Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1891-02-19
UNDER HEAVY BONDS.

Secretary Gibson Oh inc "hAshy AA"os "a
rested In Chicago and Required TO FUR
nish Bail in the Sum of $4,000 on .
Charge of Conspiracy to Blow Up Dis
tlleries Not Members of The Trust.
CHICAGO, Feb. 1a.-George ]. Gibson,
secretary of the great whisky trust, has
been arrested by United States officials
on the charge of being participant IN
gigantic conspiracy involving the de-
struction of life and a vast amount OF
property. The conspiracy involved the
destruction OF the Shufeldt distillery and
several others which are outside OF the
trust and which have given the whisky
combine great deal of trouble The
arrest was made at the Grand Pacific
Hotel shortly after 6 o'clock a.
M, by Inspector Stuart, of the
Post-Office Department, Deputy United
States Marshal Gilman and Treas
ury Agent Brooks, of New York. Glib
son, who lives in Peoria, had just ar
rived in the city and was accompanied
by his wife and daughter. He was
taken into custody as he alighted from
a carriage at the door of the hotel, and
was at once hustled across the street
into the Government building, where
he was locked up in the United States
Marshal's Office.
Gibson was carrying small sachel
at the time of the arrest, and this was
captured by Inspector Stuart. In the
sachel were found articles which con-
clusively proved the intentions of the
conspirators. The contents of the sach-
ell were locked up in the safe in the in
spector's office.
The specific charge against Gibson is
that he tried to bride an employe of the
Government named De War to blow up
Shufeldt's distillery. All the arrange
ments had been completed for the
fendish work when De War informed
the Government officials of the plan
and prevented the consummation
of the conspiracy. Solicitor Hart has
in his possession the dynamite machine
with which the destruction was to be
effected and papers closing the contract
for the diabolical business.
Solicitor Hart told the story to q re-
porter as follows:
Some months ago the Washington depart
ment were assured that things were not just
straight, from the fact that the trust people
tried their best to have certain man appointed
inspector of the department for this district.
We set n watch. Soon T. S. DeWar was
communicated with, and this man Gibson
opened up correspondence with him. We
have the correspondence. Gibson felt his man
cautiously, telling him at first that Shufeldt's
concern was in the way and that they were
trying to get 1t out of the way. He got o
little holder soon and finally, led on by De-
War, who was all the time in consultation with
the department. he made straight PROPOSE.
ton He offered DeWar $4,000, and then in.
| creased the offer to $4,000, to blow up the
concern Gibson stated that he had dynamite
machine that could be located just out
side of one Of the large tanks. so that a few
moments after 1t was placed it would explode
There would be plenty Of time, Gibson told De.
War, for him to get away and that he was the
only man who could place it, because of the
fact that as u Government officer he had access
10 all parts of the building.
1.-The result Of the success of the conspiracy
would have been that the machine would have
exploded between two of the immense tanks
| making terrible destruction and leaving
sea Of alcohol on fire. Gibson lied when
he told DeWar that the machine would
not go of until he had time to get out, for it
would have exploded at once killing the man
who placed 1t the very instant, before he could
possibly get away thus destroying the
only evidence against the trust peo-
pie and at the same time saving to them the
| S25 600 that DeWar was to have received. In
| addition to the destruction of DeWar and the
buildings the success Of the plot meant un-
Questionably the death Of $50 men working in
| the place.
LAS say, Mr.. DeWar, under our instructions,
went the length of the conspiracy to the point
| OF doing the di:tboical deed, and when Gibson
was arrested he was waiting uneasily,
| expecting to hear of the explosion
and the destruction of all those lives
and all that property. We have in our
| possession all the evidence to substantiate
DeWar's story; the dynamite machine, the let
tiers, the contract between DeWar and Gibson,
in fact every thing. The case is practically
! over so far as our department is concerned.
The case is made"
! The whisky trust is mammoth con-
Germ, with a capital of $50. 600, 900. Ever
since its formation, some years ago, it
has urged bitter warfare against all
the distilleries which refused to ioin it.
The principal concern which refused to
enter the combine was Shufeldt's big
distillery on the North side. Early ono
morning in the fall of 1855 two
| dynamite bombs were thrown upon the
roof OF the distillery, and one of them
! exploded and tore great hole in the
roof Had the other bomb exploded
the destruction of the distillery would
have been complete, as directly
under it was room containing
many thousands of barrels of inflam-
mable spirits. The explosion pro-
duced great sensation at the time, but
no clue to the guilty parties was ever
obtained. 1t was freely charged at the
time, however, that the whisky trust
was responsible for the crime. It will
be remembered that Little Kunze"
and Dan Coughlin, of the Cronin fame,
were implicated in this case.
PEORIA, ILL.,, Feb. 12.-Great surprise
was caused here by the news of the ar
rest in Chicago of George S. Gibson.
Gibson came here fifteen years ago
from Cleveland, o., where he had been
employed in railroad Office. Fe mar
rled daughter of E. Scoville, of Cleve-
land. retired iron-mill man. Gibson
was first employed as book-keeper in
the Monarch distillery, and in 1879,
when the Western Export Associa-
ton was formed, he was elected secre.