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Student protests, May-December 1971

1971-05-08 Daily Iowan Article: ""Explosion Shakes Iowa City Civic Center"" Page 1

May 8, 1971
1 (of 4)

More Clouds
Partly cloudy Saturday and Sunday. Highs in the 60s, lows Saturday night in mid 40s.

The Daily Io
Serving the University of Iowa   and the
Established in 1868   Iowa City, Iowa 52240—Saturday, May 8, 197

Explosion Shakes Iowa Ci
Bomb
A federal agent from the U.S. Treasury Department's Alcohol, Tobaco and Firearms Division (AFTD) bomb squad checks the area around the Iowa City Civic Center where a bomb exploded early Friday morning. The bomb knocked a large hole in the foundation of the building, shown at the bottom of the picture.
—Photo by Alex Johnson

Garfield Trial Changed, Draft Protesters Guilty
Trial date for Alan Garfield, A4, was
of mechanical engineering argued that

Mayor Calls Bombing 'An Act of Madness'
An explosion caused an estimated $2,500 to $5,000 worth of damages to the Iowa City Civic Center early Friday morning.
Officials of the U.S. Treasury Department investigating the blast speculated that it was caused by two to three sticks of dynamite triggered by a spring-powered device.
No one was injured. All windows on the south side of the courtroom and council chamber were blown out and a hole three feet by five feet was blasted in the foundation. A workroom beneath the chamber was also damaged in the 3:45 a.m. explosion, officials said. The bomb apparently was placed or thrown into the bushes outside the chamber.
"These people knew what they were doing," one investigator commented.
The only known witness to the bombing was a night clerk at the Davis Hotel just west of the Civic Center, who said he saw black smoke and heard "a hell of a boom."
At a special City Council meeting Friday afternoon,City Manager Frank Smiley was granted authority to offer a $5,000 reward "to anyone with information which leads to the arrest and conviction of persons involved in the bombing incident."
The bombing was "an act of madness," according to Iowa City Mayor Loren Hickerson, who issued a statement urging all "curious onlookers" to stay away from crowds.
"Built into the human inclination
the crowd is the certainty of co
and the risk of arrests of innocent observers who are mistaken for ac
Both the confusion and the arrest 
nocents are classic objectives of r
ism," Hickerson claimed. "Any 
thrower is delighted with such co
tion from the uninvolved.
Hickerson went on to praise "th
less work of monitors," calling the
forts to prevent police-crowd con
tions "tremendous and inspiring."
The monitors also came in for 
from police Thursday night. One
summed up his feelings by saying
work for different outfits but we 
for the same thing."

Schneider Under Fire For Thursday's Charge
Criticism was voiced Friday about Johnson County's Sheriff Maynard Schneider's failure to confer with other law enforcement officials before he led his deputies on a charge into the crowd of marchers Thursday night.
Schneider's charge came after a youth emerged from the crowd and attempted to snatch a helmet he was holding.
Schneider arrested the youth and then gave the order to "move 'em in." He said Friday that he had not had enough time to confer with iowa City Police Chief Patrick J. McCarney and Iowa 
tion had been considered. He calle
report a "wild rumor."
However, other city officials, who
ed that their names not be rel
said the report was true.
Eleven persons were arrested in 
fles with police Thursday night. 
people have been charged with 
ful assembly. Those nine are Da
Kalopek, A2; Betty A. Wood, A3;
erine R. Parrott; Mark D. Larson
David L. Kurt, G; Richard L. Fr 
G; William F. Cox; Michael Max
and Thomas R. Dingfeller, A4

Saving...

May 8, 1971 1 (of 4) More Clouds Partly cloudy Saturday and Sunday. Highs in the 60s, lows Saturday night in mid 40s. The Daily Io Serving the University of Iowa and the Established in 1868 Iowa City, Iowa 52240—Saturday, May 8, 197 Explosion Shakes Iowa Ci Bomb A federal agent from the U.S. Treasury Department's Alcohol, Tobaco and Firearms Division (AFTD) bomb squad checks the area around the Iowa City Civic Center where a bomb exploded early Friday morning. The bomb knocked a large hole in the foundation of the building, shown at the bottom of the picture. —Photo by Alex Johnson Garfield Trial Changed, Draft Protesters Guilty Trial date for Alan Garfield, A4, was of mechanical engineering argued that Mayor Calls Bombing 'An Act of Madness' An explosion caused an estimated $2,500 to $5,000 worth of damages to the Iowa City Civic Center early Friday morning. Officials of the U.S. Treasury Department investigating the blast speculated that it was caused by two to three sticks of dynamite triggered by a spring-powered device. No one was injured. All windows on the south side of the courtroom and council chamber were blown out and a hole three feet by five feet was blasted in the foundation. A workroom beneath the chamber was also damaged in the 3:45 a.m. explosion, officials said. The bomb apparently was placed or thrown into the bushes outside the chamber. "These people knew what they were doing," one investigator commented. The only known witness to the bombing was a night clerk at the Davis Hotel just west of the Civic Center, who said he saw black smoke and heard "a hell of a boom." At a special City Council meeting Friday afternoon,City Manager Frank Smiley was granted authority to offer a $5,000 reward "to anyone with information which leads to the arrest and conviction of persons involved in the bombing incident." The bombing was "an act of madness," according to Iowa City Mayor Loren Hickerson, who issued a statement urging all "curious onlookers" to stay away from crowds. "Built into the human inclination the crowd is the certainty of co and the risk of arrests of innocent observers who are mistaken for ac Both the confusion and the arrest nocents are classic objectives of r ism," Hickerson claimed. "Any thrower is delighted with such co tion from the uninvolved. Hickerson went on to praise "th less work of monitors," calling the forts to prevent police-crowd con tions "tremendous and inspiring." The monitors also came in for from police Thursday night. One summed up his feelings by saying work for different outfits but we for the same thing." Schneider Under Fire For Thursday's Charge Criticism was voiced Friday about Johnson County's Sheriff Maynard Schneider's failure to confer with other law enforcement officials before he led his deputies on a charge into the crowd of marchers Thursday night. Schneider's charge came after a youth emerged from the crowd and attempted to snatch a helmet he was holding. Schneider arrested the youth and then gave the order to "move 'em in." He said Friday that he had not had enough time to confer with iowa City Police Chief Patrick J. McCarney and Iowa tion had been considered. He calle report a "wild rumor." However, other city officials, who ed that their names not be rel said the report was true. Eleven persons were arrested in fles with police Thursday night. people have been charged with ful assembly. Those nine are Da Kalopek, A2; Betty A. Wood, A3; erine R. Parrott; Mark D. Larson David L. Kurt, G; Richard L. Fr G; William F. Cox; Michael Max and Thomas R. Dingfeller, A4