On this day, Sept. 16, in 1920, a bomb exploded on Wall Street in front of the J.P. Morgan building, killing 38 and injuring hundreds.
It happened during the lunch rush in the heart of New York’s financial district. A horse-drawn wagon pulled up to the building at 23 Wall St., and the driver quickly disappeared. The cart exploded into a hail of metal.
Authorities suspected anarchists. A letter carrier found fliers from a group calling itself “American Anarchist Fighters” demanding the release of political prisoners. But the mysterious driver was never found. Nobody has ever been charged.
To this day, shrapnel damage remains on the outside of the building. The company has vowed to never repair the damage in defiance to those who committed the crime.
