Waterbury evening Democrat., 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 ExpIo-
 sIons-Bombs Were Found Among the
 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 n 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 by those endeavoring to injure the line are, in the belief of the police, dynamite bombs or automatic machines for communicating fire to ships cargo.
 Developments in the burning and sub sequeDt 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 off Havana, it was also stated that the fire succeeded an explosion, which was then believed to have resulted from combustion among puneheons of rum stored Tn her hold.
 Mysterious Fire.
 Dispatches received from Havana stated that the Seneca left that port on Saturday, bound here with large cargo. This latter consisted of general merchandise, much of which was of a combustible nature. When the Seneca was so miles out, a 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 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 a furnace. The ship was run in con venientiy near shore, and an alarm was sent to the city fire departments. The crew of the steamship and the firemen were aided by men from the Spanish war ships Infanta Isabel, Nueva Espana and Marallunees and the mail steamships Montevideo and Cataluna. Sunk the Steamer.
 The combined forces fought the flames hll lITuuSh lIlS bNlJ Wutil came the fire had apparently increased 1 The officers then made a nasty eNamina. tion and learned enough to show that Il was hopeless to attempt to smother the 1 flames with the ordinary appliances at | hand. It was therefore determined to sink the Seneca. The seacocks were opened and in a comparatively short time she was submerged. Only her masts protruded | from the surface. The damage to the steamship and her cargo will amount tc 1 all of S5O0,o00 and possibly will be ever l greater. The principal part of the cargo was tobacco, cigars and hemp, on which ! there can be no possible salvage. Even if it has escaped destruction by tho flames, it will be irretrievably ruined by ! the salt water.
 The fire which caused the less of the City 1 of Alexandria was similar in many detail: to that on the Seneca. Little suspicion | was aroused at the loss of the Alexandris | until the subsequent discovery of dyna mite bomb among coffee bags shipped tC
 the firm of John O'Donohue's Sons, & | Front street. The bomb was turned ovel l to the police.
 Detective Madden of the Old Slip station
 was put on the case. He obtained evi
 dence which proved conclusively that tn,
 dynamite was put in the coffee bag witt | evil intent.