The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-22
A Plot for the Destruction of the Stock Ex-
change Building and the Ridiculous and
Farcical End to Which It Came.
Internal Machines Intended to Kill Will
lam Il. Vanderbilt and C. w. Field.
Destruction Of the Andre Monument, and How
it Was Done-Powder Charley and the
Dynamite He Assisted in Making.
Some of the Fiendish Plots Evolved by Oh
Followers of Johan Most.

Some of the Fiendish Plots Evolved by thu
Followers of Johan Most
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
New YORK, Aug 81 = Investigation Of the do
ings of the Anarchists before and since the con
viction of Most and his companions have al
length resulted in complete exposure Of as
founding facts. The district attorney is now
certain that plot, serious enough in its inten-
ton. though farcical in its result, was concocted
for the destruction of the Stock Exchange A
comrade named Schlag volunteered to throw
bomb into the Exchange His offer was &C.
cepted and he was duly commissioned for the
work. He visited the building several times
with view to finding the most practicable
position from which to operate. The only
entrance open to him, of course, was the Wall
street door of the visitors gallery. The
hallway at this doorway continues to the parti
ton that forms the north side of the board room.
At height of several feet from the floor is
window opening into the Exchange. The stair
way to the gallery passes near this window
Schag made up his mind that he would ga
boldly into the Wall-street entrance while the
brokers were in. session. carrying the destruct-
i've engine of progress under his arm and
part way up stairs and hurl the bomb through
the window upon the floor of the Exchange. into
the very midst of the mischievous operators.
There is no question that this diabolical plan
was matured in dead earnest Schlag meant to
throw the bomb, and his comrades were sure
that he would do SO unless prevented by force
One of the late days in November, 1882, was set
for the work, and the Anarchists were all in the
city to await the great event, The fuse
attached to the bomb was shortened so
that it would burn only half-minute before
the explosion would take place, short enough
margin surely to allow of the escape of the
the thrower, but Schlag was not going to take
advantage of so much. He would light the fuss
from the cigar, and delay hurting it until he
should be certain that it well started and not
likely to go cut. On the appointed day Schlag
walked down Wall street with his parcel ana
lighted cigar. He went boldly into the visitors
entrance-and in a moment came out again, still
with the parcel under his arm. What was the
matter2 A rendezvous had been appointed for
the evening, at which the bomb thrower was to
report his experience whether of success or fail
ure The comrades waited anxiously all day
with their ears turned toward Wall street and
wondered why the destruction did not occur.
The evening brought the valiant Schlag to the
rendezvous, and ho told his story.
First" said Schlag. ''the Waterman made me
put out my cigar; second, the window was
closed; third, the machine is sleeping safe and
harmless in the bottom of the bay, where it was
dropped from ferry-boat"
TO say that the comrades were bitterly disap-
pointed does not half express it. They were be-
numbed with sadness. There were dollars and
dollars collected with greatest difficulty, and put
into costly and effective machines, sunk like so
much dirt into the water without so much as q
blow for the cause. It was cold day for an
archy, and the chill continued all winter. and
nearly all the year 1t was the last attempt at
anarchistic warfare made from Staten Island.
The comrades who resided OF the island suffered
much hardship during the winter, and before
the next cold season had fairly begun the shabby
house was abandoned
Conclusive evidence is in the hands Of the
district attorney that at the time when the New
York Central railroad overcame the strike Of its
the Anarchists resolved to de-
stroy William H. Vanderbilt and Cyrus w.
Field. They set about the construction Of In
fernal machines that should be small enough to
send by mail They made a comparatively
small quantity of extra strong guncotton,
working as before in a crowded tenement-house.
They then procured two drinking TASKS, into
each of which they proposed to put four ounces
of the cotton. Somebody made a miscalcula<
ton in the amount of nitric acid used, and the
result was that only five and a half
e al ala H.
This was however, divided equally be-
tween the machines. no preferences being
shown to either of the miIlionares for whom
they were intended. Probably everybody haa
seen the sliding boxes that stationers use to hold
note paper and envelopes. A little handle is at
tached to the inner part by which it is pulled
out A small drinking flask was therein packed
in gun cotton, and its metal cup tightly screwed
on. A hole was bored in the top and another in
the bottom. Small compartments were filed
with a mixture of powdered sugar and chloride
of potassium. A glass tube, corked at both
ends. contained sulphuric acid. All these things
were so arranged that when the drawer was
pulled out the acid would be free from the tube,
to come in contact with the chloride Of
potassium, thus firing the gun cotton
and exploding the flask When the An
archists had made two of these internal ma
Chimes at great labor. risk, and to them,
expense ons of them became skeptisal as to tho
solidity of the construction He was afraid the
thing would not go off at the proper time, and 70
make him feel better about it glass bulb filled
with sulphuric acid was placed in one corner OF
the machine so that it could not fail to break
when the box should be,opened. This bulb was
blown by o glass blower in William street, and
one Of the conspirators attended to it personally
Still the skeptic hesitatcd. He advocated the
entire reconstruction of the machine with en-
largements and improvements The other was
impatient at delay and refused to listen TO anys