The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-03-22

look after the interests Of the PhIIades-
phia, Wilmington & Baltimore Road
He arrived in the Maryland metropolis
early in February, 1851, and among the
6rst men he met was q well-known
detective to whom he had often given
employment in the West. Knowing
what an ardent Lincoln man Pinkerton
was he informed him that while
rounding" with the Baltimore 'bloods"
the night before he had heard young
Southerner announce himself as one of
ten or moro who would willingly as
sassinate Lincoln.
Pinkerton had felt the pulse of that
Southern city, and no knew that the
sentiment there was ripe for tho forlna-
ton Of a conspiracy to- assassinate
Lincoln, He put Webster on the track
in one direction, Mrs. Warn in still
another, but the real work was given
to Howard, the ex-Jesuit priest, q man
of splendid attainments and absolutely
reliable. Howard went into the work
with the right spirit He WAS for the
time being the most vindictive South
erner to be found in Baltimore, and
soon got into the good graces of the
most spirited of the young soldiers of
that city. He joined their military
companies their clubs, and he was soon
head over heels in the conspiracy. A
Captain Fernandina, at this time very
influential in Baltimore, proved the
head and front of tho dastardly under
taking. q Howard soon cnmeshed him
and the Captain was introduced to
Pinkerton, the latter posing as the
head of a gang of would-be assassias
from New Orleans. Pinkerton has put
down the words that Fernandina used,
and they show how desperate these
men were. Lincoln" said he, "shau
never be President My Life is of no
consequence. I will sell my life for
his as Orsini gave his for Italy You
might as well try to blow down the
Washington Monument with your
breath as to change our purpose. Die
he must and shall" 1t then developed
that Colonel Kane, the Chief of Police,
was in the conspiracy. Lincoln was to
enter Baltimore from Harrisburg on
February %. via the North Central
Road. The conspirators were to kill
him while going from the Calvert Street
Station to the Washington Depot, and
as there would be little or no police
protection the work would be dead
easy" as they put it. They had even
arranged a plot to kill him on the
ferryboat should he come via Havre
de Grace. On the 18th day of February
III ~ A -
twenty men who were in the ''darkened
room session" The plan was simple
Fernandina announced that there were
nineteen white ballots and one red bal
lot in box before him. The man who
drew the red ballot was to do the kill
ing. No one was to know who drew
it. Each was pledged to keep the color
of his ballot a secret from even the CO.
conspirators. Then the pledge was
taken with hands On the box and on
the Captains stiletto, which lay by it's
side on q small deal table. Suddenly
the room was darkened and the drawing
began. Each left the room after taking
a ballot. Webster and Howard took
devious byways to the Pinkerton head
quarters, entering about the same time.
Each drew out his ballot. They were
both red. Here was climax. Had the
conspirators known who they were all
the time? The next two days suff1ced
to clear the mystery. Fernandina, to
make sure of the death of Lincoln, had
put eight red ballots into the box. So
there were six men on duty to do the |
killing.
Pinkerton felt it was high time to !
warn Lincoln. The latter had left his
home on February II, and at this !
time he was in Philadelphia. There
met Mr. Lincoln and Judd, |
and all the facts We're laid before them. |
Mr.. Lincoln was fearless man, and |
to change his plans.
Il will raise the flag on Independence /
Hall tomorrow. and speak to the Penn |
next day" On the following day news |
came from Seward and General Scott |
at a conspiracy in Baltimore |
lincoln was finally induced to act, and |
on the evening of February % he sat |
chatting in the hotel with a mum Der of /
friends. Excusing himself for \ few /
he put On a SLOUGH hat and
made his exit through side door. He |
was hurried into a carriage, and the |
special train. consisting of q car and an
engine, was soon speeding on its WAY
% Philadelphia There the conductor
If the regular passenger train had been
old to await the arrival of package
# important Government documents. of
which he was TO take personal charge
The wait was long. Finally the Harris
burg train rolled in, Pinkerton put Lin
,oln into a special car while Ward
lamar. Lineoln's intims te friend, rushed
/ neatly-bound package OF old news
'apers into the conductors hands
To make sure that the news Of Lin
coins departure would not reach Balti-
more. all the wires connecting Harris
,urg with the rest OF the world were
tut
The train rolled into Baltimore while
he conspirators were dreaming OF the
leeds of the morrow Webster and
Toward signalled "All's well from
,oint agreed upon in cipher kilograms
1t the next morning Lincoln was safe
n Washington
There has been no extensive plot
yainst the President-elect since Lin
olns time. Quietly, without causing
nv distur bance in the crowds. at inau-