The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-10-20
ON LIFE
OF AMBASSADOR
TO FRANCE MADE
Bomb Containing Powerful Ex-
plosives Is Sent to Ambassa-
dor M. 7. Herrick.
VALET ONLY ONE HURT
WHEN IT is EXPLODED
Believed Sent by Communists
as Protest Against Convic-
tions in This Country.
az Ths AssoeIatsa prsss.l }

PARIS, Oct. 1s-A small oblong pack
age wrapped in plain white paper tied
with strong cord and marked. per-
/ fume" lay on a table in the American
Embassy all this morning. 1t was adj
dressed personally to the American AM
bassador Myron T. Herrick and had been
delivered BY registered post.
Thinking it was a gift, the Ambassa-
doris Secretary Lawrence Norton carried
it to the Ambassadors residence. Early
in the evening, this Ambassadors valet.
and following custom started to open it..
The removal OF the paper revealed a
small pasteboard box such as might be
used for holding soap. Almost immedi-
ately a spring was released as he lifted
the lid he heard a familiar noise which
brought back the days when he was a
bomber in the British army. lie hurled
! the box through the open bathroom door
and ran from the room. The bomb ex-
ploded in the doorway. two fragments
hitting the valet in the back. He was
not seriously injured.
The Ambassador, his daughter-in-la law
Mrs. Parmely Herrick and her seven
year-old son, were just at this time as
cending the stairway. preparatory to
entering Mr.. Herrickss suite. blanchard
came running out IS thos AM uahassador
neared the top step = bomb has ex-
ploded and am hit, the valet shouted.
..Thanlx God, you weren't III the room
blanchard then collapsed and was car
ried downstairs The Ambassador mo-
tored Immediately 10 the hotel CriIlon to
ask General Pershing the best thing to
do. and the prefect Of police was sum-
moned.
The bomb Is believed BY the police to
have been sent by French communists as
g protest against the conviction OF two
communists in the United States charged
with murder; It contained the deadIiest
Of explosives. according to the project,
and his stan OF bomb experts.
Proof Of the strength Of the explosives
is shown by the fact that the bathroom
was wrecked. that much damage was
done IN the bedroom and that seven frag-
ments went through thick steel ward
robe, while others made deep dents in
the medal doors OF q cabinet.
The Ambassadors first thought was to
ignore the matter, but General Pershing
and others advised him to make the fun
details public because OF the possibility
OF other bomb outrages. The prefect,
accompanied by the Attorney General OF
France. came to the hotel and shortly
afterward went with the Ambassador. to
the Iatter's home. The prefect made the
announcement that five thousand police
and detectives would begin at once a
searching inquiry and that probably there
would be numerous arrests among known
communists.
President Millerand was among the
first to congratulate the American AM
bassador on his escape. He sent his per-
sonaI representatives to convey ccngratu-
lations in the name of the people of
France that the Ambassador had not
been hurt and to assure Mr.. Herriclx that
the outrage was deeply resented by every
Erenchman worthy of the name and that
the greatest efforts would be made to
apprehend the guilty.
Premier BRAND. Leon Bourgeois and
many members OF the diplomatic corps
sent similar messages. and throughout
Paris the most intense indignation is *
pressed at tlRe attack on the Ambassador.