The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-05-31
rERRIsLE ExPLosIoRAvERTEo.
Anarchists make a Desperate At
tempt to Blow Up the Haymsrket
Monument

A special telegram from Chicago
dated the Gath of May says that the
night of May 4, 1886, the date OF the
anarchist riot, was recalled to mind
that morning with startling vividness
by the discovery Of unmistakab
traces OF an attempt to blow up the
haymarket monument and the sur
rounding buildings with a gigantic
charge OF dynamite. A policeman
passing near the monument saw at it's
base what appeared to be roll OF
black cloth, tied with small rope. He
reached through the railing and pulled
on thesupposed rope. Itparted in his
fingers and easily crumbled as though
charred by fire. He then climbed ov.
or the fence and made a discovery
that took away his breath. Tied up
in a piece OF black cloth was u tin can
about twelve inches long and four
inches in diameter. The vessel was
evidently full OF some substance and
weighed about ten pounds. In the
top of the can was q small hole about
three sighth's Of an inch in size, from
which he had pulled the rope" Be-
side the can lay several pieces OF the
string, which Crumbled beneath the
touch. 1t WAS the fuse. The powder
within had burned out, leaving the
outer cover intact, but very brittle.
The fuse was III a dozen pieces, and
had apparently been soaked with ker-
osene.
On the step approaching the base OF
piece OF the fuse, to one end OF which
was attached q small dynamite cap.
This, when tried with fire, flashed
readily.
1t is believed tnat the heavy rain OF
the night previous prevented an ex.
plosion which must have been most
disastrous In its consequences.
The cap on the unliGhted piece Of
fuse is precisely like the one that
Lingg used in taking his own lite. The
charge OF dynamite, according to the
police, WAS enough to blow up several
blocks. The machine was probably
placed there early this morning and
the rain extipguished the burning fuse.
An explosion would have made terri
BILE havoc. With street cars frequent
lv passing so close, too, the loss OF life
would have been great.
The can, with its dreaded contents
and pieces OF burned Iuse, were turned
over to Central officers, who took 1t
to. the Etna Powder Company's Of
flee, where an expert made an exam
nation. The can contained compo.
sition so per cent. OF which was nitro.
glyce rine, and would have made ter,
ribe explosion had the fire reached it.
The fuse was OF the kind ordinarily
used. Nothing but the timely shower
OF rain prevented the plot being sue.
cessfullY realized.
Detectives have been detailed to find
out the authors oi the plot. Chief OF
Police Marsh vas seen and questioned
by reporter in regard to the matter.
Have you had any intlmation that
the anarchists had been secretly or.
ganizing Of late, or that auy attempt
had been made to revive the old spir-
it Of anarchy" was asked.
"Just at this moment should pre-
fer not to answer that" replied the
chief. "If this attempt should prove
to be nothing but q scare It would be
unad visable to give the public any
foundations for being alarmed.
1t was learned, however, that there
has been a decided movement on the
part of the reds OF late to resusCitate
the old feeling OF revolution and to
organize them into working shape.
, Secret meetings have been held by the
old groups. Herr Most, whom the
old followers OF Spies and Parsons
now recognize as leader. has been Sc
cretty sending 20 Chicago circulars
urging the followers TO organize and
preyare to strike auothe- blow.