Wall Street Bombing

September 16, 1920

Wall Street is bombed in an act of terrorism. Thirty people died immediately, and another eight later died of wounds that they sustained in the blast. A horse-drawn wagon passed by lunchtime crowds on Wall Street and stopped across the street from the headquarters of the J.P. Morgan & Co. bank. The wagon contained 100 pounds (45 kg) of dynamite and 500 pounds (230 kg) of heavy, cast-iron sash weights and exploded in a timer-set detonation. The driver was seen leaving the vehicle and escaping down a side street. The bombing has never been solved, although it is believed that Italian anarchist Mario Buda may have planted the bomb in retaliation for the arrests of fellow Italian anarchists.