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THE WASHINGTON TIMES: SATURDAY, JULY 3, 1915. 2 Crank Explodes Bomb to Blow up, Capitol' Tells of His Apt in Letter to Times WRECKAGE WROUGHT IN CAPITOL ROOM BY CRANK'S INFERNAL MACHINE UPHELD BY COURT IN AMI CASE Decision Grows Out of District Attorney's Suit Against Owners of Hotel. ANTI-RED L1I,H , ' ,., ii i '... , . i . , M.m mi i" iHHBI ijfHMBHISHIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHIiiiiKsKXHESi t a c a) fi r t a r -f to e R P O n r r r. J. curred was registered in the main office of the telephone company. Although the Capitol police knew, nothing of the let ter received by The Times today, the general opinion en tertained by Chief of Capitol Police Loifthn is that the re ception room was wrecked by a small time-fuse bomb, placed in the northernmost booth of the line of telephone cabinets by somebody who had made himself familiar with the lay of the land in the Capitol. The chief of police believes that whoever set the bomb should the cause of the explosion turn out to have been an infernal machine was particular to choose a place wheih at the time set for the explosion would be unten anted. He also thinks that if an infernal machine, was used, it was placed in the reception room sometime 'yesterday afternoon, and not after the building was closed, when it would have been difficult for him to have made hi way about the building unnoticed. "Of course an investigation by the experts may total ly disprove the ideas which the police now entertain as to the origin of the outrage," said Captain Louthan. "But it seems to me to have been the result of a desire on some body's partmerely to make a sensational demonstration." That one of the Capitol watchmen narrowly msised being in the reception room at the time of the blast became known today. F. G. Jones, watchman on the first floor, almost direct ly beneath the spot which "today is a mass of debris and wreckage, at 11 :30 o'clock asked his partner, George Gun, to go to the reception room and close the windows. Gun did so, and had been back downstairs but a few minutes, according to Jones, when the explosion occurred. HURLED FROM C HAIR, STUNNED. "I wai hurled from my chair, half stunned." said Jones today. "At first I thought the dome had gone. As soon as I could, I rushed to a telephone and called the superintendent of the build ing, Mr. Woods, and the chief of po lice. The roar of Hie explosion which oc curred In the southwest corner of the reception room, an apartment about 70 feet long and IB feet wide, was felt as far downtown as the Iostoffice Department. Originating apparently In the northermost booth of the line of telephone cabinets, which stand along one side of the room, the blast wrecked the booths, tore a gaping hole In the masonry beneath a near by window, and scattered the place with wreckage. An Immense mirror between the northern wall windows was shattered to bits. One of the big prism chan dallers suffered the loss of many of its pendants. A pannel was blown from one of the oaken benches with which the room Is furnished. Door Damaged. The door leading Into the office of tin Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate was damaged by tho explosion, and two doors at the entrance to the rooms of the senate District Committee were forced Inward Large billets of wood and finely pow dered glass were blown far out Into the corridors, and showers of the glass rancd down the elevator shafts. The Interior of the reception room to day presents a spectacle of wreck and luln. although the Superintendent of the Capitol, finding that no structural dam age was acomplished, believes that the loss will not amount to more than SI ,000. The discovery of a quantity of cotton waste back of the wreckage of tho wall partition, near the wrecked telephone booths, is tho only point upon which any theory of spontaneous combustion might be built, and In the face of the letter, purporting to clear the mystery, little credence Is given to the Idea that combustion was the cause of the ex plosion. To determine definitely the. cause, Be fore going further In the Investigation, the wrecked room was closed and a strong guard was placed at all doors. Only Investigators from the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company were permitted to enter the room, and every thing was left as It was until Dr. Charles E. Monroe, of eGorge "Wash ington University, an expert on ex plosives, could reach the Capitol to make an Investigation. Dr. Monroe was called In after the explosion in 1S98. during the Snanish- Ainerlcan war, when tho Supremo Court loom of the Capitol and the section of the building immediately adjoining was damaged to the extent of S25.000. Dr. Monroe reported that that ex plosion was caused by a break In , the Capitol gas main, which sup plied the upper floor. Expert Searching. From tho twisted heaps of debris, the fragments of glass, brlck-ust and plaster, which fitter the Senate recep tion room, Pro'f. Munroe Is this after noon endeavoring to Isolate some bit of evidence to tell him .the cause of tho blast. After a twelve hour Investigation Superintendent Elliott Woods of tho Capitol. Just prior to the time when he and Dr. Munroe began their latest search for evidence, declared that ho mid his men are still In the dark as to the nature of the force which wrecked the reception room. There Is Just one small clue which may or may not have a bearing upon the problem set for the explosive ex pert to solve. Battery Cell Found. ' This clue is a chloride of silver bat tel y ceJJ, It was picked up this morning fully 100 yards from tho scene of the explosion, In the grass bordering the nortli drive In tho Capitol grounds. It is a battery cell, tho nature of which would havo made it uselul in dotonatlng it bomb such as Is supposed to have been the cause of tho wreckage In the re ception room. From the location In which It was THE WEATHER REPORT. District of Columbia Partly cloudy to night and Sunday: probably local thun der showers; not much change In tem perature; light, vurlablo winds. Maryland Partly cloudy tonight and Sunduy; probably local thunder show rrs' not much change In temperature; light variable winds. VirginiaProbably local thunder show ers tonight and Sunday; moderate, southwe&t winds. TKMPKRATUnES. I S. BL'ntJAU. AFFLECK'S, S a. m 76 ia. m 77 10 a. m ?2 U a m S2 S a. m 'J a. m 10 a. m 11 a. m SUN TABLC. . ...1:41 Sun sets. Kun rises.. 7::7 TIDH TAHLK. High tide 12-55 n ni and 1 IS p. m. Low tide 7 .21 a. m. and 7 II p. m. LJght automobile lamps nt SiO" p.m. found the Investigators do not be lieve it impossible that It may have been blown through one of the wrecked windows at tho time of tho blast. Upon the supposition that tho cell might have been one used in coniiectlon with the ordinary mech anism of the telephone booths In the loom, all of which were wrecked together with a small switchboard, the telephone company was com municated with. From them the In formation was obtained that no bat tery colls were in use in the lecep tion room telephone equipment. Mr. Wood, la not prone to att-h a great deal of Importnnr-.j to a finding of the coll. He docs believe, however, that the explosion exerted a terrllic force, although the break age It caused was largulv superficial. Explosion Not Confined. "Thi ljsht damage mav be eplaln ed by tho fact that tho two doorways to tho 100m were open, "onne.-tlng It witn tlif corridor, so uiai me ex-plosl-'i was not as closely confined as it intrht htive been, peimlttlnff Its force tu expend Itself without doing a great deal of harm." said Superin tendent Woods. "Do lou suonose that It could have possibly been due to an accumulation of gas?" he was asked. "I do not think so. Immediately after arriving at the building I made a personal tour of the corridors, both above ground and In the basement, ami I found no evidence of any kind that would help" me In fixing the cause of t-o explosion." Superintendent Woods was asked con corning tho statement accredited to some of the police officers who wern on duty at the time Uiat they smellea traces of detonated powder. He re plied: "I heard the statement, r do not know of my own knowledge that such traces were present. The slight oaoi which wag apparent Immediately arier the explosion may havo originated from a pile of rubbish whioh was beginning to take fire when the police arrived." No Negligence. Chief of Capitol Police Louthan, fol lowing an additional Investigation as to the moements of his men last night. doclared'himself satisfied that the forc was in no way guilty of negligence aim that every precaution which the police have established to keep cranks nut of the building after hours was faltn fully regarded. In discussing the possibilities so tar as the nature of the explosion is con cerned, before he began hla Investiga tion, Prof. Munroe admitted that If tno explosion were, caused by a bomb, and If tho bomb used was of the detonator variety It would be possible for tne explosive to annihilate all visible traces of its presence. The only fact established hy the Investigation thus far Is that last night's explosion was not caused by teiepnone wires, reiopnone company lnbatlga,tnrs cleared the debris ln the telephone booth and dlscovred that there was nothing which could havo caused an explosion. Telephones oNt Blamed. D. S. Porter, division manager of tho Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company, said after today's Investiga tion that he was unable to account for the explosion, but that It was definitely determined the telephone system could not be blamed The wrecked telephone exchange In tho corner of tho room was a private fcystcm. separate from the main Capitol exchange .which supplies the Capitol and Senate and House Office buildings. The main system was not damaged by tho explosion, and not a telephone was placed out of commission except those whose wires were torn from the re ceivers by the force of the explosion. it is wen Known, teiepnone company officials said, that wires carrying elec tricity do not explode, cross wires may cause fire, which, coming Into con tact with gas, might cause an explosion. So far as the telephone- company In vestigators were able to learn there wore no cross wires that could even havo caused a spark In the Capitol re ception room. Superintendent Woods also shattered tho ga stheory when he sntd that there haa been no gas piped Into the Capitol since November 20. JWS .after tho gas explosion In the Supreme Court room. The Capitol has been lighted exclusive ly by electricity since then, ho said, Gas Theory Shattered. Superintendent Woods moved to his office today an ornamental French clock which rested on a mantle In tho Senato reception room and the hands of which had stopped t 11:37 last night. The clock was not believed to be ac curate, how over, and 11:40 is still ac cepted as tho official hour of the ex plosion. The heavy glass over the lace of the clock was shatteied, and there was a deep abrasion on tho faco of the clock, Indicating that it had been struck a ter rific blow by flying debris. Alarmed by the explosion, Capitol officials today gave orders to gulden and watchmen to enforce more rig orously the regulations prohibiting Capitol visitors from carrying pack hges Into the building. This regula tion has been operative for years, but It has not been generally en foued. Today all visitors were topped at lite door and were compelled to check pacuages of all descriptions before entering. Superintendent Woods continued the Investigation at the Capitol until nearly daylight before going home for a brief I aAallllllllBllllllllllllllllllllllllHMlMjni!iI7ilHlllllllllllllllllH -1KKl "WmA'i' " .''WKtKKm!miifd&J:Xlfy':.4 IliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHBatMhZIkMHKs JSaHri? i fj?KBEuX$l&WfyXiMi lillllllllillillllllllllllllilllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllillBSMitflSttS lllllBiBlnHilBllllllllllllllllllaBIISMMPfiSSSSSiMHIllillllllHBMBHHM ISMP 11 ilk t A9fffry rifk2. Only photograph taken reBt. He returned to the Capitol before noon to resume charge of the Investiga tion. Windows Examined. Main Interest In the explosion was di rected at the two north windows of the Senate wing of the Capitol opening Into the wrecked reception room. The win dow farthest west Is but a few feet oft a balcony extending over tho north en trance. It was plainly apparent that a bomb could have been thrown Into the .rqoro hy a man standing on the north balcony. ' It developed today that this window had been opened until a short time be fore the explosion. Guards making their rounds had been In the reception room lust a short time before the ex plosion, and noticed that the window nearest the balcony was raised while the other window in the room was closed. Both Windows Shattered. Both windows were shattered and the wooden framework was partially blown out and splintered. ' Hundreds of tourists crowded into tho Capitol corridors today. Thoy were not prevented from going through the building, but they were not permitted to enter the wrecked reception room. last"fight to save becker on 3 points W. Bourke Cockran to Make Plea to U. S. Supreme Court Next Week for Writ of Error. NCW YORK. July 3.-The legal premises on which counsel for Charles Becker will apply to the United States Supreme Court for a writ of error to save him from electrocution on July 28 allege three specific grounds. Martin T. Manton. In making public the last plan of defense, said that W. Bourko Cockran would make the argu ment for the writ before a Justice of the Supreme Court In Washington some time next week. The grounds for the proposed legal action, which have been the cause of much speculation ever since the an nouncement that the tight for Becker's me woum De continued in the united States Supreme Court, are: first. That the newspaper notoriety given the case prior to the trial preju diced the defendant's case. Second. That the application for a change of venue was refused without a hearing. Third. That the defendant's constitu tional rights are being violated, inas much as the law allows In all capital cases, as a last resort, a review of the case before an unbiased person. Mrs. Ella N. Irwin Dies in California The death of Mrs. Ella X. Irwin, at the age of sixty, occurred yesterday at tho home of her daughter, Mrs. A. F. Lcnzen. in San Jose, Cal. She Is sur vived by three daughters, Mrs. Hoscoo B. Brookbank. of this city, Mrs. Lcn zen, and Mrs. John B. Moon, of Port land, Ore. With her husband, Mrs. Irwin was one of the pioneer residents of the Eck Ington section of this city Through their efforts came the founding of tho Kcklngton Presbyterian congregation and tho building of tho present edlflco at Noi in Capitol street and Florida avenue. Funeral plans have not been com pleted, but It Is believed that following services In San Jose tho body will be taken to Greenfield, Ohio, for Interment In the family plot nt that place. Commutation of Hicks' Sentence Recommended The Department of Justice toda for warded to the White House n recom mendation for commutation of sentence In the case of Robert E. Hicks, a New York Bowery mloslon worker, who re cently confesued to a crime flfteon years old. and gave himself up to the police. The President will act on the recom mendation when he returns from Cornish. 1 ahowiuK eft cct of explosion in Senate reception room made and authorized by the Gorcrnmcnt. TAKE EXTRA TO GUARD WINDSOR, Vt., July 3. The corps of nine secret service men attending President Wilson here today took additional precau tions to guard the Executive, following detailed reports from Washington of the bomb explosion that wrecked part of the Senate chamber early this morning. Chief Joseph Murphy will ride in the President's automobile at all times until the vacation is over and three of his men will be in constant attendance. No person who is not known to have business inside the grounds will be allowed about the entrance of Harlakcnden house. HENRY JURY UNABLE TO T Twelve Men Sent Back After All Night Session, Still Fail to Report. Xo agreement has yet been reached In the case of John William Henry, former head of Lewis Johnson & Co., charged with embezzling checks amounting to 111.6S9 from Mrs. Isabell Barkllc. of Wayne, Pa. The Jury, which took the case under deliberation at 1 o'clock yesterday aft ernoon, was called Into Criminal Court No. 2 by Justice Slddons at 10 o'clock this morning and asked If a verdict had been reached. The foreman re plied negatively, and added in response to a query by the court that no fur ther Instructions ns to the legal points Involve were desired. Justlfe Slddons remained In his chambers until after 12-30 o'clock this afternoon, and then went to unch, suylng he would return later In the afternoon and again call the Jury into court. When the Jury roturned to Its room this forenoon the court suggested that" it was not necessary in his opinion to express the desirability of the twelve men arriving at a "deflnlto conclusion." Ban on Crown Prince Is Social, Not Military LONDON, July 3. For the first time tu several months the name of tho Ger man Crown Prince Is mentioned In the official leport of the German headquar ters staff. The report tells of a battle In the Argonne. where the German forces were led by the Kaiser's eldest son. It Is considered probable here that the lack of mention of the Crown Prince In tho reports for the last few- months, which gave rlso to rumors that he was either dead or badly wounded, has been due to tho social stigma said to be at tached to him on account of his aliena tion from tho Crown Princess. Tho absence of the Crown Prince's name from tho reports has been regard ed as a mysterv outside of Germany, hut a correspondent who has Just re turned from Berlin, says there is not oven a hint of mystery there In that connection, and that there has never been the slightest doubt that he was with his army at the front In France. Raises Prize Chickens. DALLAS, TEX., July 3.-Speaklng about swell chickens, Texas 1b now en gaged In raising 'em. But they're the kind you eat not eat with and thy're being sent out by the train load dally ror consumption on ine irav wnue way, Frisco and elsewhere. Thousands ot dollars is netted annually to Texas tn 1U chick Industry. REACH PRECAUTIONS PRESIDENT FEDERAL EMPLOVES OFFTILLTUESDAY Executive Departments, Bu reaus, and Government Plants Closed at 1 Today. All executive departments and Inde pendent bureaus of the Government In Washington, as well as Its manufactur ing establishments, were closed by 1 o'clock today, and Uncle Sam s workers. as well as those of tho District, are hieing away for the longest week-end holiday of the season. All Government establishments, m cludlng the Library of Congress, ano practically erery business house in the Capital.-will be closed Monday. Navv yard employes and those at the nureau of Engraving and Printing wore teleascd nt noon, the bureau employes getting their first half hollda ol tho year. The departments and bureaus did not close until 1 o'clock. Many Government workers, from Cabinet mebers to charwomen, took tho full day off. which gives them three days' continuous holiday with but half a day charged against their annual leave. Thnmnil. lAff t- ,.Dihni.. .i mount!,. - h. .... ' i .,.' h..-T.J- ". ..... uwicr, thousands are planning short trips for i the evening anf Sunday at nearby re sorts, and a return to the Capital for the Independence Day celebrations Monday. Besd.e the Cabinet members and assistant secretaries .vlto are out of Washington, olther for the week-end or a more extended vacation, every member of tho Federal Trade Com mission, with the exception of Com mlssloner Parry, is out of town on vacation. All divisions of the Library of Con gresis Including the copyright di vision, were closed at 1 o'clock, to remain clot-ed with the exception of tho divisions composing the Sunday anrt holiday service until Tuesday morning. Beginning today, and continuing until October, the ofilcn of tho cleilt of tho Dlbtrlct Supreme Court will bo closed on Saturdays at noon, as will the oflicc of the register of wills. Central American Locusts At War on Bananas KINGSTON, Jamaica, July 3. News received here Indicates that the locust Invasion In Central A"erlca s becom ing serious The bunana estates of Costa Rica are suffering heavily. The Jamaica government report fr the past fiscal year shows that Jamai ca's trade has been molng steadily toward the United States. Tho colony Is still actively recruiting hundreds of volunteers for the war. BRIM WILSON. HELD Conferences With Ambassador Dumba Took Plaoe Without President's Knowledge. Another story of remarkable confer ences between William J. Bran, former 8.cretary of State, and Dr. Dumba, the Austrian ambaicador, gained currency ted ay. The Providence Journal Is sponsor for the stoiy, which attracted wide notice. Neither at tho White House nor at the State Department was theie comment upon 1. It Is said that after the nofe of Febru ary 10. Mr. Bryan saw Ambassador Dumb at least three times at the State Department and twice at the Bryan home. The note of President Wilson and sub marine warfare were discussed and at the last meeting the Austrian ambassa dor took with him a document which he considered to be the attitude of the Administration In connection with the note as outlined to him by Bryan. Presented To Bryan. This memorandum was presented to Bryan In typewritten form. In It were these provisions; Germany is willing to discon tinue submarine attacks on vessels aboard which It Is known there are United States citizens unless such vessels are known to be carrying1 contraband of war. - That provision be made for such passenger boats. Proclamation to be Issued by the President of the United States ad vising United States citizens that the niut not in the future take ,,ussage aboe.id vessels sailing un- der a belligerent flag which are carrinp contraband cither from the United States or elsewhere. It I alleged Mr. U--yan agreed with the Austrian ambassador that It this were put up to Presldont Wilson In tho torm outlined It would bo accepted. Ambassador von BcrnstortT was notl ed and he took up the matter with tn Oerman foreign office. He was Instruct ed to see the President and agree lo the term. It was not until von Bern storff laid the plan betoro the Presi dent that the latter knew anything about It. It Is alleged the document containing the agreement Is on file with the Oer man and Austrian embassies and wltn the Berlin foielgn oltlce. The circumstantial naturo of the story. It Is expected, will compel a statement from Mr. Bryan who Is on his wav to San Francisco. Unless the story Is disproved, (t will put Bryan In the attitude of attempting to settle the submarine problem without consulting be President. Pennsy's Movie Censors Upheld by Supreme Court PHILADEPHIA. July 3.-The Stat Board of eCnsors, created for the pur pose of regulating moving pictures Alms, was upheld by the supreme court today Tho apeal of moving picture concerns which attacked the constitutionality or the act creating the board was dis missed. pea mm An opinion upholding the constitu tionality of the so-called Kenyon antl redllght law was handed down tode by Justice McCoy, of the District flu' prcme Court. The decision grows out of a suit filed1 by District Attorney Laokey against the Qwners and occupant of the AAArd more Hotel, 516 Thirteenth street northwest, for a decree to enforce the provisions of the act, following several arrests by the police "vice squad." Testimony as to the character of the hotel was given at the final hturlng of the case, among the witnesses beln several women who had been arrested In the place In company with men. Closed As Nuisance. An Injunction to prevent the use of the hotel for Immoral purposes, and a decree closing it as a "nuisance" for a period of one year were sought by Prosecutor Laskey in his suit. It was. contended by counsel for the defend ants that the statute authorised the taking of property without due process of law, or resulted In the taking of the property for public use without com ieneatlon. After quoting at length from a de cision of the United States Supreme Court, Involving a Kansas act permit ting the closing of places where Intoxi cating liquors were sold, Justice McCoy says: Exercise of Power. "Wc have It established then by the Supreme Court that a valid exercise of the police power does not Involve the taking of private property for public use without compensation and that a suit In equity is due process of law for the abateemnt of a nuisance when the person knowingly maintaining the nuis ance is made a party. Tho defendants were themselves violating the law.' The courts adds that "that a common nuisance may be abated summarily Is not to be questioned nor can It bo doubted that anythln? which of itoelf is such a nuisance may be destro cd." FOR HOLIDAY CROWD Additional Attractions Offered at Most Glen Echo Chief Among Pleasure Places. Great preparations are being made by the manageis of the various pleas ure resorts In and about Washington for the entertainment of large ciowds on Monday. Additional attractions will be featured at most of the rcsortc. Chief among the pleasure places will be Glen Echo, with its numerous de lccs for fun and enjoyment. A lih Its picnic groves, large playgrounds for the children, canoeing and boating on the canal, and fishing on the river. Glen Echo will proe an Ideal place lor families, and parties to spend the en tire day. The amusements will run from morning until night. Dancing at Glen Echo Is getting moro popular ever daj. Under stilct cen sorship, the dancing pallion 13 one of the most popular places in the park. This, however, docs not mean that the crowds desert the roller coaster, tlylng horses, midway, and numerous ci tainment booths. Beaches Ready For Cro-.rdi. Big crowds are expected at Colonial Beach. In addition to the trip whlcn the steamer St. Johns will make to 'Washington's Atlantic City" torla, there will be a boat at D o'clock tomor row morning and again at 9 o'cIock Monday morning. Another popular water resort, for which great preparation has been made for over the Fourth, is Chesapeake Beach, on Chesapeake Bay. In addition to tho other amusements, crabbing and bathing arc among the chief attractions at the beach. There Is free dancing In the afternoon and evening. Trains to th beach run at frequent Interval, the schedule being printed in full in another column of the Tlme6 To those who enjoy a short sail down the Potomac and a few hours or a day s outlngon the cool and shady shore. Marshall Hall offers a strong appeal. Three special trips will be made Sunday and Monday by the Steamer Charles Cacalester. A feature of the celebra tion will be patriotic concerts by Shroeder's Band. Attractions at Mar shall Hall Include tho dlp-the-dlp, skee ball alleys, kiddles' playground, and a brilliant electrical display at night. Special Excursion Trains. Great Falls, on the upper Potomac, is another popular resort near Washing ton, while further away (s Blucmont, n tho Blue Hldgo mountains. Special -x-cuiblon trains will be run to both placos tomorrow and Monday by the Washing ton and Old Dominion railway. At Great Falls there Is camping, fish ing, and outdoor sports. In addition to the popular amusements usual to xucli resorts. There aie large plcnlo grounds, while nt night the falls arc brilliantly illuminated. Manv citizens of the Capital are plan nlng to 0 to the Bluo Ridge mountains to spend tho Fourth. The WashlnKton nnd Old Dominion railway will run spe cial excursion to Bluemont. Va.. for , elei trie trains, to leave Thirty-sixth and M streets northwest at 8, 9, 9 30 and 10:30 'clock Sunda morning, and at 7:1S, 903, and 11 o'clock Monday morn ing. Mother-in-Law as Legacy. NEW BRUNSWICK. N. J. July 3. A mothcr-ln-law was bequeathed to John Whlr'i,an, his wife's will directing that hn h I, always make a home for her mother If he does not the mother Is to bring suit for sixteen years' sal ary as a domestic. BIG lARATIONS U .,