was the
result of plot. or second. whether it
was due to criminal negligence.
Owner Of Auto Summoned.
Included among today's witnesses
were several persons who were said
to have viewed the explosion at short
range. Examination of them will be
conducted along lines intended to shed
all possible light on the identity OF
the death wagon.
Dunham Belden. of South Orange,
N. j., owner of the automobile which
was wrecked during the explosion, will
testify. William H. Douglas is fore
man of the grand jury.
Although John Haggerty. the far
rier who identified the shoes of the
dead horse as those he had attached
two weeks ago, faint hope was ex-
pressed OF being able to trace the own
er of the animal, since Haggerty
could recall no unmistakable identity
ing features of the owner.
He identified the shoes simply be-
cause they bore a certain mark COM
mon to all his handiwork and not dis
tinguished by this particular job.
Federal agents today were investi
eating a report that the fire depart
ment had learned. by checking up all
stores of explosives lawfully held in
the city, that there was a distinct
shortage in one of the explosives
magazines.
Fire department officials gave no
hint as to the location Of the reported
shortage, but claimed this new clue
might have an important bearing on
the discovery of the supposed plotters
of the disaster.
The body of the one victim OF the
Wall street explosion which had re-
mained unidentified was recognized
at the morgue today by Mrs. kehrer
of Brooklyn, as her son. Elmer Wal
lace Kehrer, 21 year old chauffeur
Kehrer had been out of work and
looking for employment, Mrs. kehrer
said, adding that the youth had made
his home with her at 422 South Fourth
street.
Considerable Importance had been
attached to the fact that Kehrer had
remained unidentified so long. official
opinion differing over the theory that
this lack of Identification might signify
fear to recognize him. by persons of
questionable character
TARRYTOWN, N. Y. Sept. 90
Twelve extra guards. armed with
rifles, patrolled the roads adjoining
the estate of John D. Rockefeller here
during the night. it became known to-
day.
so statement could be obtained at
the Rockefeller home regarding village
gossip that a threatening letter had
been received by Mr. Rockefeller.
Two boys reported that they had
met two strange men who asked where
Mr., Rockefeller lived and taking spec
tacles from their pockets. and trying
them, inquired if they made much diff
ference in their appearance.
They said the men later left for
New York in a taxicab.