Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-02-19
A DEMONS DEVICE.

the Life of the Tool of the Conspirators
and Hundred and Fifty Others, IL
Necessary, Sacrificed-GeorgeJ J. Gibson.
Secretary of the Whisky Trust Arrested
as the Leading Conspirator.
CHICAGO, Feb. 12.-George j. Gibson,
secretary of the great Whisky Trust,
was arrested at the Grand Pacific Hotel
at $50 a. n. on charge of conspirlnS
to blow up all the distillerles in the
country not belonging to the trust. Mr.
Gibson lives at Peoria, and 1T is said
that he came here for the express
purpose of wrecking the Shufeldt dis
tillery in this city. Several attempts
have been made to blow up the Shufeldt
plant, in one of which young Kunze, OF
Cronin murder fame, was involved. 1t
is said that Mr.. Gibson tried to bride
Government inspector to blow up the
Shufeldt distillery, and this led to his
arrest as he alighted from a
carriage in front of the Grand
Pacific Hotel. In a small sachel car
ried by Mr.. Gibson was found number
of articles which are said to be positive
evidence of his connection with the con-
spiracy. Mr.. Gibson was taken to the
United States marshals office.
At preliminary hearing before
United States Commissioner Hoyne Mr..
Gibson waived examination and was
held to the Federal grand jury on S20,-
900 bail.
Solicitor-General A. Hart made the
following statement this evening: "a
short time ago we learned that Mr.. Glib
son was in correspondence with our
gauger, L. S. Dewar. | came on here
and Dewar revealed to me the PROPOSE
tons made by Gibson. Gibson told
him that the trust could not get a foot
hold in Chicago as long as the Shufeldts
were located here. The obnoxious dis
tillery must be removed. Gibson had a
perfectly safe plan, he said. Dewar
was to get $4,000 cash and $4,000
later to introduce into the big
spirit tank of the distillery,
containing thousands of gallons of high
spirits, an Internal machine that was
fixed to explode at a certain time. The
explosion would free the spirits and
throw the distillery into a mass of
flames. Dewar was led to believe that
the machine would give him time to get
out of the place alive But it would
not do to let him live. Dewar was to
be killed by the explosion, which was
to occur one second after he dropped
the machine into the vat. One hundred
and fifty men who are at work in the
place day and night would have been
killed. The Shufeldts will lose moth
ing said Gibson, because their prop
erty is well insured The Government
owns most of it. Dewar kept us posted
and helped to carry the plan to the
point as it turned out to-day.
The trap was to be sprung on Sunday.
Gibson and the Internal machine are
sion. Our confidence in the gauger was
never shaken. He trembled when he
was informed that he would never have
lived to claim his reward. Our proof. 1
am sorry to say, is most absolute. The
chain of evidence against Mr.. Gibson is
the strongest ever forged. The officials
at Washington are perfectly dazed over
the dastardiy nature of the conspiracy"
who is supposed to be connected
with Gibson in this matter?'' Mr. Hart
was asked.
I'VE can not specify now. 1t is not
TO be supposed that the secretary of
the Whisky Trust was acting indie
pcndently in the matter"
Gibson was released late yesterday
afternoon, Nelson Norris. the packer,
signing his bond in the sum of so, 900.
Gibson was also required to attach his
signature.
Mr.. Hart says that Just at present,
there will be no more arrests in the
case, for although they are certain
that there is some one back of Gibson,
they have no evidence that they can
bring against them. The offense with
which Gibson is at present charged is
punishable with not more than three
years in the penitentiary, but it is
thought from the startling details of
the plot that good case of conspiracy
to commit murder can be brought
against the secretary of the trust.
This would send him down for long
time.
Warned of Approaching Danger.
CHICAGO, Feb. 12.-Thomas Lynch,
one of the proprfetors of the Shufeldt
u1istillery. in an interview yesterday
afternoon said: ''Since the last at
tempted outrage on our property we
have received communications from an
unknown friend, whom we believe is a
member of the Whisky Trust, giving us
hints of approaching danger. On Mon
day last we received brief note giving
us definite information of what was
coming. 1t read something like this:
Lock out An attempt will be made to
blow you up either tomorrow (Tues-
day. or next day OF course we paid
strict attention 80 the friendly warning,
and at once communicated with the au-
thorities. We remained up all Monday
night. and Tuesday night prepared to
defend our property and our lives. We
fully expected to be blown skyward
last night, and had every preparation
made 90 avert the horrible consequences
that might ensue in case there should
be a successful explosion.
Young SpeIIman Again Arrested
ST. PAUL Mimi, Feb. 12.-John Spell
man, son of Edward Spellman, the
wealthy Peoria distiller. was ARRESTED
Yesterday on telegram from Inspector
Stuart. in charge of the division at Chi
cago, instructiug him to arrest Spell
man on charge of having robbed tn
United States mails at Washington, Ill
The Rockefellers and Others interests
in an Immense Steel Plant
WEST SUPERIOR, Wis, Feb. En-