New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-12

AN ANARCHIST PLOT REVEALED.

A COMBINATION OF REVENGE AND ALLEGED
RLACKMNL- BOMBS FOUND NEAR FACTORY.
Otto Eckhold. a prisoner in the Queens County
Jail, has made u startling confession TO the authori'
ties, involving a plot to blow up the whiting
works of L. " Crandall, in Grand-ave., Maspeth.
Eckhold is awaiting the action of the Grand Jury
on the charge of arson lie is a German, forty
two years old, and by occupation an engineer.
He has wife and two children, and until six
weeks ago conducted the international Hotel on
Willoughby-ave, Maspcth. Eckhold was arrested
on complaint of +. V. Crandall, on February III
last. Mr. Crandall accused the prisoner or set
ting fire 10 his factory lie aiIaigncd bcio.e
Police Justice Schumacher, who discharged him.
lie again arrested, this time on the charge
of having set fire to John Murphy's coopcraGe
works at Maspcth. The cooperagc works ad-
joined the International Hotel and were burned
in September last. After being locked up in tho
Queens County Jail, Eckhold gave information
which resulted in Constable Kock of Newtown,
going to Maspeth Monday and finding three dyna-
mite bombs under the stable in the rear Of the
whiting works Eckhold says that the bombs
were made by Henry Ruppercht. the leader of q
band Of Anarchists who for some time held their
meetings at his hotel.
The bombs found were capped and fused and
UIltN OCt WIFI every dpplldH'P necessary 1Or an
explosion. They contained sufficient dynamite TO
have demolished the factory and killed the forty
employees at work there II is said that Eek
mold, while in Jail, learned that his Anarchist
friends had deserted him, and it was to revenge
their treachery that he revealed the conspiracy.
In his cell in the Jail at Long Island City yester-
day Eckhold said that James Ruppercht was one
Of the most expert bomb manufacturers living.
Ruppercht disappeared from AIaspeth after tho
bombs were made. Eckhold says that he was
present when they We're made lie was asked why
they were put under the barn. tor the purpose 0f
hiding them or to blow up the factory, but pro-
fesscd ignorance on the subject
When the subject of his own relations with the
Anarchists was brought up he said that he was
one of the band himself lie was ordered to as
| certain certain things and refused. His fellow
members insisted that he must do as they bid him.
and he Withdrew from the brotherhood. This,
he says. made his cO-cOnspiratOrs vndictive and
to revenge themselves upon him they are en-
deayorinS to make him responsible for a number
of incendary fires for which they were response
blc The bombs were made OF sections of iron
pipe. Ii is believed that Eckhold will confess an
his connections with the Anarchists camp and will
make public their plans and purposes. His case
will come before the Grand Jury to-day or to-
morrow
Mr.. (randall said last night that the whole
affair was attempt TO backmal him. lie
said that several others would have been arrested
had il not been for Eckhold's WIFE, She visited
her husband whe he was in the jail, and was
told by him that he was going to inform upon
the Anarchists Mr.. tianda asserts that she
told the others, and they have disappeared.
Echhold foreman for Mr.. Crandail, and
two weeks ago ordered the men TO go a
strike. Eefore the strike was settled Ecllhold
forced the firm agree TO allow hun to hire
and discharge all men. At that time il is as
serted, threats were made 10 blow up the factory.
Mr. randall said the destruction of his factory
on December 2S, 1890, caused him loss Of
$685. On the night Of the fire Ruppercht was
found in the office He had business there.
Mr. Crandall has had trouble with the An
archists ever since they established their camp
al Naspeth According to his story, he has
| been the victim of bitter and malicious pcrs'-
cution Ruppercht is said to have been close
| friend of John Most
| The dynamite cartridges found We're three inches
| in circumference and four feet long.