Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-05
Maryland Dairy Farmer De-
MES knowledge of Seat
Pleasant Tragedy, But Will
Be Questioned Further.
COUNTY PROSECUTOR
SEES TWO INVOLVED
Evidence Discovered by Boys
Turned Over to DR.. Munroe of
Mines Bureau Lead to Belief Ex-
plosion Was Set Off by Acid and
Fuse Method.

Clarence w. Brady, we'll to do
dairy farmer of Mitchellville, Md.
is being held in the Marlboro Jail
over the week end, while an aug
mented squad of trained investi-
gators sticks close to the trail
leading toward solution of the
Seat Pleasant New Year gift"
bomb atrocity.
Brady, tall and husky uncle by
marriage of Mrs. Herman Brady,
one of three members of the fam
lily of John Hall fatally injured
when the camouflaged internal
machine exploded as she was
opening it, was grilled relentlessly
for more than two hours last
night, following which it was an
nounced he would be kept in Gus
tody pending further investiga-
ton.
The prisoner. although free of any
formal charges. was orally accused of
having knowledge bearing on the out
rage, but he vehemently and persist
emily denied 1t, as he faced his in
dlIisitors in the ONCE of States Attor-
ney j. Frank Parran.
Two Believed Involved.
Later last night Parran said to news
paper men:
II don't think we're ever going to pin
this thing on the man We have in mind
ct present"
Parran said he was convinced two
men took part in the plot, one to con-
struct the ingeniously devised death
machine and the other to deliver it. He
added that jealousy appeared to be the
motive
what is regarded as vitality important
evidence was turned over to the inVes-
tigators last night by The Star and will
be submitted tomorrow to DR.. Charles
E. Munroe. chief of the explosives d.
vision of the Bureau Of Mines, the Gov
ernment's foremost expert on high ex-
plosives. The evidence would seem to
establish that the dynamite contrivance
was the work of one well versed in
bomb construction.
Acid-and -Fusee Type.
From a cursory description of the
retrieved articles given him last night
By q representative of The Star, DR..
Munroe expressed the opinion that the
bomb was of the acid-and-fusee detona-
tor type. markedly similar to that which
exploded in the Capitol during the war.
This type involves an ingenious ar
rangement of a tube Of sulphuric acid,
sliperimpOSed on common 1uSee
match" so that when a cork is pulled
from the tube by disturbance Of the
lid or outer wrappings of the box, the
acid falls upon the fusee, ignites it
spontaneously and detonates a fulmi-
nate of mercury percussion cap, explod-
ing the dynamite charge.
The evidence turned over to the
Maryland officials by The Star, which
received it from trio of boys who eX-
plored the debris of the death scene yes
terday afternoon, included fragments of
a small lead tube about the thickness
of a pencil, with q small lead plug
which fitted into the end of the tube.
There was a small hole drilled through
the top of the plug. through which 1t rs
supposed a wire or string was tied to
pull the plug from the tube. The in
terror of the tube was whitened as
though from the action of acid.
DR.. Munroe thought this tube con-
tanned sulphuric acid, which does not
easily affect lead, and that the acid
probably spilled and detonated the
bomb when its recipient raised the lid
of the Christmas gift" box. DR.. Munroe
said he could express a more definite
opinion regarding the device after ex-
amining the fragments tomorrow.
such q machine is not easily con-
structed," the Federal explosives expert
said last night. II cannot conceive of its
construction by any one not thoroughly
familiar with bombs"
Vigorous impetus was given the probe
Of the triple murder yesterday with en-
1Confinued an PAGE g. Column 81