Podcast Appearances
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.
Within days of finding the explosive in the street, letters started arriving at the Con Ed headquarters, as well as newspaper editorial desks, hotels, and department stores around the city. The letters were pretty short, pretty vague.
Within days of finding the explosive in the street, letters started arriving at the Con Ed headquarters, as well as newspaper editorial desks, hotels, and department stores around the city. The letters were pretty short, pretty vague.
mostly alluding to, you know, quote, dastardly deeds and ghoulish acts that the power company had committed and demanding, quote, justice for wrongs perpetrated against the writer of the notes and others. These notes were mostly hand-printed in that same very blocky handwriting. But some were typewritten, though. It wasn't consistent throughout. Okay.
mostly alluding to, you know, quote, dastardly deeds and ghoulish acts that the power company had committed and demanding, quote, justice for wrongs perpetrated against the writer of the notes and others. These notes were mostly hand-printed in that same very blocky handwriting. But some were typewritten, though. It wasn't consistent throughout. Okay.
And the clauses were all separated by dashes rather than commas or periods. Okay. All the notes were written on the same plain white paper. There was no identifying information about the sender other than the initials FP. Uh-huh. And many contained allusions to or outright threats of another bomb coming.
And the clauses were all separated by dashes rather than commas or periods. Okay. All the notes were written on the same plain white paper. There was no identifying information about the sender other than the initials FP. Uh-huh. And many contained allusions to or outright threats of another bomb coming.
A few months later on December 7th, 1941, the Japanese attacked the Pearl Harbor military base in Honolulu, Hawaii. I'm sure we all know about that.
A few months later on December 7th, 1941, the Japanese attacked the Pearl Harbor military base in Honolulu, Hawaii. I'm sure we all know about that.
This effectively drew the American military into World War II. Not long after that attack on Pearl Harbor, the usual round of recipients of FP letters received a new note. Although the latest letter included the usual vague threats and, you know, claims of injustice, the sender also seemed to understand that with the entire country preoccupied with the nation's...
This effectively drew the American military into World War II. Not long after that attack on Pearl Harbor, the usual round of recipients of FP letters received a new note. Although the latest letter included the usual vague threats and, you know, claims of injustice, the sender also seemed to understand that with the entire country preoccupied with the nation's...
you know, now forceful entry into a world war, there was very little chance that he was going to get the kind of attention that he was so craving here. So he was like, you know what? I'm going to let somebody else have their moment right now. He said, I will make no more bomb units for the duration of the war. My patriotic feelings have made me decide this.
you know, now forceful entry into a world war, there was very little chance that he was going to get the kind of attention that he was so craving here. So he was like, you know what? I'm going to let somebody else have their moment right now. He said, I will make no more bomb units for the duration of the war. My patriotic feelings have made me decide this.
Later, I will bring the con ed to justice. They will pay for their dastardly deeds. Like, that doesn't feel very patriotic. Yeah, that feels pretty rough. It's killing your fellow man. To everyone's surprise, though, he remained true to his word. And there were no other bombs or letters from FP in the years that followed. Interesting.
Later, I will bring the con ed to justice. They will pay for their dastardly deeds. Like, that doesn't feel very patriotic. Yeah, that feels pretty rough. It's killing your fellow man. To everyone's surprise, though, he remained true to his word. And there were no other bombs or letters from FP in the years that followed. Interesting.
The war raged on across Europe, and the nation's attention was obviously... He was right. They were consumed by fighting. Yeah. And New York forgot kind of all about FP and his grudge against, you know... the whole Con Ed building and employees and company as a whole. But F.P., he was not giving up on this mission. He was lurking. Yeah, and he did not have any intention of being forgotten.
The war raged on across Europe, and the nation's attention was obviously... He was right. They were consumed by fighting. Yeah. And New York forgot kind of all about FP and his grudge against, you know... the whole Con Ed building and employees and company as a whole. But F.P., he was not giving up on this mission. He was lurking. Yeah, and he did not have any intention of being forgotten.
Just before 5.30 p.m. on the afternoon of March 29, 1951, the peak of rush hour at Grand Central Station, an explosive device detonated. Oh, no. And a cigarette urn placed outside the entrance to the Grand Central Oyster Bar. It sent sand, cigarette butts, and other debris flying in all directions.
Just before 5.30 p.m. on the afternoon of March 29, 1951, the peak of rush hour at Grand Central Station, an explosive device detonated. Oh, no. And a cigarette urn placed outside the entrance to the Grand Central Oyster Bar. It sent sand, cigarette butts, and other debris flying in all directions.
Despite being placed on one of the lower levels by track 27, there were no passerbys when the bomb went off. Wow. And no one was hit. That's amazing. Inside this pipe bomb, he had packed nuts and bolts in there, too.