Wall Street was crowded at lunchtime on Sept. 16, 1920. Cars were driving and many workers were heading for lunch spots. At 12:01, a massive explosion rocked the financial district. 30 were killed immediately and 8 were mortally wounded. Another 300 were injured. Most of the victims were stenographers, clerks, and messenger boys. No tycoons were hurt. The subsequent investigation determined the bomb was in a wagon that was parked outside the Assay Office, across the street from J.P. Morgan’s bank. (Morgan was out of town.) A man had been seen parking the wagon and then hurriedly leaving it. No one could identify him. The bomb was around 100 pounds of dynamite. In a dastardly touch, 500 pounds of metal was placed on top, creating lethal shrapnel. The explosion derailed a streetcar one block away. Pieces of the horses were found hundred of yards away. Many people were hurt by glass from the buildings. It was the worst act of domestic terrorism until the Oklahoma City bombing. It is still unclear who was to blame. Since America was in the throes of the Red Scare, communists and anarchists were immediately suspected. Fliers were found threatening “Remember we will not tolerate any longer. Free the political prisoners, or it will be sure death for all of you. [signed] American Anarchist Fighters” The bombing bore resemblance to bombings in June, 1919. Those had been blamed on Italian anarchists led by a bomb expert named Luigi Galleani. He had been deported before the Wall Street Bombing. Still, it was most likely a Galleanist who did it.
https://www.history.com/news/the-mysterious-wall-street-bombing-95-years-ago
https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/wall-street-bombing-1920
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street_bombing
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