The record-union., 1891-02-17
DYNAMITE SENSATION.
SECRETARY GIBSON INDICTED BY
THE GRAND JURY.
The Whisky Trust Holds an Import.
ant Secret Meeting at
Chicago.
Special to the RFcoRD-UN1oN.

|
CHICAGO, Feb. 16.-Secretary George J.
Gibson of the Whisky Trust has been in
dicted by the Grand Jury, and to-mor-
row, barring flight, he will probably be
again arrested and compelled to give bail
in the State courts in addition to the So
900 Federal bonds already piled up
against him.
After hearing the evidence presented
| by the Government officials regarding
| the alleged plot to blow up with dyna-
mite the antitrust Shufeldt distillery,
there was unanimous vote that an in
dictment be found against Gibson. and
States Attorney Longenecker spent some
hours at his Office tonight arranging the
proper counts on which the Whisky
Trust Secretary will be tried.
| The law under which he will be held is
contained in a section of the Criminal
Code, relating to the possession. manu-
| facture and guilty knowledge of explo-
sives intended to be used for the injury of
any building or persons.
TRUST DIRECTORS MEETING.
| CHICAGO, Feb. 16.-The whisky trust
| directors held an important secret meet
ing this morning, at which the exposure
OF the alleged plot to blow up the Shufeldt
! distillery was discussed. Another meet
| ing Will be held this evening, at which a
statement to the public will be prepared
and issued. 1t is said the statement will
| eXOnerate Gibson and will make an en-
phatic denial of any desire or intention
upon the part of the trust to iniure Shu-
| teldt.
President Greenhut and Vice-President
| Woolner say that Gibson is still in Peoria,
and that all reports to the contrary are
| false. They declared that Gibson would
make no effort to escape. The whisky
trust would, they said, do as much or
more than anybody else to sift the alleged
conspiracy to the bottom. Notwithstand-
ing the statement by President Greenhut
| that Gibson is in Peoria, friend of the
latter said he saw the Secretary of the
whisky trust in Chicago this morning.
The purchase of fifty pounds of dyna-
mite by Gibson short time ago is ex-
planned by Woolner, who says he bought
! it to clear out powders and stumps in a
tract of land which he had purchased.
The Board of Directors at the close of
| the meeting this afternoon, made the fol-
! lowing statement: 'We are holding our
regular monthly meeting at Chicago in
stead of PEORIA for the purpose of ascer-
tanning as far as possible, the truth in re-
spect to the charges made against the Sec
retary OF the company. Such widespread
publicity has been given to the charges,
| and so many false ruInors being spread
through the press, that we deem it our
duty to make brief statement. Since
our election as directors, we have de-
| voted our time and best endeavors by
honorable methods for the establishment
of the business of the company on a paw
1--WE made such progress in this direc-
| ton that for months the company has
been earning and paying monthly divi-
dends OF one-half of one per cent, equal
| TO SIX per cent. per annum on its stock,
and has, in addition, put aside surplus
each month, our business showing con-
| tinuously large Increase in output for
every month over the output Of corre-
spending months in preceding wears.
| Outside competition has never been felt
as little as during the past six months.
In the midst of our unexampled pros
perity. that anyonei interested in the COM
pany should imperil the immense inter
ests of stockholders by such scheme as
charged, we think no sane man will be-
| lieve.
SIN regard to Gibson, we have to saw
that he is a gentleman of character and
high standing, and he has been a faithful
and efficient Secretary of the company,
and we do not credit in the least that he is
guilty of the crime charged againt him.
The interests of the company will. in our
Judgment, in no wise be affected by this
charge. Gibson's resignation has been
rendered and accepted. Gibson, in his let
ter OF resignation, assures the directors
in the most emphatic terms that he is alb
solutely innocent of the charges made
against him, and that he will, If Justice
prevails, succeed in fully establishing
| that fact, not only to your satisfaction, but
to that of the whole world The directors,
in accepting the resignation, assure Glib
| son of their entire confidence in his
honesty, integrity and innocence"
GIBSON PLEADS INNOCENCE.
PEORIA tIll.), Feb. 16.-George J. Glib
son returned from Chicago early this
morning. He still adheres to the story
that the fluid in the satchel was an anti
septic he and three others were going to
manufacture.