Wall Street Bombing

On September 16, 1920, at noon when clerks, receptionists, and brokers were heading for lunch, a horse-drawn cart exploded in front of the offices of J. P. Morgan & Co. at the corner of Wall and Broad Streets in downtown New York City. Thirty people were killed instantly, more than 300 were injured, and several later died from their injuries. The noise was heard throughout lower Manhattan and across the East River in Brooklyn. The smoke-filled streets were covered with a layer of shattered glass, debris from the damaged buildings, and bodies; the chief clerk of J. P. Morgan, William Joyce, who had been seated near the front window, was decapitated. Junius Morgan, son of J. P. Morgan, Jr., was wounded. The Stock Exchange across Broad Street was closed immediately.

The police and soldiers called in from Governors Island helped the injured, ...