Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-12-26
WROTE TO STATESMEN
An Austrian in a SCrape
in Washington.
UNDOUBTEDLY A CRANK
But the Capital Police are Inclined to
Look Upon Him With Suspicion.

WARRINGTON, Dec. 2T-The police Of
this city think they have made an impor-
tant capture in the person of Joseph Dom
Jon, who has made business Of writing
threatening letters to public officials here.
A letter from this man to Senator Mills
few days % caused the senator's son,
Charles II. NJ lis, to secure leave from the
authorities to 20 armed for the protection
of his father. This was the cause Of
bringing the mans acts more prominently
before the public.
For several months past he has been
writing similar letters to a number Of
prominent public men, among whom
were Vice President Stevenson. Senator
German, Senator Mills, Senator Sherman
and, as the man himself claims, President
Cleveland and Secretary Lamont. As
long ago as during the fight over the sill
yer question In the senate Vice President
Stevenson received letters almost daily
from Donjon, who was then in Newark,
N. J. No attention was paid to them.
The vice president yesterday received a
letter which was dated from s04 Leigh
street, this city.
A Talk with Reporters.
A number Of reporters were at the po-
Ioe station to see the man, and he talked
very freely. He Is 2S years old, dark and
sallow, and has greasy complexion and
a rather slouchy look. He has the droop-
ing eyelids which usually accompany q
brooding and melancholy disposition. lie
talks very nationally and with a rather
studied effort to avoid any appearance OF
bitterness or the expression Of any an
archistio views.
Donjon Is an Austrian by birth and lays
stress on the assertion that he is Catho-
lio and processes a degree of piety. His
story Is that he came to this country
when Is years old. He had been a tele-
graph operator, but gave up this work be-
cause there was some slight difference In
the instruments and the alphabet. Under
those circumstances, he continued, 'if /
had secured a Job they would have sent
me to some remote Office In the far west
where there are coyotes and cougars and
other dangerous creatures" In this the
prisoner showed a fantastic apprehension
that was characteristic Of the tone of his
whole recital.
Was Afraid OF Miners.
He became q bench moulder after he
came here and claims TO have worked for
a time in Ohio. Later with his father and
mother and brother he went to Newark
M. Last May, being out of employment.
he went west to Washington and Idaho,
and he tells rather fearful tale of the
dangers he encountered from rough
miners In that country while prospecting
for gold. Then he went back TO Newark
and lived with his parents and brothers
at 1873 Burnett street. This agrees with
the address of the earlier letters received
from him here.
He contends that he was prevented from
securing employment because he was not
. member of the Knights Of Labor or any
has been writing, he claims that he was
oeiving 500 for doing 1t. Asked as to the
character of the persons who did this, he
disolaimed that they were anarchist, or
that they formed any association. They
were merely private persons. He also de-
nies that there were any threats In the let
ters or any reference to dynamite. II
never saw dynamite, and wouldn't know
It II saw It," said he.
When asked what right he had to com
pose such letters at the bidding Of other
people, he simply inquiredi "What right
have you to write down what I am tel!ing
you. 10 was simply business went into
to make a living, just as you write news
for the newspapers"
Was Waiting For Answers.
He claimed that all that was contained
In any Of the letters were proposition to
each of the men addressed to forward
him the cost Of transportation to Wash
ington and an offer to come on there and
make business proposition to them.
The man came to Washington three
days ago from Baltimore. Sunday he fell
in with q German on a bench in one Of
the public parks. The man was drunk,
but spoke some words Of encouragement,
and told him that he was out of work,
too, but gave him quarter and hoped he
might soon find employment. He thought
tie best thing he could do with the quar-
tar was to get some postal cards aad
make another effort 10 secure answers
from them to whom he had been sending.
He took lodgings and waited all yester-
day for some one 10 appear In reply to his
postal cards, but no one came. He then
determined, he says, 70 start out to look
for Chief Drummond and brought up In
the station.