The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1921-03-17
DIR. PEPPER REMAINS
CRITICAL
Officers Working On
Developments
Terrible Accident as Result of Bomb
Explosive to Madison Physician
Tuesday

patient at Somerset Hospital where
he was removed by trolley shortly
after the accident, accompanied by
DR.. Milliken. DR.. Richardson, assist
ed by DR.. Dascombe performed the
operation, necessitated by his injuries.
The entire county and State as we'll
is shocked at the tragic occurrence in
Madison by means of which DIR. John
l.. Pepper, a prominent citizen of the
town and physician was terribly in
jured by a bomb which he received
thru the mail The explosion oc-
Cured at the Doctors home which
was formerly the DR.. Hunnewell hon.
sted on Old Point Avenue. about Ills
Tuesday forenoon. He had procur-
ed his mail from the post Office just
after the mail which came in on the
1926 a. m. train had been distributed.
He had placed the parcel containing
what proved to be the bomb in a chair
and when he united the wrapings
the explosion Immediately resulted.
The first man to get to DR.. Pepper
after the explosion was w. ]. Heald,
who was working in the yard Of the
Pepper home. He found the doctor
lying on the floor of his office covered
with blood. The report Of this ex-
plosion had been sufficient to wreck
the chair in which the doctor had been
sitting, to break the window and
wreck the Office generally. One of
DR.. Peppers hands was so serious
ly injured that it had to be removed,
also the greater part of the forearm,
This was the right hand The forefinger
of the left hand had to be removed
and the hand was otherwise badly la
cerated. The face was terribly cut
and a portion of the jaw bone had to
be removed while rivet was embed
ded over one eye. One eye was also
badly filled with powder but in the
opinion of the physician the sight can
be saved.
The bomb package. which weighed
five pounds. was mailed in Anson and
was sent over to the Madison post Of
flee in the usual closed pouch about
7.30 Tuesday a. m. 1t was one foot
long and four inches in diameter.
The circumstances of posting the pack
age were quite unusual, and would
indicate that the party mailing the
same was cautious in his movements.
Monday evening a man came into the
post Office and inquired for pack
age which he expected, he said. A
search was instituted in the office
which Is located in the F. A. Mantor
Drug store by the clerk in attendance.
Mr. Mantor who is the postmaster,
overheard the conversation and MOTTO
ed a parcel on the floor near post
card rack some distance away from the
post Office department. This proved
to be the package addressed to DR..
Pepper. Frank Smell recalled pick
ing it up and asking If that was the
one for which they were hunting. 1t
was noticed that the package carried
fifteen cents worth of postage. which
was more than was needed. 1t was
done up in brown paper and the ad-
dress was on a label, the label be-
ing placed on with substance which
glazed 1t completely. There was no.
thing on the package to indicate who
sent it, and the Arson postmaster con-
sidered somewhat holding back the
parcel because the name of the sender
did not appear He later decided
however, that it might be something
which DR.. Pepper was in hurry for
and allowed its delivery The work
ers at the Anson post office cannot
recall that any suspicious looking peo-
pie or strange people were in the Of
flee Monday night although there were
number of patrons coming and go
ing all the evening. Mr.. Mantor not
ed the handwriting and that it was
not writing with which he was fami-
ar.
A piece of lead pipe was found in
the wrecked office and the supposition
is that this pipe contained explosives.
A pint of material from the bomb was
gathered by the officers This in
cluded a section Of a spring, lead from
cartr dge, % calibre, a quantity of
tacks and square cut nails and a
piece of iron in which threads had been
cut, also bits of old iron embedded
in the walls and ceiling. The me-
chaism of the contrivance was appar-
emily set off by the opening of the
package.
DR.. Pepper formerly resided in Nor
ridgewock, his father having been a
clergyman there. He was a nephew
of the late Dr. ID. b. Pepper of Wa
terville for many years president Of
Colby College and is a cousin of Chas.
II. Pepper of Concord. Mass. who
married Miss Frances Coburn of this
place. The doctor was located in
augusta about 25 years ago, going
there directly from medical school
lie stayed but a short time and then
went to Madison where he has since
resided He IS married, Mrs. Pepper
being a very brilliant and charming
lady and they have one daughter, Mrs.
Jack Barker who is here from Boston
where she resides, owing to her father
er's condition.
Sheriff John A. Mooers has been
conducting a thorough search in an
effort to find the perpetrator of such
a horrible crime. Tuesday. the day
of the explosion. two parties were
held in Franklin County but were lat
er released. They also searched two
homes in Madison but without re-
suits. Yesterday the sheriff with Dep
uty Cole of Skowhegan. Deputy Adams