INFERNAL MACHINE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3689, 10 September 1927, Page 3

INFERNAL MACHINE.

SENT THROUGH THE POST.

MASTERTON MAN’S ESCAPE,

That the sending of an infernal machine through the post to an addressee care of Magnus Motors, Ltd., Wellington, was a deliberate attempt to murder is obvious to those who are investigating the matter. Mr. James Lord, of the Masterton district, was the intended victim of the plot, which, had it succeeded, would not only have killed him, but would have killed or maimed several others, and wrecked the building to which the parcel had been consigned. Faulty wiring averted a tragedy when Mr. Lord, opened the package on Monday af-. ternoon.

Present with Mr. Lord when he removed the brown paper wrapping were Mr. John Garland, the New Zealand representative of an overseas firm, and Mr. Frank Duckworth, representative of the Newton King motor firm, of New Plymouth. A box of three-ply wood was revealed, in appearance something like a cigar-box, but with no lettering on it, and on lifting the lid Mr. Lord saw a piece of paper on which was printed in big letters the word “gelignite.” Realising from the look of the thing that the matter was serious, the men did not tamper further with the box, .but sent for the police. Examination showed that under the top layer of seven bars of gelignite was a switch and somte wiring which connected with the hook on the box. When the lid was raised it should have made an electric contact with two dry batteries, wires from which were passed through a small cork into a glass tube containing a greyish powder. In the end of the tube, through another cork, a detonator was fitted. The whole contrivance had been packed securely ip cotton wool to prevent any breakage or interference before the catch had been released, and the batteries were bolted together in a compartment of three-ply wood to keep the switch from becoming foul. Experts tested the batteries, and are of the opinion ,that the only reason why the machine did not operate was a fault in the wire. The parcel was posted at the Central Post Office at Wellington, some time during the week-end. The address was not typed, but was written in an obviously disguised hand.

The police have now abandoned the idea that the sender of the infernal machine through the post was a woman. Detectives have been busy interviewing people in connection with the matter, and they are confident that the mystery will soon be solved.