Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-12-25
A London Sensation.
An Attempt is Made to EXtOrt
Money From the Prince of
Wales, by Threat.
The Blaekmailers are captured
and Important Develop
ments are Expected.
EnSi6 ana.
A GENUINE SENSATION

A zen l1NE SENSATION.
LONDON, Dec 22.-London has had
a genuine sensation to-day. Early
this morning young man and his
wife, john and Sarah Magee, were ar
rested at kensington, on a charge of
of Saving attempted to procure money
from the prince of Wales By writing
threatening letters. They were taken
into court and formal charges were
preferred against them and they were
remauded TO await examination.
1t appears that the prisoners had
written two letters, but as they were
not read in court it is impossible to
give their exact language, or to state,
except in general terms, what they
contained. 1t is known, however,
that the letter made demand for
ESQ, and intimate d IN unmIstakable
terms that unless this amount WAS
forthcoming,
THE PRINCE LIFE WOULD BE IN JEoP-
ARDY
The prince it is said paid only
passing attention to the first letter,
which Magee sent; but when the sec
ond came, reiterattng the demand and
threats, his royal highness turned the
letters over to the police and left them
to do whatever they thought best
The police at once quietly set about
planning the capture of the black
matters. They sent a message as
coming from the Prince of Wales
to the address given In the letters,
directing the authors of the let
ters to appear at the specified
time and place and assurance was
given that somebody would meet them
at the appointed hour prepared to
hand over the package containing the
money they had demanded The
Mage es at once fell into the trap which
had been set for them. They ap-
peared at the spot designated this
morning and were presented with
package of farthings. As they start
ed TO leave with their supposed treas
ure, the police threw off their dis
guise AID arrested them. The woman
thereupon
MADE VOLUNTARY CONFESSION
of the whole plot AT any rate the
police say THAI the confession was
voluntary. The woman, however,
has s'nce declared that she was forced
by the police against her viii to con
fess something. 1t is thought that
she fears the confession made by her
IN the first moments Of CONSERVATION
after her arrest may be bad for her on
her trial, and that she is therefore try
ing to weaken its effect by asserting
that it was forced from her by the pc
lice.
A reporter called upon an eeuerry
of the Primes of Wales this afternoon
to learn any facts obtainable about
tie affair. The eouerry knew some
thing of the contents Of the letters.
These, he declared. represented that
Magee was an emissary of Sc
cret society, and that he had been
ordered to kill the Prince of Wales,
but the letters further intImated that
Magee did not wish to obey the man
date. There was no help for it, how
ever, unless he could get money
enouga to go to America. He want
ed $50 pounds therefore. and if this
amount reached hin he would at once
bid lasting good bye to secret societies
and conspIracies and start across the
Atlantic. 1t is believed that discios
ures of an important nature may be
made when the case comes before the
court for thorough investigation.
THE EXCITEMENT CONTINUES UNABAT-
ED
LONDON, Dec. 2-The excitement
throus hout Great Britain on the sub
ject of home rule for ireland contin-
ues without abatement. Newspapers
of all shades Of opinions and politics
are urging Mr.. Gladstone to speak
definitely Ia regard to- his plans The
| late premier in response to a telegram
sent today, asking him for informa-
ton with regard to the Irish home
rule scheme which, it is reported, he
has had under consideration for some
time. replied as follows: From my
public declarations at Edinburg, re-
specting the government of Ireland,
you will easily see that l have ne
further communication to make.
In the speech referred to, Gladstone.
Nov. II, said in effect, IN reply to
Parnell's suggestion to give local self
government TO Ireland, that when he
learns through constitutional chan
mel what the wishes Of Ireland are will
give them attentive consideration but
that be cannot gain this knowledge
until the new parliament meet.
George j. Goschen, prominent
member of the WING branch of the
! liberal party, asked to-day for his
opinion on the reported scheme of
home rule for Ireland, replied by tele
graph that he maintained his hitherto
EXPIRE ssed CONVICTIONS against Irish
home rule, and tkat he could not
comment on any scheme of that nature
until such scheme had been fully de-
| clared
The Marquis OF Harrington, who
was secretary for war in Giadstone's
cabinet, declares that notwIthstahd-
ing intimations to the contrary, he
! has not annroved of the scheme.