The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-08-17
STRANGE MOVEMENTS ON GOVERNORS


ATTEMPT TO BLOW UP FORT COLUMBUS, WITH SEVERAL
HUNDRED TONS OF POWDER IN THE MAGAZINE
FOUR CITIZENS AND A SENTRY MAKE A RECON-
NOIsSANCE-TuEY ARE DISCOVERED AND ESCAPE,
EfC., ETC.
Nearly every day reveals the fact that the rebels have
their emissaries amongst not only In formidable mum
bes hut of such reckless and daring character that IL
is lime that some strict and prompt should TO
Immediately taken to put them where they can do
harm.
The latest startling intelligence in neighborhood 10
the daring attempt to blow mp the main magazine al
Fort Columbus Governors Island. II is well known
that there many persons the island of whom
by connections and others by sympathy who openly sym
pahisc with the of the rebels
On Monday night, or rather Tuesday morning, at an
early hour, Of the soldiers, who Is journeyman
tailor awakened from his sumbcrs by the tread Of
persons beneath his window AT that no ur and within
the walls of fort such proceeding is very unusual,
and of course tho tailor alarmed On looking out
of the window he discovered two dressed in citizens
clothes who making their way towards the main
magazine of the fort Hastily slipping his clothes he
descended, and, crawling along the balcony, he kept
track OF them. They paused for moment TO see tho
coast was clear Here they joined by two Others
and they went up to the door Of the magazine and
fumblcd around for time
The tailor became 30 excited rs to be ineautons in
his movements much that the trcadng on grating
that lay his path made considerable noise The four
hearing CHS, and possibly seeing that they dis
covered away at the top Of their speed On passing
the only sentry who stood in their way to the shore they
were haied-"Who goes therer' to which they
replied, 'Frends p The sentry made reply and the
passed and TO the shore by the path tho
spring house. boat lay in readiness and in moment
the four and pushed out into The river or
the tailor not allowed to the sentry nor
would the guardian Of the night allow him to alarm the
garrison
The next morning tho tailor told Of the officers the
story Of the dongs of the four and action
taken in the matter but the tailor told not TO make
| the matter public.
The following night this sentry who had done duty the
night before at the post and who passed the four
uncercmoniously, sent out sentry duty, but
nothing has since been of him. has he been heard
| from
The impression is very general that these fOnr
had gone to the island with the intention Of laying
train to blow up the magazine and thus destroy several
hundred tons of powder stored there, thus less
enng the supply of powder for army and at the
time destroy of the United States forts and large
number of soldiers who quartered there Had they
succeeded in firing the magazine several hundred lives
would have been lost.
few weeks ago our informant present at
saton between Of the head workmcn the island
during which Of them remarked that lie would
surprised if come night all the guns the island would be
spiked, 'tor," said he, 'they continually njurina
tools and many things so that often delayed
riously by it,
! lbe whole matter has been hushed up and counter
statements made but there sufficient weight In the
circumstances TO induce the officer seek the aid of the
police authorities ferret out the But lest by
means it should be made public 1t was taken from their
hands, and it remains in statu quo. :.
1t is quite certain that every movement made ct this
post is well known by the rebels and this ord.
nance depot the information to the number of men,
guns their size where shipped and all the details
Of the Eastern Department movements is Of the utmost,
value to them It high time that something should be
done to put stop TO il.
There those who have lived there for many years
who have relatives and friends in the rebel army some
holding high rank One mention has his wife
on the island and is not unlikely that she may inform
her husband of some Of the made here and
| this is not a lone instance by any means.
In reference to the men leaving the island easily we
are informed that there the island the pre-
sent time who and do often swim from the island IN
the city AMI return and they not caught by the SEN
tries better lookout must DO kept or else We shall be
! awakened some night by tremendous shock and learn
IN the morning that one Of forts has been blown o
and hundreds Of valuable lives sacrificed 10 crafty be
passions Of the traitors in our midst.