Bombs Found in A Bureau

 

 

“Officer Quick yesterday morning answered a hurry call to Chihuahua Hill, returning with mincing steps half an hour later, an arm full of bombs occasioning just the lightest possible tread and just as much care in stepping over the rough places as if he had loaded down with eggs.

            The bombs were five in number. They were also five in variety of construction, though following the same general principle. Three done up in cow hide with a leather thong for launching purposes are believed to contain nitroglycerin. Two in metal cylinders, are said to be filled with giant powder. They have a fuse attached.

            The bombs were found in the San Juan House on the Hill. They were in a bureau drawer formerly used for his wearing apparel by a Mexican who had stopped at the house. Three other Mexicans stopping in the same room discovered the bombs when they examined the bureau yesterday morning, their late roomer having taken his permanent departure the night before. Not at all easy about the presence of so much explosive in so close proximity, the Mexicans who made the discovery hastened to tell the proprietor of the house, who lost no time in calling an officer.

            Quick took the deadly contrivances to the office of Marshall Watkins, who stored them in his safe. Following the Battle of Naco there were many such bombs and hand grenades found about the battlefield unexploded. Not a few were brought away as curios. It is belief that those yesterday morning were also brought away from Naco by the man whose possession they were up to the time of his departure on Wednesday night. He probably found that it would be inconvenient to carry the fifteen or more pounds of metal and explosives and simply left the lot behind which was no worse than the trick of the man who brought a human head to the city after the battle and tiring of his burden down in a gunny sack, in the yard of a School Hill home , where the gruesome souvenir was later found.”

 

Bisbee Daily Review February 27, 1914