DYNAMITING AN HOTEL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7067, 3 March 1910, Page 1

DYNAMITING AN HOTEL

—— » ■ SENSATION AT WANGANUI UPOK.OXGARO HOTEL DAMAGED BY EXPLOSIONS. .' A MAN MISSING. •FECIAL TO TH» " TIMES." ] WANGANUI, March 2. What appears to havo been a deliberate attempt to blow up the Upokongaro Hotel took place this morning at about twenty minutes past 3 o'clock, when a couple of terrific explosions occurred, arousing not only the residents of Upokongaro ,but people living at least a mile. away. Those who turned out discovered that tho Upokongaro Hotel, kept by Mr H. Tyson, had "been tho scene of tho explosions, and that two charges of explosive (which is believed to have been .gelignite) were fired. One was -placed on the ground a short distance from the dining-room window in front of the hotel, while the second was placed against the iron fence which joins the upriver side of the building. The shots shattered every window in the hotel, but fortunately did no harm to the building itself beyond cracking a few timbers. A skylight was broken, in Mr Missen's store a few yards away, but no further damage appears to have been done. NARROW. ESOAPEB. Nevertheless those in the hotel seem to have had a narrow escape. A little nephew of Mr E ,Tyson's was sleeping in. a bed_ under on© of the shattered windows and was literally covered with splintered glass, but escaped without a soratoh. Mr and Mrs" Tyson and several boarders were thrown out of their beds by the shock, but everybody soon recovered from their fright andl were thankful to find matters no worse. SUPPOSED SUICIDE -OF -; ■}, : DYNAMITARD. Detective Siddells went up to'Upokongaro this morning to 'investigate the affair,. and was not long in finding a clue. Strong' suspicion attached to a man named a. Mexican half-caste, and the suspicion was strengthened by,, the -finding on the. ferry, boat .of his coat and vest, the pockets containing correspondence pointing to "iEo".suicide of the supposed..perpetrator of the outrage. The polioe, went up this; afternoon to drag the "river, where they believe Laurent ended his life. It is reported that Laurent had threatened the Tysons in consequence of : some dispute over a cheque. To-day's search was resu'ltless, but further dragging will take place to-morrow. /