The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-03-30
BOMB FATHER C0UGHLINS HOME:
CRUSADER BARELY MISSES DEATH
Blast Set OFF Few Feet
From Bed of Sleeping
Detroit Priest.
INTIMIDATION CHARGED
Noted Radio Speaker Has
Engaged in Bitter Dis
pute Over Banks.

By United Press
ROYAL OAK, Mich, March
30. - Father Charles E.
Coughlin, Catholic priest and
militant leader of a faction in
the bitter dispute over Detroit
banking difficulties, narrowly
escaped serious injury or
death today when a crude
homemade bomb was ex-
ploded within a few feet of his
bed.
He was shaken severely and
shocked by the force of the blast
Two other occupants of the house
Father John Tully, Coughlin's as
sistant, and Father William. a
franciscan monk, also were shaken
by the explosion.
The bomb exploded in the base
ment OF the home, directly under
the bed where the priest was Sleep
ing on the first floor. Windows of
the basement were shattered and
canned goods DESTROYED.
Before informing police. Couqhlin
summoned Mayor Frank Murphy of
Detroit. He was comforting with
the mayor when police, summoned
by neighbors, arrived at the scene.
Police Without CIews
The priest told officers from ROYAL
Oak and Detroit he believed the
bombing was ordered by interests
seeking to intimidate him. He said
ne has no suspicious as to the
identity of the bombers.
Police also admitted they are
without clews in their investigation.
They pursued one automobile in the
vicinity, but released the driver aft
er questioning.
Force Of the blast was felt for
several blocks. Alarmed neighbors
hurried to the scene in their night
clothes to be assured that the priest
was not injured.
Coughlin refused to comment
whether he believed the bombing to
be a result Of his charges in con-
nection with the banking situation.
Coughlin in the past two years
achieved national fame through cru
sading sermons. Recently his atten-
ton turned to the banking diff
cultieS in Detroit and in the nation.
Lashes at Bankers
Last Sunday afternoon, in his
regular sermon, he dashed viciously
at certain Detroit bankers and
banking groups and a newspaper,
naming the individuals and accus-
ing them of varying degrees Of
negligence, mismanagement and
distortion of fact to the ultimate
purpose of serving themselves in
stead of bank depositors.
The Detroit Free Press picked up
the torch and joined him in a Bit
ter debate.
Wednesday the newspaper pub
lished what it purported to be an
inside story of certain stock trans
actions Of the priest which he
promptly asserted were purely per-
Sonal transactions dating back to
1929.
Both Coughlin and the Detroit
Free Press have intimated libel and
SANDER suits will be filed, the for
mer against the newspaper or any
papers which may have joined in
publishing its expose, and the Latter
directed at a chain of twenty-five
radio stations which broadcast the
Sunday sermon.
Bishop Didn't See Speech
Earlier, when Police Commissioner
Watkins stepped to the front of a
drive to force reorganization of the
two closed national banks in lieu
of opening of the new General Mo-
tors-R. F. C. bank, Coughlin en-
gagged him in series of debates.
In one of his addresses Coughlin
said he was speaking for Treasury
Secretary Woodin in asking De-
troiters to back the new bank.
Bishop Michael j. Gallagher, Of
the Detroit diocese in which Cough
Inns parish is located, said he re-
peatedly has forbidden the priest to
mention names in his crusading
sermons.
The bishop did not see Coughlins
address last Sunday before it was
delivered, as was his custom.
when called for a copy of the
address Saturday night. Father
Coughlin told me it was not finished
and he probably would be working
on it all night" the bishop said. i
did not have an opportunity to re-