STRANGE FIND AT A CITY CHURCH.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 119, 23 May 1910, Page 6

STRANGE FIND AT A CITY CHURCH.

A BAG OF EXPLOSIVES. The owner of a large parcel of gelignite, a box of detonators, and som« lengths of fuse is wantod by the police. Th-e explosives were foun-d early last week in the grounds of the Catholio Apostolic Church, Webb-street. Two church officials who were walking round the side of the church to the vestry saw a square bag lying in th© shrubs near the footpath. On looking into the bag it was found that- there were some 60 plugs of gelignite, enough to have demolished the church and a considerable portion of Webb-street hail tlio explobive been fired. The bag with the gelignite was concealed in the bushes until alter the service, and then the police were communicated with. The utmost ca.re was exercised by the police in the removal of the dangerous mateiial, and enquiries aa to whence it came, how it got there, and what the motive of ilb being * 'planted" in the church grounds were at. once set on Toot. INext morning, before early service, a tin canister was found by one of the church officials in another pai't of tile grounds. On being opened it was tound to contain detonators for firing gelignite, also several lengths of fuse. The canister v>;v6 accidentally dropped ua the footpath before its content-, were ascertained, but, fortunately, the concussion was very slight, otherwipe a serious explosion might have followed. \ The church authorities can give no reason whatever for the presence of the explosives on the church property. Any likelihood of mischief being intended against the church or the congregation is hold to be highly improbablo ; but it is thought that some one had stolen the explosives and. not knowing what to do with them, had hidden them in the shrubbery] surrounding tho church.

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