DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Student protests, May-December 1971 | 1971-05-07 Iowa City Press-Citizen Article: ""Bomb Blast Damages Iowa City Civic Center"" Page 3

Transcribe
Translate

Student protests, May-December 1971

1971-05-07 Iowa City Press-Citizen Article: ""Bomb Blast Damages Iowa City Civic Center"" Page 3

Schneider later ignored pleas from Police Chief Patrick J. McCarney and student monitors to move his men back from the Pentacrest area.

City Atty. Jay Honohan reportedly discussed with McCarney the possibility of arresting the sheriff to remove him from the scene.

"I hear there was discussion of that," Smiley said. The report was backed up by other city officials, who asked that their names not be used.

Honohan today called the report on the arrest matter, a "wild rumor."

"That's crazy," the city attorney said.

Authorities were uncertain as of early this afternoon whether the Civic Center bombing had any connection with the outburst earlier Thursday night.

The bomb exploded about 3:45 a.m., shortly after many officers had headed home to bed after clearing downtown streets.

Authorities cordoned off Washington Street until mid morning and three U.S. Treasury Department agents were called to investigate.

The agents discovered the remains of a spring-powered timing device as they sifted through debris. McCarney said the bomb was a relatively unsophisticated device.

There were no officers in the area when the bomb went off, McCarney said, but several members of the Police Auxiliary were in the rear parking lot.

A night clerk at the Davis Hotel across the street apparently was the only identified witness to the blast.

The clerk, Ray Baschnagel said this morning that, "all I saw was a bunch of smoke and I heard a concussion from a bomb. It was a hell of a boom and It sure shook our building."

"it was sort of a black-gray smoke and there sure was a lot of it," Baschnagel said.

There was "no human being near it (the Civic Center) at the time," Baschnagel said.

Smiley said no formal damage assessment has been made.


Arrow shows where a bomb, said to be as powerful as two sticks of dynamite, was planted at the Civic Center early today. The bomb exploded about 2:45 a.m., blowing a 12-square-foot hole in the building's foundation and shattering glass in the Council Chamber, behind the stone grillwork. The area was cordoned off after the explosion and the U.S. Treasury Department agents were called in to investigate. Sitting through debris today, the T-men found the remains of a spring-powered timing device used to trigger the explosion.

Saving...

Schneider later ignored pleas from Police Chief Patrick J. McCarney and student monitors to move his men back from the Pentacrest area. City Atty. Jay Honohan reportedly discussed with McCarney the possibility of arresting the sheriff to remove him from the scene. "I hear there was discussion of that," Smiley said. The report was backed up by other city officials, who asked that their names not be used. Honohan today called the report on the arrest matter, a "wild rumor." "That's crazy," the city attorney said. Authorities were uncertain as of early this afternoon whether the Civic Center bombing had any connection with the outburst earlier Thursday night. The bomb exploded about 3:45 a.m., shortly after many officers had headed home to bed after clearing downtown streets. Authorities cordoned off Washington Street until mid morning and three U.S. Treasury Department agents were called to investigate. The agents discovered the remains of a spring-powered timing device as they sifted through debris. McCarney said the bomb was a relatively unsophisticated device. There were no officers in the area when the bomb went off, McCarney said, but several members of the Police Auxiliary were in the rear parking lot. A night clerk at the Davis Hotel across the street apparently was the only identified witness to the blast. The clerk, Ray Baschnagel said this morning that, "all I saw was a bunch of smoke and I heard a concussion from a bomb. It was a hell of a boom and It sure shook our building." "it was sort of a black-gray smoke and there sure was a lot of it," Baschnagel said. There was "no human being near it (the Civic Center) at the time," Baschnagel said. Smiley said no formal damage assessment has been made. Arrow shows where a bomb, said to be as powerful as two sticks of dynamite, was planted at the Civic Center early today. The bomb exploded about 2:45 a.m., blowing a 12-square-foot hole in the building's foundation and shattering glass in the Council Chamber, behind the stone grillwork. The area was cordoned off after the explosion and the U.S. Treasury Department agents were called in to investigate. Sitting through debris today, the T-men found the remains of a spring-powered timing device used to trigger the explosion.