April 1919 & JUne 1919 Bombings
The 1919 United States anarchist bombings were a series of bombings and attempted bombings carried out by anarchist followers of Luigi Galleani from April through June 1919. These bombings fueled the Red Scare of 1919-20.
In April 1919 a series of attempted mail bombs were sent to several prominent politicians. Among the 36 total mail-bomb targets were J.P. Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, a Bureau of Investigation agent, Congressional sponsors of the anti-anarchist legislation, and Attorney General Palmer himself. The bombs had been intended to be received on May Day, May 1st. For many it is an international celebration for workers; also known as international day of the communists.
The bombing attempts were stifled by postal clerk Charles Caplan. On April 27, 1919, he came across 16 small identically wrapped packages which were all short of postage. A few days later, A bomb intended for Mayor Ole Hanson, had been opened by a member of his staff. He had opened it the wrong way and discovered acid leaking from it. Immediately he went to the police and reported it. Another bombing incident occurred at the home of Thomas W. Hardwick, blew off the hands of his housekeeper, and severely injured his wife as well. Upon reading this on the news, and noticing the bombs matched the description of his 16 packages, he immediately rushed back to the office and stopped them from being delivered.
In June 1919, eight bombs exploded almost simultaneously in several cities. They were much larger then the bombs used prior in April. These bombs were much larger than the April bombs. One used twenty pounds of dynamite, and all were wrapped or packaged with heavy metal slugs designed to act as shrapnel. Attorney General Palmer, had been targeted a second time, along with New York City watchmen, William Boehner. All targets were opposers of anarchist radicals, from officials who endorsed anti-sedition and deportation, to judges who had sentenced anarchists to prison.
All bombs had been delivered with the words "Plain Words," that warned: "War, Class war, and you were the first to wage it under the cover of the powerful institutions you call order, in the darkness of your laws. There will have to be bloodshed; we will not dodge; there will have to be murder: we will kill, because it is necessary; there will have to be destruction; we will destroy to rid the world of your tyrannical institutions." FBI, and other law enforcement had tracked the bombs back to Andrea Salcedo, but were not able to prosecute due to lack of evidence. The bombs had also been associated with Galleanists, also known as anarchists.
In April 1919 a series of attempted mail bombs were sent to several prominent politicians. Among the 36 total mail-bomb targets were J.P. Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, a Bureau of Investigation agent, Congressional sponsors of the anti-anarchist legislation, and Attorney General Palmer himself. The bombs had been intended to be received on May Day, May 1st. For many it is an international celebration for workers; also known as international day of the communists.
The bombing attempts were stifled by postal clerk Charles Caplan. On April 27, 1919, he came across 16 small identically wrapped packages which were all short of postage. A few days later, A bomb intended for Mayor Ole Hanson, had been opened by a member of his staff. He had opened it the wrong way and discovered acid leaking from it. Immediately he went to the police and reported it. Another bombing incident occurred at the home of Thomas W. Hardwick, blew off the hands of his housekeeper, and severely injured his wife as well. Upon reading this on the news, and noticing the bombs matched the description of his 16 packages, he immediately rushed back to the office and stopped them from being delivered.
In June 1919, eight bombs exploded almost simultaneously in several cities. They were much larger then the bombs used prior in April. These bombs were much larger than the April bombs. One used twenty pounds of dynamite, and all were wrapped or packaged with heavy metal slugs designed to act as shrapnel. Attorney General Palmer, had been targeted a second time, along with New York City watchmen, William Boehner. All targets were opposers of anarchist radicals, from officials who endorsed anti-sedition and deportation, to judges who had sentenced anarchists to prison.
All bombs had been delivered with the words "Plain Words," that warned: "War, Class war, and you were the first to wage it under the cover of the powerful institutions you call order, in the darkness of your laws. There will have to be bloodshed; we will not dodge; there will have to be murder: we will kill, because it is necessary; there will have to be destruction; we will destroy to rid the world of your tyrannical institutions." FBI, and other law enforcement had tracked the bombs back to Andrea Salcedo, but were not able to prosecute due to lack of evidence. The bombs had also been associated with Galleanists, also known as anarchists.
1. Washington Post, "20 Pounds of Dynamite In Bomb Used in New York," June 4, 1919
2. Avrich (1991), 153
2. Avrich (1991), 153
Avrich, P. (1991). Sacco and Vanzetti: the anarchist background. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-02604-1
Allen, F. L. (1957). Only yesterday; an informal history of the nineteen-twenties. New York: Harper.
Galleani, Luigi, 1861-1931. "Fine dell'anarchismo?" English. The end of anarchism?, Luigi Galleani; translated from the Italian by Max Sartin and Robert D'Attilio ; with an introduction by M.S. Orkney ; Minneapolis, Minn. : Cienfuegos Press, 1982. 83 p.; 22 cm. Language: English
Allen, F. L. (1957). Only yesterday; an informal history of the nineteen-twenties. New York: Harper.
Galleani, Luigi, 1861-1931. "Fine dell'anarchismo?" English. The end of anarchism?, Luigi Galleani; translated from the Italian by Max Sartin and Robert D'Attilio ; with an introduction by M.S. Orkney ; Minneapolis, Minn. : Cienfuegos Press, 1982. 83 p.; 22 cm. Language: English