The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1920-09-23
BOMB KILLS MANY IN WALL
STREET
Noon Day Rush Panic Stricken by
Disaster in Which Scores Are
Killed in an Instant,

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New York. September I6.-A mys-
FERROUS explosion in Wall street, near
Broad, believed by trained Depart.
ment Of Justice and police investigat-
ore to have been caused by an infer
nal machine, rocked the ! heart or
New York's financial district at noon
Today, leaving death and destruction
in its wake.
At least thirty persons were killed,
more than 200 we're injured, the bank
ing house of J. P. Morgan & Co., the
Subtreasury and the Assay Office
were partially wrecked and property
damage estimated in excess of ST.
100000 was caused by the blast.
Chief Police Inspector Lahey re-
ported that he had found evidence to
justify the conclusion that the ex-
plosion was caused by a huge bomb
loaded with T. N. T. (trinitrotoluol)
from window weight bars.
Police headquarters reported it
was definitely known that at least
nineteen persons were killed and
ninety-seven injured in the explos-
ion. Complete casualty figures,
police said. would show at least ten
more killed and several score more
injured, most of them by flying
glass.
Thomas w. Lamont, of the ]. p.
Morgan firm expressed the belief,
however, that the explosion was
purely an accident, caused by a col
lision by an cxplosive-loaded 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 bomb outside the
firm office.
The noon hour had struck, as an
endless stream of office workers had
just started pouring into the streets
from buildings in the neighborhood.
Suddenly cloud of yellowish, black
smoke and piercing jet of flame
leaped from the street outside the
Morgan office. Then came a
deaicning blast. A moment later
scores 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 facade OF adjacent
buildings. Two minutes later the
stock and curb exchanges, the finan-
cial pulse of the world, had closed
Panic and confusion reigned in the
heart OF New York's financial district.
Thousands OF clerks and stenog-
raphcrs fled in terror from adjoining
structures. Scores tainted, fell and
were trampled on in the rush. Mean
while. the noise of the explosion,
which was heard throughout Lower
Manhattan and across the river in
Brooklyn, 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 were sent, to all downtown
police stations.
Subtreasury officials, fearing that
an attempt might be madet to rob the
building. all the windows of which
were broken requested assistance
of the military authorities at Cover
nor's Island, and company of SOL
diers was sent to guard the institu-
ton.
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 Hobbies of build
ings near by, where the less serious
ly injured were given treatment.