Podcast Appearances
But despite having all the right parts, it was clear to experts that the bomb had been incorrectly assembled by a very amateur person and was never in danger of exploding at all. Well, that's good news. Yeah. But while there may have not been any imminent danger, the threat was very real and investigators needed to identify the maker of the device before he improved on his technique.
I was just going to say before he got better. Yeah, and struck again. Yeah. Because if they do it once, of course they can do it again.
I was just going to say before he got better. Yeah, and struck again. Yeah. Because if they do it once, of course they can do it again.
Yeah, now he's going to be pissed. Now, in 1940, Consolidated Edison was one of the largest employers in Manhattan with thousands of employees, many of whom worked in the building where the bomb was found. Also, as the primary supplier of electricity for the whole region, the company served millions of customers.
Yeah, now he's going to be pissed. Now, in 1940, Consolidated Edison was one of the largest employers in Manhattan with thousands of employees, many of whom worked in the building where the bomb was found. Also, as the primary supplier of electricity for the whole region, the company served millions of customers.
That's basically, it was clear that whoever left the bomb had clearly a grudge with this company. But that fact alone didn't narrow the pool of suspects down at all. Because remember, we got thousands of employees and millions of customers. Yeah.
That's basically, it was clear that whoever left the bomb had clearly a grudge with this company. But that fact alone didn't narrow the pool of suspects down at all. Because remember, we got thousands of employees and millions of customers. Yeah.
Now further complicating the whole thing was the fact that Con Ed was a conglomerate of several smaller companies operating under like one umbrella, all operating in different parts of the city. Okay. That means that even if police did want to take the time to comb through all their administrative records, it could have been literally years before they found anything that could help them. Yeah.
Now further complicating the whole thing was the fact that Con Ed was a conglomerate of several smaller companies operating under like one umbrella, all operating in different parts of the city. Okay. That means that even if police did want to take the time to comb through all their administrative records, it could have been literally years before they found anything that could help them. Yeah.
If they found anything at all. Right. So because of that, the incident report was written up and filed, and no one really gave it a thought. The bomb incident report? Yeah, they were just like, well, that happened.
If they found anything at all. Right. So because of that, the incident report was written up and filed, and no one really gave it a thought. The bomb incident report? Yeah, they were just like, well, that happened.
Now, in late September 1941, nearly a year after this first bomb was discovered at the Con Ed building, passerbys noticed something strange lying in the road a few blocks away from the Con Ed building at 4 Irving Place. It was stuffed inside a red wool sock with a four-inch length of pipe with both ends capped. Okay.
Now, in late September 1941, nearly a year after this first bomb was discovered at the Con Ed building, passerbys noticed something strange lying in the road a few blocks away from the Con Ed building at 4 Irving Place. It was stuffed inside a red wool sock with a four-inch length of pipe with both ends capped. Okay.
Just as they'd done before, police officers called the bomb squad and the device was removed and determined to be a dud. Damn, this guy sucks. Then it was taken back to headquarters for analysis. There was no note with this one, but to the members of the bomb squad, the device was immediately recognizable as being the work of whoever had left the bomb at Con Ed the previous year.
Just as they'd done before, police officers called the bomb squad and the device was removed and determined to be a dud. Damn, this guy sucks. Then it was taken back to headquarters for analysis. There was no note with this one, but to the members of the bomb squad, the device was immediately recognizable as being the work of whoever had left the bomb at Con Ed the previous year.
Was there another cough drop? Inside, they found the same ingredients as the previous bomb, all assembled in the same way. And another cough drop. Called it. Cough drop. What? Cough drop number two.
Was there another cough drop? Inside, they found the same ingredients as the previous bomb, all assembled in the same way. And another cough drop. Called it. Cough drop. What? Cough drop number two.
We're at a loss. Goddamn. Now, given that the bomb was assembled the same exact way as the previous one, including the weird fucking cough drop. I was going to say random ingredients and all. Like, that's the thing that's really nailing it. And then it was discovered around the corner of the Con Ed building. Investigators were like, yeah, this is the same guy.
We're at a loss. Goddamn. Now, given that the bomb was assembled the same exact way as the previous one, including the weird fucking cough drop. I was going to say random ingredients and all. Like, that's the thing that's really nailing it. And then it was discovered around the corner of the Con Ed building. Investigators were like, yeah, this is the same guy.
Equally disturbing was the fact that a year had passed and the bomber still appeared intent on bombing the Con Ed building. That's commitment. This time, though, they theorized that he had been on his way to the building and was interrupted or maybe diverted and chose to drop the explosive in the street and abandoned his plan.