The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-12-31
TO BLOW UP AN EMPEROR.
The Plot for Which Eight Men Are on
Trial In Leipsic.
An Anarchist Conspiracy that Was TO Have
Been Contaminated when ths
Great GermRnia Monument Was
Unveued-The Bold speech.
es of the Alleged Leader.

The trial of the German Anarchists who
are accused of attempting TO cause an explo
sion at the time of the unwilling of the Me
derwald monument to United Germany, on
November o. 1888, was begun in -e.Fsic last
Monday. There are eight Of .ns accused
persons-Beinsdorf, Bschmsrh. Kuechlen,
Rupsch, Holzhauer, Soenngen, Reinbsch
and Toellner. There were ffty-four wit
nesses called, and the prisoners had four at.
torneys, whose expenses were partly paid by
subscriptions from Socialists in this and 9TH
er countries
The most remarkable feature OF the trial has
been the bearing of ReinsdoIE 1t is gener-
ally admitted that be was the ringleader of
the conspiracy, and he hardly denies 1t him.
self. In fact he has apparently scorned to
deny the essential point of the accusation
against him. He is evidently acting from
honest conviction, and has the courage of
his faith TO en- extraordinary degree. He
has made several harangues in court and
has stoutly defended the Justice of bis cause
On Thursday last he closed an address of
this kind by stating that he knew be rlsked
his life, but IL be died he died n artyr and
true to the Scriptursl injunction: BE ye
faithful unto death" The public prose
cutor demanded that his words be taken
down to form the basis OF another charge
against him, that of meeting to murder.
When asked whether he pleaded guilty or
not guilty to this charge, he drew himself
up TO his full height and answered:
II have nothing further to say. Do with
me as you please"
On Saturday, when asked IL he had any
thing more to say in his own defense, ne
sgain dwelt on the unhappy and degraded
condition OF German workmen, and de-
nounced in bitter terms the system of police
supervision. Had he ten heads he would
gladly sacrifice them 10 the cause. The
grave, he said, was the best place for q per-
secuted proletarian like himself. In another
speech be confessed that he was connected
with the regicide plot, and was so bitter in
his remarks on the condition of the working
classes of Germany that the Judges inter
rupted him several times and IebUked him.
The work of obtaining freedom, he said de-
vOlved upon the workmeL themselves. The
contests at the polls, so beloved by the Social
Democrats, were absurd and Irrational. The
Anarchist programme of action would alone
answer the purpose. The end justified the
means, and be had done his duty rs an An
arehist. He admitted that be had persuaded
Rupsch and Kuechien to join him, and that
be gave them the necessary Instructions as to
the handling and placing OF the dynamite.
Had he not been i'll at the time, he added
he would have committed the ASSASSINATION
at the Niederesld himself Through0utthe
trial he has endeavored to shield his COM
paniops even at his own expense.
He is described as possessing, in addition
to great physical courage, n remarkable
and stiectionate disposition The evidence
snd his own confession clearly show, how
ever, that, Notwithstanding this character
istic, he deliberately plotted To murder the
Emperor, the Crown Prince, and as many
more as happened TO be in tbs vicinity when
the mine EXPLODED.
The NINE was in q drain under the road
way over which the Emperor must pass in
going from Rndesheim to Neider valid. II
consisted of large stone jar and a glass
bottle filed with dynamite and furnished
with percussion caps. According to Rupsch's
confession, be was ordered t. fire the mine
whe the Emperor's carriage was about fifty
feet away by applying lighted cigar to the
end OF the fuse placed at the side of the
roadway. Rupsch asserts that he was I'M
willing to effect the explosion, and only ap-
piled an unlighted cigar. Kuechen up
braided Rupsch for his failure, and the latter
gave as explanation that the fuse was wet
and failed TO light. Kuechlen then told
Rupsch to place new finder in the fuse ard
to explode the mine when the Emperor
was returning Rupsch returned TO
the drain, fastened fresh finder TO the fuse,
but cut the fuse in two about two metres
from the charge. When the Emperor re-
turned and was at the proper spot Rupsch
applied burning cigar to the severed fuse
and walked away. Kuechlen was very angry
at the second failure, aud when the rosd
was clear of people removed the dynamite
TO the grand pavilion at Rudesheim, where
q concert was in progress. Kuechlen there.
upon sneaked away. and Rupsch ex Dloded
the dynamite ten PAGES from the pavilion
and ran awsy.
The stories told by sll OF the prisoners ex-
cept Reinsdorf have been conflicting and
contemplate in the spirit they have shown
on the part of the conspirators to shove
their own guilt upon eacb others shoulders.
The question of capital punishment in the
case of Rupsch aud Kuecblen depends upo1
the proof of the ignition of the fuse and its
extinction without their Intervention. Toell-
ner pleads that he wss drunk on the occs-
zion when he is proved TO have had CON-
munication with the conspirstors RuBsch,
when asked if he had anything more 20 say
in his defense, begged for time in which to
petition the Emperor. Kuecblen begged tor
mercy on the ground of bis large family.
Bschmsnn said all he meant in the plot was
to scare the bourgeOise. the remainder
protested their innocence.