The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-05-18
DEMENTED MAN
FIRES CHARGE
OF DYNAMITE
Man Blamed For Explosion
Killed, as Are Teachers
and Two Bystanders
MANY PUPILS INJURED
Investigation Shows Base
ment Contained 500 Pounds
Of Dynamite

Bath. Mich. May l8.-tP)--Two ex-
plosiOns. believed to have been
caused by dynamite, which wrecked
the north wing Of a consolidated dis
trict school here this morning, killed
at least 35 children, the principal, L.
r. Huyck, one teacher and two by
ISLANDERS, according to the estimate
of state police and members of the
Lansing fire department who were
attempting to recover bodies in the
wreckage.
Twenty-Five bodies had been re-
covered shortly after noon. A short
time before the explosions wrecked
the school house, the farm home and
barn of Andrew kehoe. nearby, were
blown up and destroyed by fire. The
body OF Kehoe, who was treasurer of
the school district and who recently
suffered financial reverses, was
found in front Of the school build
ing.
Sticks Of dynamite found near the
school house and on the Kehoe farm
by state police led the officers to
believe that kehoe was implicated
in the disaster
Walls Crumblc
The teacher. Miss Hazel Weather
bee of Howard City, was in charge of
the third grade. The first, third,
fourth. fifth and sixth grades suf-
fered the greatest loss when the walls
crumbled, letting the ceilings on the
upper floors crash down on the lower
floors.
As the bodies were removed from
the wreckage they were placed in
temporary morgue set up in the
school yard while ambulances carried
the injured, the number of which
has not been estimated, to hospitals
in Lansing, 10 miels away.
The bystandcrs who were killed
were Glen Smith, postmaster, and
Nelson McFarren. q resident of
Bath. who were passing the school.
McFarren was killed instantly and
Smith died in Lansing hospital
from injuries received when both
legs were blown off.
Teacher Injured
Among the injured was Miss Nina
Matson Of St. Ignace, ono Of the
teachers, who received double frac-
ture Of the leg and internal injuries.
Miss Leona Gutkunest of Ann Al
bor, second grade teacher, escaped
uninjured.
The school building. "a three story
DrlcK structure, was erected three
years ago and was regarded as one
of the most modern district schools
in the state. The normal attendance
of the school, which has pupils rang
ing from the kindergarten through
the tenth grade, is 500. The pupils
are picked up by busses and taken to
the school each day
The entire north end Of the struc-
ture was leveled by the blast. The
boiler for the heating system was
located in that part of the building.
Student Describes Tragedy
Clare Gates, 12-year-old student,
described between sobs how he was
hurled through rear window in the
school room where he was sitting.
The lads younger sister was believed
to be buried beneath the ruins.
State police, probing through the
ruins OF the structure this afternoon,
found several exploded charges of
dynamite concealed under boxes and
in corners. The explosives, if
touched off, would have levelled the
entire building, the officers said A
wide distribution Of dynamite, the
state police believe. probably result
ed in saving the lives Of those who
escaped.
W. 6. Conklin, Bath deputy sheriff,
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