Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-17

of at least 30, and injured moro than
125. The property damage will amount
to more than 50 500, 900, within radius
of 800 feet, notably to the banking house
of j. p. Morgan & CO., the Stock Ex-
change, the Bankers Trust Com
pany, the Sub-Treasury and other build
ings in the neighborhood of the junction
Of Nassau, Broad and Wall Streets
that much more is known.
But it is not known whether the ex-
plosion was of dynamite in transit
to construction work in the financial
district or of gigantic bomb. Nor
have all the resources of investigation
of the City and Federal Governments
yet been able to determine the precise
cause. 1t is possible that they never
will be and that, incredible as it may
seem. no eye witnesses of the actual
explosion remain among the living.
BY order of Commissioner Enright
to all precinct and detective bureau
commanders on the force, heavy guards
were placed last evening at the homes
of many prominent men against whom
threats have been made by radicals or
who have been attacked.
Thirty detectives were stationed last
night around and near the Morgan
home on Madison Avenue.
guard was placed at st. Patrick s
Cathedral and at other Catholic churches
that in other years have been attacked
by Reds
There is every reason to believe that
the explosion was caused by bomb. If
it was, gigantic is the only adjective that
may be used to describe it. The arg,l-
ments in support of the bomb theory are
chiefly these:
At the construction work in the vicinity
there were neither explosives on hand at
the time nor were any due to be delivered
during the hours of the day prescribed by
law--from sunrise to sunset.
Every vehicle licensed and bonded for
the transportation of explosives in the
city has been accounted for, as well rs all
the dynamite permitted for the downtown
section, where there had been no blasting
since Tuesday night.
Almost the entire force of the explosion
was expended upward and outward. which
would not likely have been the case with
dynamite detonated In the form In which
it is usually transported through the
streets.
The wagon that was unquestionably
used yesterday for transportation was
blown to bits and the hind quarters of
the horse which drew it were mangled,
while its forequartcrs were but little
marked, indicating some highly compact
ed form os explosive.
About the scene of the explosion were
gathered up more than 40 pounds OF win
dow weights broken into pieces two and
three inches long. the state of oxidation of
the ends indicating that the breaks had
been made long before. Official inquiry
hot ,g MT
used in any of the new buildings in the
neighborhood and but few of the old, so
that they could not have been products of
the explosion itself.
On the bodies of many of the victims
agents of the Bureau of Investigation of
the Department OF Justice found yellow
stains that might have been made by
nitric acid, which is base of trinitrate of
tOluol (TNT), one of the great death
dealing developments Of the war. To es-
tabllsh Just what agent was employed
careful sweepings of debris from the spot
of the explosions have been sent to the
Central Laboratories for analysis.
Finally, Chief William j. Flynn of the
Bureau of Investigation left Washington
by special train Immediately upon being
notified of the explosion. No accidental
discharge of explosives, however great or
havoc-working, would have been likely to
occasion such action.
The very arguments in support Of the
bomb theory heighten the amazing nature
Of the explosion. The wagon that was
used looked enough like a powder carrier
to make those who noticed it at all be-
lieve that that was what it was. II there
was a bo NIB plot the wagon must have
been selected for this very p rpose of
disarming suspicion.
The fact that no trace of the loss of
human life to be found about he wagon
indicates that timing device was used.
This was assumed, in addition, from the
ract that the explosion took place so nearly
On the stroke Of noon. 1t is indicated
'urther from the stories told by employees
1f the law Office of Gay & Goddard, more
than block down Wall Street at No. 81,
hat as they ran to their windows at the
sound OF the explosion they saw two men
one OF them with bloodstained shirt
limb into an already crow ded automo-
bile, which thereupon literally leaped
away.