Evening journal., 1893-12-26
DYNAMITE IN THE HOLD
Alleged Conspiracy Against the
Ward Steamship Line.
TWO VESSELS HAVE BEEN BURNED.

The Fires In Both the Seneca and the
Alexandria Were Preceded by Explo-
sions-Bouibs Wore Found Among tho
Coffee Bags.
NEW YORK, Dec 26.-The train Of sug-
gestive circumstances that has befallen
the Ward line steamships of late has led to
the expression of an opinion that con
spiracy is afoot TO damage the interests Of
the company The motive, If It Is known
TO the officers of the line, is not made pub
lie, and their desire at the present moment
is apparently to hush the matter up.
All the trouble experienced by the COM
pany is of comparatively recent origin, and
all the evidence points TO some southern
port as the home of the conspirator or CON
spirators. The tools employed 10y those
endeavoring to injure the line are, in the
belief of the police, dynamite bombs or
automatic machines for communicating
fire to a ships cargo.
Developments in the burning and sub
sequent sinking of the steamship Seneca
show that the fire followed an explosion.
The testimony on this point is said to be
absolute. In the case of the City of Alex
andria, burned OIL Havana, it was also
stated that the fire succeeded an explosion,
which was then believed TO have resulted
from combustion among puncheons Of
rum stored in her hold.
A Mysterious Fire.
Dispatches received from Havana stated
that the Seneca left that port on Saturday,
bound here with a large cargo. This latter
consisted Of general merchandise, much Of
which was Of a combustible nature. When
the Seneca was so miles out, slight ex-
plosion occurred in the forehold. A mo-
ment later flames broke out in the center
OF the cargo. communicating to other
parts of the hold.
| After an Intellectual attempt TO smother
| the flames the ships head was turned to-
ward Havana, and under a full head Of
steam she sped back to port. During the
return trip the crew was busy attempting
TO conquer the fire Cataracts were turned
into the hold, and the automatic devices
for extinguishing flames were turned on.
The fire gained rapid headway, however
and when she reached Havana her hold
was furnace The ship was run in con
veniently near shore, and an alarm wa.
sent to the city fire departments. Tn,
crew Of the steamship and the fremer
were aided by men from the Spanish war
ships Inianta Isabel, Nueva Espana ant
Marallunees and the mail steamships
Montevideo and Catalina.
Sunk the steamer.
The combined forces fought the flame
all through the night, but when mornin.
came the fire had apparently increased
The officers then made hasty examina
tion and learned enough TO show that
was hopeless to attempt to smother tn
flames with the ordinary appliances a
hand. 10 was Therefore determined toalnl
the Seneca. The seacocks were opened
and in a comparatively short time she wa
submerged. Only her masts protrudel
from the surface. The damage to th
steamship and her cargo will amount &
all of S5O0,O0O and possibly viii be ever
greater. The principal part OF the carg
was tobacco, cigars and hemp, on whicl
there can be no possible salvage.
Even if it has escaped destruction by th
! flames, it will be irretrievably ruined b.
the salt water
The fire which caused theloss Of the Cit,
of Alexandria was similar in many detail
to that on the Seneca. Little suspicion
was aroused at the loss of the Alexandra
until the subsequent discovery of a dyna
mite bomb among coffee bags shipped Il
the firm Of John O'Donohue's Sons, s
Front street. The bomb was turned owe
to the police
Detective Madden Of the Old Slip station
J was put on the case. He obtained evi
dence which proved conclusively that tn
dynamite was put in the coffee bag will
| evil intent.