Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-04
PLANNING TO CAPTURE THE TOWN.
News From Lawrence County That Ennis.
saries Are Endeavoring to
Arouse ltaly's Sons.
TWOYHOUSAND TO GO TO NEW ORLEANS.
Conservative Islc.knericsns Refuse to Believe in
Trouble

al IOdOS AGdu ~ 1AOLuE pds OSSh AS'SASSN'
and all roads apparently lead from Rome
and other portions of Italy to Pltsburg.
Last evening they came to the city in droves
over all the railroads The streets were full
of them. They travelled in parties of from
10 to 20, each company In charge OF a
ciceroue and they went straight ahead to
their destinations.
Ever since the lyuching at New Orleans
the influx Of Italians into this city has been
noticeable, but yesterday exceeded all pre-
yieus records. The police of Pittsburg are
inuuisitive, but their endeavors to learn
the reason for this mysterious
invasion were foiled. But even they were
surprised when they learned that news had
been telegraphed THE DIsP ATCH from New
Castle that there was q movement on foot to
capture Pittsburg in the event of war be-
tween the United States and Italy.
Lawrence County Colony.
Over 800 Italians are working in and
around Wampum, Lawrence county. They
are employed in The various lime and sand
stone ouarries, and by the Pittsburg and
Lake Erie and Pennsylvania Company.
The great majority of these men cannot
speak a word OF English, but occasionally
there is one found who has a fair command
of that language, and result be is looked
up 10 as a sort OF leader among the men.
Such a man is Sebastian Gabarrio, who
owns q shanty and has lodging house
Yesterday afternoon q DISPATCH corre-
spondent, in company with Charles Stopf
who owns the Wampum House, paid a visit
TO the Italian settlement at that place. Mr..
Stouf has . speaking acquaintance with all
the English-speaking Italians of the settle
ment and he was not surprised when
Gabarrio stopped US. The Italian said he
wanted to tell a story that should be COM
municated to the authorities. He said that
Yesterday a strange Italian who resided in
Pittsburg called MIN aside and asked him
if he would go into plot to avenge his
countrymen who had been killed at New
Orleans.
A Plan to Capture Pittsburg.
The stranger said that the Pittsburg
Italians generally approved the course
taken b. the King OF Italy in removing
their Minister from the United States, and
that if war were declared the Italians in this
country were expected to do their part,
The strange italian said that at least 90 900
Italians could be brought into Pittsburg in
five hours time, and with the ali
of guns and by surprising the citi-
zens, they would be able to take the
citv without much trouble. The stranger,
who refused to give his name, then went
into details OF how word was to be sent
to Wampum when the time came. He
strongly urged Gabarrio to get the Italians
at Wampum to consent TO meet the others in
Pittsburg at given signal. He then went
on to tell how every Italian settlement in
Allegheny and Beaver counties was receiv-
ing the same information, and that each
settlement was expected to send large
delegation.
He stated also that a movement of this
kind was to be started all over the country,
and that money would be needed.
Stirring Up Italians in Carbon.
In the afternoon the Pittsburg envoy left
for Carbon to stir up the Italians there, and
said that secret meeting was to be held in
the near future to talk the matter over
among themselves There are 400 or 500
Italians at Carbon, and it is known that at
least half dozen are members of the Malta.
In concluding his information, which
Gabarrio seemed to place great weight upon.
he said in regard to the PittSburg Italian:
"He came to the wrong man when he
came to me- While l am sorry for my poor
countrvmen VINO were killed in the South.
still | am a naturalized citizen of the United
States, and will do all in my power to
prevent my people here from taking part in
i venture of that kind, which could only
result in many of them being killed"
Gabarrio also said that many OF the Italians
who worked in Wampum were in an ex-
ceedinglv uneasy frame of mind, fearing
principally that they will be drafted in the
italian army, as they all firmly believe
that the present trouble will result in war
between the two countries.
How the City Could BE Defended.
Inspector McAleese was told the news at
late hour last night He did not appear
to be surprised, nor was he in the least
alarmed. II hope and believe that no such
attempt will be made" he said. cot course
In every nationality there are individuals
who, disseminated with their own fortune
take umbrage at the greater success of others
and are ripe for sedition and revolt. There
may be such among the Italians, who will
endeavor to use the New Orleans tragedy as
an argument Tor an uprising. However, 1
have no fear of the result. We have a
police force of over 500 able-bodied, we'll
drilled men, and a fire department with
about $50 men, who could be called out to
meet such an emergency. With our patrol
telegraph system could mass these men
at any given Point within the city limits in
less than 40 minutes. Five hundred men
are as many as could be handled in one body
in our narrow city streets, and could hold
at bay many times their own number.
I'll such an event were to occur, the whole
brunt would not be borne bv the police and
firemen The Sheriff would be called upon
and it would not take hIm long to summon
4 posse ol 20, COO staIwart workmen from the
iron mills and other factories. Pittsburg
has been noted for years for the brawny men
she mas produced. Il
Italian Boarding Houses Listed.
There have been many idle Italians in
Pitsburg during the past winter. There
has been less street paving and pipe laying
than IN years gone by, and consequently
lesser demand for purely manual labor.
The Italian, however, lives economically,
and can exist comfortably, and do days
work, for that matter, on 4 loaf of bread and
n little black bread. For that reason there
has been but little suffering among them.
I'VE watch these people closely because,
owing to the TACT that they live in colonies
and speak their own language, it is difficult
10 fnI one when he is wanted by the police.
We have a list Of every Italian boarding
house and its accommodations in the First
police district. This list was prepared two
months ago. 1t shows that there are tour
places on Liberty street, near the Union
Depot. with q rooms anG rs boarderS, al
though this number may be doubled or
trebled at any time. Right back OF these
houses, on Penn avenue are six more with
accommodations for a hundred or SO. There
is one on Ferry street, one on Fourth ave
nue, three on Pearson's court, one on