The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1920-09-24
BOMB EXPLOSION
WRECKS WALL ST.
U. 8. sUBTREAsURY AND J.. p.
MORGAN OFFICES SUI.
FER DAMAGE
IS KILLED IN GREAT BLAST
Police FIout Accident Theory, and Are
Concentrating Efforts on Gather.
ing Pieces az Wagon Destroy.
ed by Explosion

New York. Sept. 1s.--A mysteriou,
explosion In Wall street. near Broad
believed by trained department Of just
Ice and police investigators to hav,
been caused by an Internal machine
rocked the heart OF New York's ii
nancisl district 1T noon Thursday leav
ing death and destruction In Its wake
At least So persons were killed, more
than 200 were injured, tho banking
house OF J. =. Morgan 4 Co, the sub
treasury and assay office. were par
TALLY wrecked and property damage
estimated In excess OF $IO00,OOO was
caused by the blast. Thomas w. La.
mont OF the J. r. Morgan firm, ex-
pressed the belief, however. that the
explosion was purely an accident caus-
ed by n collision between an explo-
sive-laden wagon and another ve-
hicle. The firm had received no
threats OF any kind. he said. and there
was no real reason for the planting OF
bomb outside the firms office.
The noon hour had struck and an
endless stream OF office workers had
Just started pouring into the streets
outside the Morgan office. Then came
4 deafening blast. A moment later
scorer OF men. women and children
were lying PROSTATE on the ground
and the streets were covered with
debris from thousands Of broken win
dows 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
confusion reigned In the heart OF New
Yerk's financial district.
1T was crash out of a blue sky
an unexpected, death dealing bolt,
which In twinkling turned into a
ehambles the busiest corner Of Amer
ica's financial center and sent scurry-
ing to places of shelter hundreds Of
wounded, dumb-stricksn. whlte-faced
men and women-flceing from an UNI
known danger"
II was reporter Of the Associated
Press who was an eye witness OF the
explosion who thus described the
scene.
All the windows In the Morgan build
Ing facing on both Wall and Broad
streets were blown out and with them
wire projections on the inside OF the
structure. The glass dome ceilings OF
tho building was also broken and
many Of the steel supports to the glass
bent and twisted The interior finish
Ing of the Morgan bank Is of marble,
much Of II imported from Italy and
arranged In designs and patterns Sc
lected by the founder of the bank.
This marble Is blackened by smoke
hut not beyond the point of restora ton,
II was said. Much of the handsome Of
flee furniture was cut and married.
The regular September grand jury
which began Its investigation ut the
order OF Judge william II. Wadhams,
Of the court of general sessions, was
instructed to divide Its inquiry into
two phases. First. TO determine
n crime had been committed,
md second. whether the disaster was
huV w tItuiItul IektiEtute.
The key to the mystery apparently
lies In the Identification OF the rickety
bid wakon drawn by an old horse.
which was left standing at the curb
IN Wall street near the United States
assay office and across the street
from the Morgan bank. few minutes
before the explosion. The horse was
killed and the wagon blown TO bits,
The driver OF the wagon Is believed 10
have escaped. Federal and police au.
Ihorlties are ccnterng their activities
on this phase OF the case. Every Nv
cry stable In the city Is being can
rassed 10 determine whether n horse
and wagon are missing. Examination
n the horses body disclosed that II
had been newly clipped and shod. This
md mark on the horses shoes fur.
aish the only clues To IT'S Identity. Con.
Flicting descriptions of the wagon It.
self have been received by the police
All available bits of the wagon have
been taken To police headquarters
where efforts are being made 10 re-
the vehicle sufficiently 10
determine It's exact type. A cursory
Indicates il was of un.
usual breadth. which leads petectlce
'hief Coughlin To believe that Il WAS
II the type used In transporting crates
II eggs. Official opinion is almost
thar IL was not the regu.
lar type of wagon used in the trans.
portatinn Of powder or explosives
through city streets.