St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-25
An Attempt Made to Blow Up
the Haymarket MOnu-
ment, Chicago.
Gigantic Charge Of Dynamite
Found at the Foot Of the
Monument.
The Kerosene-Soaked Fuse is
Extinguished by a Shower
of Rain.
Comment Upon the Clandes-
\ tine Activity Of Garden
City Anarchists.

CHICAGO, May 24.-The night of May
f. 1885, the date of the anarchist riot,
was recalled to minds this morning with
startling vividnesS by the discovery OF
unmistakable traces of an attempt to
blow up the Haymarket monument and
the surrounding buildings with gigan-
tic charge of dynamite. A policeman pass
ing near the monument saw at its base
what appeared TO be a roll of black
cloth, tied with small rope. He
reached through the railing and pulled
on the supposed rope. 1t parted in his
fingers and easily crumbled, as though
charred by fire. He then climbed
over the fence and made
discovery that took away his
breath. Tied up in a piece of
black cloth was 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
small hole about three e-eighths of an
inch in size, from which he had pulled
the rope" B eside the can lay several
pieces of the string which crumbled be-
meath the touch. 1t was the fuse. The
powder within had burned out, leaving
the outer cover intact, but very britt lie.
The fuse was in a dozen pieces and had
apparently been soaked with kerosene.
Oh the step approaching the base of
the statue was found an unlighted
piece of the fuse, to one end
of which was attached a small
dynamite cap. This. when tried with
fire. flashed readily. 1t is believed that
the heavy rain of last night prevented
an explosion 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 life. 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 eX-
tinguished the burning fuse. An eX-
ploSlon would have made terrible havoc.
With street cars frequently passing so
close, too, the loss oil lie would have
been great. The can, with its
dreaded contents and pieces of
burned fuse, were turned over to cen
tral officers, who took it TO the Atna
Powder company's office, where an ex-
pert made an examination. The can
contained a composition, so pei cent of
which was nitro-glocerine, and would
have made terrible 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 successfully realized. De-
tectives have been detailed to find out
the authors of the plot Chief OF Police
Marsh was seen and questioned by a re-
porter in regard to the matter.
"Have you had any intimation that
the anarchists had been secretly organ
izing Cf late or that any attempt had
been made to revive the old spirit Of
anarchy?" was asked.
''Just at this moment / should prefer
not to answer that" replied the chief.
IF this attempt should prove to be
nothing but a scare it would be unad-
visable to give the public any founda-
tions for being alarmed"
1t was learned. however, that there
has been a decided movement on the
part of the reds of late to reSucitate the
Old feeling of revolution and to organize
them into working shape. Secret meet
ings have been held by the old groups.
Herr Most, whom the old followers OF
Spies and Parsons now recognize as
leader, has been secretly sending to
Chicago circulars urging the followers
to organize and prepare to strike an
other blow.