The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-04-07
STEAL CORNELIUS
Sensational Story >Telegraphed
From San Francisco About
Vanderbilt.
Alleged There Was a Conspiracy
to kidnap and Hold Him
For Ransom.
One of the Alleged Conspirators
Was in Communication With
Detectives.

Saru, late CnleI OF tno southern Eds
cific railway detective service, has just
given publicity to one of the most re-
markable stories of an anarchist plot
that was ever heard in San Francisco.
The plot according to Mr.. Gard, was
nothing less than a conspiracy to hold
up the Vanderbilt special train and alb
duct Cornelius Vanderbilt. and it has
has transpired that the officials of the
Southern Pacific company who were
informed by Mr.. Gard, before the Van
derbilt party reached FL Paso, have
been taking all possible precautions to
prevent the carrying out of the plot.
Shortly before the Vanderbilt party
reached Ell Paso,' said Mr. Gard, Il
received letter which detailed, in
some degree, the plans of a gang of ex-
tremists for making money out of the
Kidnapping of Cornelius Vanderbilt.
LAS to my informant, l do not think
it necessary to say anything more than
that he is in San Francisco. The letter
was written from here, and the men
who are working out the plot as it was
given to us, were making San Francisco
their base of operations. The letter
went ON to say that the men had been
conspiring for some time, but were un-
able to make any headway until it ap-
peared in the papers that Vanderbilt
and Depew were on their way to Cali.
fornia. They Immediately picked out
Vanderbilt as shining mark, and i'm
mediately laid plans for a holdup. Ny
;.~T of @ba otrv~
and in his letter to me said he would
Continue to Act rs Conspirator
and keep me informed as to any further
developments in their plans. The let
ter was the most startling epistle l ever
read, but was convinced Immediately
of its genuineness, for knew the per.
son that wrote it as well as his history
and associations. I lost no time in 60
ing to J. A. Muir, superintendent of
the Southern Pacific company at Los
Angeles and laying the whole case be-
fore him. We deemed the commune
cation of such startling Importance we
Immediately entered into telegraphic
communication with the officials of the
general Office of the Southern Pacific in
this city. Mr.. Muir telegraphed the
facts contained in the letter SO that the
officials in the general Office should
have plenty of time to take such pre-
cautionary measures as the occasion
demanded.
Evidently a Desperate Gang.
From what cou,d Judge of the let
ter, the conspirators had at that time
perfected no plans further than to
agree among themselves to hold up the
Vanderbilt special at some point i'll the
San Joaquin valley, and make the best
haul that was possible. If no money
was to be had any other way, Cornelius
Vanderbilt was to be kidnapped and
everyone else in the party was to be
killed, if necessary, in the accomplish
ment of the end in view.
just what steps were taken by the
railroad company TO prevent the hold
up after being warned by telegraph
from Los Angeles, have not beer
fully advised. 1t was suggested that ;
pilot engine be sent out ahead Of the
special train but as far as 1 know this
was not done. The anarchists, if they
may be called such, had laid their plans
to hold up the train at some convenient
point in the San joaquin valley, ant
therefore did not expect any violenct
below Bakersfield.
Made tho Run in Daylight.
This side of Bakersfield the specia
train was run only during the day time
and it is poss4bl this precaution upse
the plans Of the conspirators. AS ever.
one who kept track of the Vanderbilt
party will remember, the visitors re
mained over night in their train a
Bakersfield, after visiting Santa Bar
bara, and came up through the Sal
Joaquin valley by daylight on Tuesda.
last. This or some other caus
upset the plans of the robbers
The train was not held up an
Cornelius Vanderbilt was not abducted
l am rather included to think that tn
men who concocted the plot becam
frightened into an abandonment 0
their plans
Detective Gard enjoys the distinc
ton of being probably as well ac
quainted with train robbers, stage rol
bers and crooks of other stripes as an
other man in California, and the state
ment that he knows the person who as
sisted in the conspiracy and then di
vulged the plans or the conspirators t
him can hardly be doubted.
Neither Mr.. Vanderbilt, Mr.. Depew
or any of the members of the visitin
party were informed of the anticipate
hold up and left the city on their wa
east, without learning that they ha
been made the objects of = conspirac
by q gang Of desperadoes.
IL Killed Hts Empioyar,