The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-02-26

Tng LONDON Times relates an ex.
traordinary story Of Nihilist negotiations
with Birmingham mechanic Tor the
manufacture Of Internal machines to DO
used against the Emperor Of Russia.
Some months ago an operative clock.
maker named Hutchinson wrote to the
local chief Of police that he WAS in fear
ot his lie, owing 70 . rupture between
himself and certain Nihilist agents Tor
whom he had undertaken to do work.
To detectives sent to interrOgate him ne
stated that In April, 1879, he was In
London on business. and in u restaurant
met two men, with whom he entered
into conversation. One Of these was a
Russian, the other . German. In the
course Of conversation Hutchinson hap.
pencd 70 say that he was clOckmaIcr,
and showed tho men some Of his pat.
terms. They became interested at once,
asked him II he could work on designs,
and upon his making answer in tho A.
irmative they produced some rough
plans for his Inspection. On announc'
Ing his readiness to perform the work.
Hutchinson WAS told that he was to a..
sist In the preparation OF internal ma
chimes Of tho following construction
One machine had tn be arranged SO that
II could be fixed under the ground lit.
tie way, and from the place where the
"cru,ch" WAS fixed over the pendulum
wire . little continuance had TO be con.
struc,ed by which q small lead pipe
could be attached, and through this
pipe a wire had to be carried. 4 second
machine was to have sharp hooks nj.
fixed to drive ii into the bottom Of
railway carriage, the clockwork move
meht being made to explode the charge
In from one minute n forty-cight Of
more hours. The third machine
was to be more simple, having TO be SC
constructed that it could be put under 8
garden wall or any pathway. This CON
trivance was to be worked with very
thin wires. Another machine was {
dynamite bomb, to be placed under thu
seat Of 4 private carriage. The las
machine Sketched out by tho conspira
tors was 70 be Of miniature size, so tha
Il might 30 easily placed within . DO
quot. A thirty.hour movement was re
Quired, similar to that found in an Amer
lean alarm clock, and the charge nigh
DO either nitro-glycerine or dynamite.
The cl0ckmaker asked time to con
slider the proposition, and afterwsrt
met the men ct Birmingham, wher
Hutchinson was asked to sign an agree
ment pledging him to the strictest sc
crecy on penalty Of death, and promis
ing him $500 on the completion OF tn
work. lie then told the men that b
had decided not TO undertake the work
whereupon they left him, after making
violent threats against him. Since tbs
time he has been continually apprehen
sive OF Nihilist vengeance, has been an
able to sleep ut night, and feared to dir
close bis secret lest he should pay tn
penalty Of betrayal. After = long pr
Rod u suspense he wrote an anony
nous note to the Russian Embassy, il
: forming them Of an attempt which tn
conspirat0rs had revealed to him I
blow up the Emperor's train to Mo-
! cow (Which was soon after duly made,
This communication led to q corr,
spondence between Hutchinson and Il
!. Embassy, and ultimately an sttache ".
= sent down to see him. Hutchinson W;
subsequently, taken to London and ha
an interview with the Russian Amba
. sador. to whom he gave minute d
scription OF the conspirators and the
machines. Nothing has since bet
@ heard Of the two Nihilists, but Hutch
Q son Is still apprehensive Of violence fro
u them.