During the lunch rush of September 16th, 1920, an unknown man leading a horse drawn cart walked down Wall Street. When he go in front of the offices of J.P. Morgan & Co. he parked the cart and disapeared into the crowd as everyone left for lunch. Minutes later the cart full of 100 pounds of dynamite and 500 punds of cast iron (Used as shrapnel) exploded killing 30 people and injuring 300. The noise rang throughout lower Manhatten and across the East River in Brooklyn. The smoke filled streets were covered in a layer of shattered glass, dead bodies and debris from surrounding buildings. Junius Morgan, the son of J.P. Morgan, was among the 300 injured. The New York Stock exchange was closed immediatly. Police and Soldiers were called in from Goveners Island helped the injured, searched for clues, and shut down the street.
As soon as the police had the scene cleared up, they started looking for clues as to who did it and their motives. The assasination of J.P. Morgan was ruled out because he was in Europe at the time. Because the Sub - Treasury building was adjacent to the J.P. Morgan offices, investigators thought it was a distraction to rob the 900 million dollars from the building. But ultimatly the bombing was thought to be an act of terrorism preformed by "Reds" a group that sympathize with communists and anarchists. "Reds" wanted to "Shatter the symbols of American capitalism." Although the government arrested thousands of radicals and minorites they thought to have committed the crime, no one was ever formely charged.
The investigation was dropped in 1940, and no memorial or event was held to commemerate the event. The building that was bombed on September 16th 1920, remains in use to this day. I think that this was a group of people who wanted to go after America, and they decided to hit them right where it hurts, their wallet. Wall Street made about 30% of Americas revenue and 1/4 of that was J.P. Morgan & Co. The group/person that did this is somone who is upset with the monoploies that people like J.P Morgan and John D. Rockefeller had. Do I think there was a better way of getting America to change the ways that we dealt with monopolies? Yes, there were so many better ways. Did it make an impact? That is up for interpertation. It made an impact to all of America, but as in changing the law, who knows.
https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/wall-street-bombing-1920
https://www.britannica.com/event/Wall-Street-bombing-of-1920
What do you think a better way to bring attention to the monopolies would be?
Do you think that it infact was a distraction for robbing the Sub Treasury?
Replies
Good topic choice and very well written Eli. The issue is you posted it on Thursday which didn't allow people time to comment which is worth 30 points.