Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-06
Or. FzasGMss ..Queer StOry.o

RI PORTED PLOT TO ASSAsSINATE TIfs PRESIDENT
II PRINT FOR THE FIRST TIME-THE FACTS OF
THE CONSPIRACY"
UnCer the head OF ''Dr. Masons Oreer News
the New York Sun O! yesterday gives what par
ports to be an interesting conversation with the
Dev. DR.. Mason of the E street Baptist Church
CT this city (who Is In attendance at the confer
ence Of the Baptist ministers In New York; rs-
lative to an alleged plot to assasstnate Pes
cent Hayes In Washington In 1871 at the time
Of the Inauguration. DR.. Mason evidently be-
neVed mat there had never been any eXplana-
ton OF this wonderful story and, that as the
Sun says, il has been kept a secret till now. Ia
the Interview he said, as reported, to the sun
reporter.
under arm S on March 4, 1877, when Hayes was in :
and with arms in their hands. This isn't ali
IhrGush some en- mysterious means the press hasn't
The press will publish it now, you may b
sure interrupted one ef the ministers.
rurtion: s'When the carriage Vas Conveying the
President up Fennsylyania avenue on that March
carriage was torn in the struggle. 40, you see we
feel f great strain ON us in Washington We feel in
deliberately and slowly, as though carefully cho IS,
ing his words, he continued: eve feel that great
now brought to bear; and something more than a
strain, too.''
1t appears that some very high officials took
some interest in the alleged plot to which DR..
Mason refers, though the fact that clergymen
trained with regiments with arms In their
haGds" TO prevent it does not Eeem to have been
Grown here at that time; nor Is the other claim
'lhat the Presidents carriage was torn In the
struggle" authenticated. 1t appears that in
the latter part or the winter Of fSl7 during the
great excitement OF the times, a detective
named Maxwell 1ngratlated himself with some Uf
the Presidents friends in Columbus, Ohio, and
made them believe that an attempt would be
uace On Governor Hayes life on his way to
Washington. Maxwell was, therefore, per-
mitted to ride in the car with the presidential
oan almost absurd procedure at the best
OF course, as Is well known, there was
no intimation of any trouble OF any
kind: The President elect even came
road In the night from Columbus and spent the
Lext day at the Capitol and other public places
unattended. except by few personal friends
ard possibly by Maxwell and his shadows >
when The Inauguration took place three days
thereafter, 1t may be remembered that four
men in citizens dress followed closely behind
The Presidents carriage in the procession on
Pen1sylVaDia avenue, and at times took hold Of
II. Trey were Maxwell and his assistants. On
the way TO the Capitol some man in the crowd
or the sidewalk was either forced out of the
me me- Oh @ ,he curb; or stepped out for better
AID was promptly knocked down by Maxwell.
There was 10 struggle. nor was the carriage
torn. This was all that occurred In the devel-
opment OF "the terrible plot" Those who be-
teved Maxwell secured him a position after
Walds OIL the secret service force, from which
he was shortly relieved. He was then ap-
pointed a lieutenant 1n the army, and was SUBJ
SsQuent!y arrested and suspended and dismissed
the service. He was policeman at one time In
Springfield, Mass, and good officer there, but
his ASSASSINATION" plot s now regarded as a
pure invention intended to promote his own
June l3, 1871, and dismissed August 26, 1S7S
His full name Is ErastuS w. Maxwell