The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-08-27

age. was an unexplained angle.
Some officials thought it possible
that, if his story of being slugged
we're untrue, he had been working
with a confederate vino climbed to
the skylight and dropped the match
or torch into the room believing
Libowitz had gotten out.
Other officials contemplated the
theory that the marks on the roof
had nothing to do with the explo-
sion and Libowitz might have been
working alone and lighted a match,
not realizing that the gasoline
fumes would explode.
Merchandise in the clothing store
practically was a total loss-that not
being burned being badly damaged
by water and smoke.
Safe Found Untouched
1t was at first believed that an at
tempt to blow the safe in the store
was responsible for the explosion,
but the Traugott store safe was
found untouched. Chief Worley said.
Stock in the Enn-Roe store was
scattered by the explosion and
thrown into the street. Glasses was
broken in a number of buildings in
the vicinity. The explosion dis
abled The Times telephone SWITCH
board
Display dummies in the Traugott
store we're beheaded and thrown
into the street, When Lieut.. Fred
Ty.i,,Ly,,f orJ tho o,,,oro,o,,cv, ea,,aJ
arrived at the scene the dummies
appeared to be the bodies of per-
sons killed in the blast.
Two Firemen Injured
A near panic occurred in the
Gem Theater, two doors to the west.
Several persons we're said to be in
jured in the scramble. Miss Mari
eta Kiser, 6, of 1900 w. Michigan
ST., bruised in the jam, was treated
at the city hospital. Employees of
the theater reported they smelled
gasoline before the blast.
Two f1remen received minor cuts
in fighting the flames. They were
Cecil o. Richardson, 261 N. Addi-
son St., and r. G. Wallace, Sphinx
Arms Annex.
Principal damage to the $l25,000
Em-Roe stock was from water. The
goods on the second floor, occupied
by the Em-Roe Company, we're not
seriously harmed. The Em-Roe
Company carried $115,000 insurance.
A. j. Coughlin, 914 w. New York
ST., Em-Roe watchman, narrowly
escaped death. He was locking the
front door when the blast occurred.
Water and force of the blast was
responsible for the Em-Roe Com
pany's heavy damage. Fire did not
touch its stocks, but the sprinkler
system was set off by the explo-
sion and showered costly merchan-
disc on the shelves and in broken
and overturned show cases.
Shotguns, valued as high as 81 ,00C
each, were buried under water
soaked piles of sporting goods.
Twenty or more high-priced motion
picture cameras and projectors were
ruined Sportsmen's watches and
compasses were showered. Costly
fishing rods were broken. Hundreds
of high-grade reels were drenched.
Long shelves lined with sweaters,
sport uniforms shoes, ETC., were
soaked.
Damage Is Heavy
Office employees dug into refuse at
the rear Of the store to recover cor
respondence and records and opened
temporary headquarters on the Sec
ond floor, not reached by the flames.
Impact of the explosion loosened
the copper corner strips on plate
glass windows in the Federal Jew
elry store, adjoining the Traugott
store on the west, and the United
Rug and Linoleum Company store.
adjoining Em-Roe's on the eest.
Windows above the door were shat
tered at the jewelry store, while one
plate glass window was broken at
the rug company's place.