Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-11-17
BOMB IS BLAMED
FOR DESTRUCTION
OF TWO BUILDINGS
Chicago, Nov 7.-Police today worked on
the theory that bomb caused last nights ex-
ploson and fire in moonshine distery resulting

IN the death or three per-
sons and the injury of at
least nine others. The
explosion occurred In a mixed foreign
part Of the city, melting pot for
eleven different nationalities. Two
building were wrecked.
In the ruins OF one building. which
was swept by flames police and fire.
men found the wreckage of two
stfllsl The original report of the
firemen was that one of the stills had
exploded. Later investigated Develop
ed the bomb theory. 1t was learned
that former occupants of the build
ing had been slain by the bombs and
that threats had been made against
the lives of families who lived in the
structure.
Find Remnants of DistiIery.
The ground floor of the building in
which the distillery was occupied by.
a grocery store and the living quar-
ters of the men who owned it, Joseph
II. Verdoni and his family.
Mr.. Verdoni is in hospital suffer-
ing from sever burns. His wife, Paul.
ina, 35. and her Is months old baby
were burned to death.
Firemen found the bodies with the
child clasped in its mothers arms.
Steve Bottino, II. one of the six
children of Joseph Bottino, who lived
on the second floor, died in hospit-
al.
Immediately after the explosion
flames enveloped the building, trap
ping the occupants whose screa ms
were heard for blocks.
Fumes from the stills fed the fury
of the flames. The floor of the gr O.
Gerry fell in with the explosion per-
mitting the fire to Jump immediatel ly
to the second floor. y ts aa41a
Firemen reached the scene in
few minutes. but hesitated to throw
strong streams of water into the
building, which burned like fur {.
mace, for fear of further endangering
the trapped occupants. A 2
Heroic Rescues Reported. B
Donning a gas mask and ordering
none but his chauffeur, Charles Pratt,
to follow, Frank Brabapt, battalion
chief plunged through the flames
with Pratt at his heels.
Firemen, fearful for the chief, we're
on the point of dsobeyng his orders
after a few minutes had passed with
out his temperance, and were about
to attempt entering the building.
Suddenly Braban burst through to
the outside, a child under each arm.
He turned back and soon brought out
a, bar j,i1 child raSnInI
several others,
No attempt was made to save the
building while the rescue work was
going on. Lives only were consider
ed and an adjoining building was
soon in flames.
Although they believed all the oc.
cupants had been accounted for early
today police and flremen searched in
the ruins for other bodies,
The Dead
Besides Mr. Verdoni, the injured
are Constance Verdoni 6; Joseph
Bottino, As; his wife, Justina, AZ, aud
their children, Louis, A Josephine,
s; John, 10; Anthony 8, and Mary,
Z.
Mrs. Bottino saved her baby Jo-
sephine from serious injury when she
rushed to a window and dropped the
child into the arms of fireman.
Despite his burns Mr.. Verdoni was
placed under arrest at the hospital
today. Police said they believed the
grocery he conducted was only
blind for the illegal distillery in the
basement. One of the stills was a
huge affair which reached to the
ceiling Police kept close watch
over Verdoni in the hospital in the
hope that some members Of the moon
shine ring to which he belongs would
visit him.