The Portland daily press., 1881-08-03

A Man Who Knows All About the Plot
and duplicates O'Donovan Rosa.
PEORIA, ILL.,, Aug. 2.-P. W. Grove of this
city, whose name has been mentioned in con-
nection with the attempt to blow up the Brit
ish vessels, openly confesses his knowledge of
the plot, and claims the same right to manu-
facture explosives that others have to make
firearms. He has letters from O'Donovan
Rosa, and boasts that after September LIST no
English vessel will be SAFE Some of the shells
are on exhibition, but there is nothing indicat-
ing that those already used were made here.
1t is thought the shells are being made here
and the explosives and machinery in other
points.
A reporter interviewed Grove, the gasoline
lamp contractor here, who is connected with
the internal machine matter. Peoria has al
ways been at the head of the Fenian agitation
here and Grove is one of the most desperate
agitators Grove produced a letter from Geo.
Hagate dated Philadelphia, setting forth that
which did such terrible execution during the
rebellion, and that he had been conducting
experiments with 1t under water which caused
McClintock to lose his life, and that he had
refused apro position from Spain for the boat.
He claims it would blow up any vessel in the
Bri fish fleet. 1t would cost about $4,000 to
build it and he would place it at Groves dis
posal, Grove said, shortly after the executive
committee of the United Irishmen met in New
York. Judge Brennan of Iowa, Capt G.
Splerman OF NOW 1Ofk, James A0Qn6uc Oh
Pr evidence, Thos I'll. Dryer of Chicago,
O'Donovan Rosa and himself were present.
They discussed Halgate's proposition and
scheme of devastating England's shores, but
on Groves representations they decided it
would be too expensive, and they could do
better work by depositing torpedoes in British
ships, which could be done for 1926 apiece and
which would bring England to terms by max
ing it dangerous for her people to go abroad in
British vessels. They decided to take that
course some time later. The United lrishmen
and Fenians joined hands in order to execute
those plans. They were 5000 strong in the
United States and Canada. There were
branches in Toronto, Quebec, Montreal and
nearly every importont city in the United
States. These Internal machines are being
made in every city where there is a branch Of
the order and will continue to be made. They
are working for the good of the old sod and
they were no more liable than are makers of
revOlvers and cannon, and with these weapons
could drive from the seas their enemy, destroy
her trade and make profitable business inn
possible.
The machines captured in England were
made in Peoria His answers gave the repor-
ter confidence in the truth of this statement.
They were of zinc interior in which clockwork
and explosives were packed. The clockwork
operated with spring, and after six days rum
ming it liberated hammer something like
gun trigger which struck percussion cap and
ignited the charge. The charge consists of an
pound half Of dynamite, and would destroy
the largest block of buildings in the world.
The whole thing weighs forty-five pounds.
Grove claims there are many of these dread
machines already completed, some in Fra nee
in charge of trustworthy parties, who would
use them quite freely. They had already
greatly worried the British; had destroyed the
Manchester post office, Victoria docks Gloss
$5,000,00O] exploded machines at Stafford and
Glasgow, at London and Liverpool, and in
licted an aggregate loss of G5OO0OO0O.
He says the manufacture of these machines
still goes forward here.