Editor’s Note: The following article is part of a continuing series of historical articles published in past issues of the Iowa State Daily. This article is dated May 23, 1970.

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Ames Mayor Stuart Smith said there are clues into yesterday morning’s bombing of city hall but refused to elaborate saying, “We are not going to strike out now at people we don’t like.”

Smith would not say if an arrest was near in the bombing which injured nine persons — two of them seriously.

Smith urged Ames residents to remain calm and made a strong plea for anyone having information whatsoever about the bombing to inform police.

State, federal and local law officers converged on city hall within minutes of the blast to dig through rubble for clues.

Police Chief A. E. Siedelmann, who was in Kansas City attending a police drug conference at the time of the blast, was reported heading the investigation by late yesterday afternoon.

Smith said he did not believe anyone from Ames was capable of doing such a thing.

The blast ripped through the building shortly after 9 a.m. yesterday shattering virtually all the windows in building and seriously injuring a prisoner being held in the Municipal jail, on OMVI charges.

Flying glass injured eight others in the building. The blast, from an undetermined explosion, tore bars loose from the basement jail and blew the door off.

The explosive was placed below ground level in a window well on the south side of the two-story building.

Col. James Macholz of the highway patrol believes like many other officials that the blast was caused by dynamite.

Governor Robert Ray, who flew into Ames about 11 a.m. to survey the damage and offer state assistance said he was concerned about dynamite still missing from a quantity stolen from a construction site in Des Moines earlier this month.

The general reaction from city officials was that the incident was “a terrible, terrible thing.” “It’s an awful shock. There’s not much more I can say,” Councilman Donald Nelson, first ward, said after surveying the damage. Councilman Howard Bell, Washington-at-large just said, “It’s a hell of a mess.”

The blast came despite recent stepped up security measures at city hall. The measures including half hour surveillances of the grounds, where initiated following the discovery of a bomb-like device at Municipal Judge John McKinney’s home late last month.

McKinney explained how he was nearly injured in the blast.

“I usually park my car right there about 9,” he said pointing to a parking spot near where the bomb had exploded, “but I took it to a garage to be serviced this morning and entered by another door.”

He said he was just ready to start traffic court, when the explosion ripped through the building. He would not answer to a question on whether the bomb was meant for him.

McKinney revealed yesterday that a bomb threat had been phoned to city hall Wednesday during the trial of two black students, Roosevelt Roby and Charles Knox.

The caller reportedly said a bomb had been planted in the judge’s chambers. McKinney said he thought the threat was a hoax and decided not to clear the courtroom. A search showed no bomb.

Persons inside the building at the time of the blast report hearing “a loud boom,” the whole building shook and glass flew everywhere. The city hall staff — about 40 persons — was inside the building at the time.

The first concern for everyone inside was getting everyone to safety. Police captain Eldon Hand, whose back was badly cut by flying glass, went into the basement to get the prisoner, Ramon Wicks.

A Highway Patrolman sitting near the south wall of the office reportedly received serious head cuts. Charles Elliott, the patrolman, was taken to Mary Greeley Hospital for treatment and it is feared he may lose his left eye.

The most seriously injured was Wicks, 54, who was in the cell near the window where the blast occurred. He was taken to Mary Greeley Hospital with a reported piece of coat hanger projecting from his jugular vein.

He was taken into surgery shortly before noon and was later reported in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

A meter maid, Esther Hoff, reportedly received a serious leg cut from the flying glass. She was hospitalized and is reported in satisfactory condition.

The blast from just below the first floor police desk was felt as far as 20 blocks away.

The sound of tinkling glass was heard as workmen began clearing the debris from the streets and clearing shattered glass from the windows. By the middle of the afternoon most of the windows had been boarded up.

Inside, is was several hours before the lobby and police desk were cleared of broken glass and blood.

The local Red Cross set up a stand to feed the workers and law officials and the large number of newsmen that gathered from all over the state. One of the volunteer workers at the Red Cross unit estimated 350-450 people had been served by mid-afternoon.