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

77-1 E t'l ifßi:./. A A 4To 0 ,r?,S; A I ,-0A 'l-,./ Rif( ye

(Fi.,mt tie Bird; victin Joitenal.)
In the beginning of the w:ek a missive, writ an
n English, was ri cei ved l y the respected Prefeci of
the Seine. Thy document, althougi unpretending
in cppesranc., con I hined waters of the win ist im-
poftwice omcerning th • ploz which resulted in the
fla.r of Vile Rue Lepelleti,r ~f tie 14th January.
The Prefect, who, amongst his other ualificatious,
does not possess that of understanding q
English, had
the document translated, :mama-hat to the follow-
ing effect :
" T— H— Tavern, Birmingham, Feb. 13, 1858.
" Sir,— We feel it our duty to inform you ti at
Orsini, Pierri, and a Pole, ware assembled together
in a dark cellar under the premises of Mr. —Thhe
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 threat ma
to assassinate 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. H and E. A—."
The initials, E. P. H. and E. A., respectively
represent the secretary of a celebrated professors
and a well-known low comedian.
The information thus given was too important to
be disregarded. Enclosed in a missive from Le
French government it was transmitted to the Horns-
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 singing the letter, lie 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 th.t 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 forte,
set about instituting inquiries. First, the landlady
of the tavern indicated was alarmed by a visit trona
these gentlemen, who were rather urgent in their
interrogatorie4. 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 pi o•
cee:led to the theatre, and the comedian was takt,e,
from the stage where lie was rehearsing, and sud-
denly compelled to act a part in a drama of unre-
hearsed effects. The way people Wared 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 anythiqg
but pleasant ; but as resi.tance 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."
"Yes. I met them one-. I will tell you ill
about it," replied the printer, determined upon
making a clean breast of it.
" Well ; proceed."
"It was about the ICth of June, I think (tlte
printer went on) that Orsini lectured at the Music
Ha]], 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. We Lad a glass
of wine together, and some conversation passed."
"Ah !" exclaimed the detective, " now Ws
coming. What was the conversation about ?"
" Why, nothing in particular."
"Bat is it not true that they were together in a
vault?"
"Yes, perfectly true ;" and in reply to the ques.
tion whether be could not be permitted to inspect
this new Guy Fawkes chamber, he was informed
that he could. He 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 cellar," exclaimed the de.
tective.
"Of course it is," replied the printer. " What
on earth 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 tile
really excellent qualities of my wine, why youtri
also judge for yourself."
Mr. Williamson was decidedly at fault. No-
body ever could by any possibility look It as
like a conspirator than the portly printer he
saw before him ; no place in the world less
likely to be chosen for the manufacture of grenade",
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 1
c tiled. upon to explain; and with very EH° cir-
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 cellar.
What about the threat, as the letter expresses it,
made 'to assassinate a per Lon in power ? ' "
"Oh ! as to that," said the printer, "it was the
Pole that did that."
" And did it relate to the Emperor ?" was the
breathless inquiry.
"Not exactly ; it was only said in allusion to a
tax-gatherer, who was dunning him for rates ; and
ho declared that if the fellow bothered him a iy
more he would knock his ble,aed 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-wiitera, before whom
the swamps of Cayenne, guillotine , and the Con-
ciergie came painfully near. Liege were readily
given. It appeared that ou Saturday evening a very
pleasant party met together, when, the conversa-
tion turning upon the late plot, the printer hap-
f ed to mention his interview with Orsini and his
companion. " Should you like a trip to Paris at
her Majesty's expense ?' 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 add.rested it to the
Prefect of the Seine, and dropped it in the post,
never thinking that any notice would be taken of
what was so transparent a joke. " A very silly
and expensive 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 transtniss'on
to the Home Office, this valuable officer took
his departure from Birmingham,-and returned to
London. We may add, however, that the worthy
printer was during the whole of the day kept, if
nut in custody, at all events under strict surv.
tl-
lance. The facts were telegraphed to London about
mid-day ; but no reply as to the course Mr.
Hannon was to pursue was received until Thurs.
nes ,
from thattat
day. In
aslfroiltlhoewmede,anawndhialettewnhdeerdevveerrythfeaiptthifruitlelrywde:rt.
minorrlver enteringme soaroali his
it teaches
bw edhroauwsi
detective. It was only late in
he
ing all his journeyings to
.varions parts of the town,
by the persevering
ieeEnrsgnintmoaprseeyirndO r a little too freely, and that on I in
he was left alone.
prepaled:to play lacquey to the
and
et
t are
the evening,
aFotmhurierLasnlgeltceaorhsvuvt pretence, or on no pretence at all, per-
fectly innocent men may be placed
This under restrainth
re
at
iannsauliafr
intoitopnresssoefdfmieuedchomfarwthheierhl
at the instigation of French police.
be a row and no mistake.
As everything connected with the plot is of in-
terest at this moment, we append a letshwaeecredaw(nlet
tter 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.
"Mr. Taylor,—Sir, I shall feel greatly obliged
by your sending me the circular balls, ordered now
a month. You will remember promising that these
holes should be bored and the perforated sere ma
furnished in a very few days. It now becomes im-
portant that they should be furnished forthwith,
and I hope you will send them not later than
Monday next, to Ginger's Hotel, and the money
shall be returned forthwith. —I am, sir, your obe•
dient servant,

" T. ALLsor."

Mr. Taylor, we believe, intends to forward An
affidavit of the facts connected with Mr. .AilsoPea
ordering of the Fhells, his receipt of them, and his
payment of 8/. 4.1. 6d., which was the coat of the
ha; f-dozen made, to the French government to-day.

THE WELSH MINKS Or TELZ ROYAL
BRwhich ITISH BANK. -4
It is stated that this notable pperty, coat the
bank 84,0001., has been sold within these few days for
MOO/.