The Sun.
London, England, 1858-02-22 00:00:00

THE PIERRI

CONSPIRACY.

(Prom the Bermingham Journal.)
In the beginning of the week a missive, written
in English, was received by the respected Prefect of
the Seine. The document, although unpretending
in appearance, contained matters of the utmost im-
portance concerning the plot which resulted in the
affair of the Rue Lepelletier of the 14th January.
The Prefect, who, amongst his other qualifications,
does not possess that of understanding English, had
the document translated, somewhat to the follow-
ing effect :
" T— H— Tavern, Birmingham, Feb. 13, 1858.
" feel it our duty to inform you that
Orsini, Pierri, and a Pole, were assembled together
in a dark cellar under the premises of Mr. (the
blank was filled up with the name of a well known
printer in New-street) and that there they no doubt
conspired together, as the Pole was heard to threaten
to assa'sinate a person in power.
" We have no hesitation in suggesting that Mr.
should, as owner of the premises, be at once inter-
rogated, and the mysterious vault examined, as no
doubt important disclosures will result.
" We are, sir, your most obedient servants,
"E. P. 1:1 and E. A--"
The initials, E. P. IL and E. A., respectively
represent the secretary of a celebrated professor,
and a well-known low comedian.
The information thus given was too important to
he disregarded. Enclosed in a missive from the
French government it was transmitted to the Home-
office, and from thence, with a speed almost un-
paralleled for red tapery, sent to the police authori-
ties at Scotland-yard. The shrewd detective
Williamson, who captured Dr. Bernard in London,
on Sunday, was at once put upon the track of this
new ramification of the plot, and armed with hand-
cuffs and warrants from the Home office for the
arrest not only of the printer named, but of the two
gentlemen signing the letter, he betook himself to
Birmingham, where he arrived on Wednesday.
Some consternation was naturally caused by his
presence, and the contemporaneous arrival, as it
was said, of several members of the French police.
It was feared that a raid was about to be made
upon the democrats of Birmingham. However,
Mr. Williamson, obtaining the assistance of Ser-
geant Manton, of the Birmingham detective force,
set about instituting inquiries. First, the landlady
of the tavern indicated was alarmed by a visit from
these gentlemen, who were rather urgent in their
interrogatories. They set about inquiring into the
habits, antecedents, associates and political opin-
ions, not only of the person chiefly implicated but
of the informants. Satisfying themselves of these
particulars, they traced the secretary to the shop of
the very printer impeached. Thus they had hunted
down two of the men "wanted." Then they pro-
ceeded to the theatre, and the comedian was taken
from the stage where ho was rehearsing, and sud-
denly compelled to act a part in a drama of unre-
hearsed effects. The way people stared as they saw
him taken off through the streets between two de-
tectives to the printer's shop to confront the arch
conspirator, whom he had denounced, was anything
but pleasant ; but as resistance was vain, the ter-
ror-stricken actor meekly accompanied his captors.
The whole three being safely lodged in a private
office, the interrogation of the printer began.
"You are acquainted with Orsini and Pierri ?
inquired the detective, prefacing the sentence by a
remark that it was "a very serious piece of busi-
ness."

t, yes. I met them onca. I will tell you all
about it," nplied the printer, determined upon
making a clean breast of it.
" Well ; proceed."
"It was about the 10th of June, I think (the
printer went on) that Orsini lectured at the Music
Hall, on Italian freedom. The gentleman who
engaged Orsini brought him here, and as he was
accompanied by Pierri, and a Pole or Hungarian,
I was introduced to All of them. Wo had a glass
of wine together, and some conversation passed."
"Ah !" exclaimed the detective, "now it's
coming. What was the conversation about ?"
" Why, nothing in particular."
" But is it not true that they were together in a
vault ?"
" Yes, perfectly true ;" and in reply to the cries-
tion whether he could not be permitted to inspect
this new Guy Fawkes chamber, he was informed
that he could. lie was led under ground, down
narrow steep stairs, and through dark mysterious
passages, and at length to a chamber dimly lit
by gas. •

"Why, it's a wine collar," exollimed the de-
tective.

"Of course it is," replied the printer. "What
on °nth did you think it was ? There is the very
tub Orsini sat upon ; there stood Pierri ; and as
they expressed a very decided opinion upon the
really excellent qualities of my wine, why you rosy
also judge for yourself."

Mr. Williamson was decidedly at fault. No-
body ever could by any possibility look less
like a conspirator than the portly printer ho
saw before him ; no place in the world less
likely to be chosen for the manufacture of grenades,
or the cool discussion of the details of an elaborate
plot. Still the information was definite enough ;
and part of it was unquestionably true. Orsini
and Pierri had been there, and had met together
in a vault, although it turned out to be a wine
cellar. The secretary and the comedian must be
called upon to explain ; and with very lit le air-
!
cumlocution they were.
" I have discovered that part of the information
you gave," said Mr. Williamson, addressing the
letter writers, "is true ; only it turns out that the
mysterious meetings were convivial not political,
and that the subterranean vault was a wine collar.
What about the threat, as the letter expresses it,
made `to assassinee a Peron in
power ? '"
"Oh ! as to that," said the
was
"And did it relate to the Emperor 1" was the printer, "it the
Pole that did that."
breathless inquiry.
"Not exactly ; it was only said in allusion to a
tax-gatherer, who was dunning him for rates ; and
he declared that if the fellow bothered him any
more he would knock his blessed head off."
There was no standing this gravely any longer ;
and the result was a shriek of uncontrollable
laughter. Of course Mr. Williamson, who
did not at all relish being connected with a Wild-
goose) chase, hunting after a hoax, demanded an
explanation from the letter•writers, before whom
the swamps of
ciergie came painfully near. These were readily
Cayenne, guillotine , and the Con-
given. It appeared that on Saturday evening a very
pleasant party met togsther, when, the conversa-
tion turning upon the late plot, the printer hap-
pened to mention his interview with Orsini and his
companion. " Should you like a trip to Paris at
her Majesty's expense 1" inquired the secretary.
" .Nothing better," was the reply; and accordingly
the letter above given was written. Nobody fan-
cied that it would be sent off • but as the printer
dared the secretary to do it, he addressed it to the
Prefect of the
Seine, and dropped it in the post,
never thinking that any notice would be taken of
and expensive
what was so transparent a joke. " A very silly
joke," said the detective gravely.
" Hoaxing two governments is no joke ;" and after
obtaining the signatures of the respective parties
to their several statements, for transmission
to the Home Office, this valuable officer took
his departure from Birmingham, and returned to
London. Wo may add, however, that the worthy
printer was during the whole of the day kept, if
not in custody, at all events under strict surveil-
lance. The facts were telegraphed to London about
mid-day ; but no reply as to the course Mr. Wil-
liamson was to pursue was received until Thurs-
day. In the meanwhile, wherever the printer went
he was followed, and attended very faithfully dur-
ing all his journeyings to various parts of the town,
by the persevering detective. It was only late in
the evening, and upon entering his own house, that
he was left alone.

aside the minor moral to be drawn from
this true story, the graver lesson it teaches is that
ectto play lacquey to the
too freely, and that on the
o pretence at all, per-
fectlyplaced under restraint
asFaitar trea hnl lecehisntgovernmentl pretence,
instigationoEmperorcen tni eaCornfoel Fri PtmayrtroleenenP French police. police. This is a change
in our insular notions of freedom which we dcn't
relish, and if it is pressed much farther there will
be a row and no mistake.
As everything connected with the plot is of in-
terest at this moment, WS append a letter which
was received by Mr. Taylor, of Broad-street (who
made the grenades), 'from Mr. Allsop. The com-
plicity of this gentleman is placed beyond all doubt
by this communication, which is as follows
November 12, 1857.
boredre remember e promising that these
the r
"Mr. Taylor,—Sir, I shall feel greatly obliged
by your sending me the circular balls, ordered now
ls month. You
should
perforated screws
furnished in a very few days. It now becomes im-
portant bee
will
that they should be furnished forthwith,
ha
oe
and I hope you will send them not later than
Monday next, to Ginger's Hotel, and the money
shall be returned forthwith.—l am, sir, your obe-
dient servant,

" T. ALLSOP."
Mr. Taylor, we believe, intends to forward an
affidavit of the facts connected with Mr. Allsop's
ordering of the shells, his receipt of them, and his
payment of 8/. 4s. 6d., which was the cost of the
ha if-dozen made, to the French government to-day.

WELSII MINES OF THE ROYAL BRITISH BANN.
It is btated that this notable property, which cost the
bank 84,0001., bas been sold within these few days for
6,0001.