A meeting of ministers in the Grand Vizier's office had been proposed
for the hour at which the explosion took place, and it was supposed that
the cowardly assassins had intended to murder the Turkish officials
while they were attending to their duties. Happily the meeting had been
postponed, and therefore but little harm was done beyond the damage to
the building.

The people had hardly recovered from their horror over the wrecking of
the Council House when word was brought that an attempt had been made
to blow up the Ottoman Bank.

Just a year ago an attack was made on the Bank, and on that occasion its
officers were so unprepared for an attack that the Armenians gained
possession of the building, and held it against the soldiers for several
hours.

The Ottoman Bank of Turkey has charge of the public funds, so it is to
the interest of the Government to see that it is well protected. Since
the Armenian attack, therefore, there has not only been a special guard
on duty to protect the bank, but men stationed at the doors to inspect
every person who entered, and prevent any suspicious-looking characters
from gaining access to the main building.

These precautions probably saved many precious lives, for, on the same
afternoon that the bomb was thrown a man was seen entering the bank who
was so extraordinarily fat that the watchers became suspicious of him.

They refused to let him enter the main building, and taking him into a
little side room set apart for the purpose, they searched him.