Evening journal., 1896-09-22
A BIG ANARCHIST PLOT.
The Haymarket Horrors Might
Have Been Outdone.
BEsTMANN IS LOCATED IN DALLAS.

Chicago Police Think He Is a Dangerous /
ACCOMPLISHMENTS Found with the
Dynamite In His Trunk show That He
Was Ia the 'Tnner Circle.v
CHICAGO, Sept e2.-The police have |
learned that Joseph Bestmann, in whose l
trunk at Is Sedgwiok court was found |
enough dynamite to blow up half Of the |
north side was member of the thinner |
CIRCLE which led the anarchistic uprising |
in 1886. The police boieve that he was |
plotting as late as two years ago to outdo |
the horrors Of the Haymarket riot Best
mann has beon located in Dallas. He will
be watched. II further developments
show that the police are right in their sus
picions, he will be placed under arrest.
When Louis Lingg exploded the cap
which killed himself in the Cook county
jail and when August Spies, Albert r.
Parsons. Adolph Fischer and George En-
gel dropped from the scaffold and gave up
their lives to tho cause Of anarchy, Best
mann remained in safety, and was not
even under suspicion. While Michael
Schwab, SAMUEL Fielden and Oscar w.
Neebe were serSing their sentences within
prison walls, Bestmann, IL Is believed was
storing dynamite and bombs preparatory
TO another wholesale destruction Of life
and property.
The papers found In Bestmann's trunk
NAV throw some light on the vast anaroh-
istic conspiracy Of which the Haymarket
riot was the outcome. They will also bQ
Interesting to officials of the German gov
ernment and may result in disclosures as
TO the connection between German and
American anarchists.
The papers have remained in the trunk
for 10 to 12 years. No envelope or wrap
por incloses them. The only thing about
them which is not in the mysterious
cypher is the date and an almost illegible
heading, which shows that they came
from Germany. Covering nearly entire
sheets are characters closely resembling
shorthand, although no shorthand man
has yet been able to decipher them. They
are very oven and regular and look as II
they might have been printed. The dates
are usually about month apart, showing
that the circular, If such 1t was, came reg
ularly.
The police believe that It contained in
structions from anarohistio headquarters
In the old world as to what should be done
for the cause In this The dates show that
the messages were sent for nearly a year
before the Haymarket riot, and they are
thought to have played large part in the
uprising which led to that riot. 1t was
said at the central station that the Ger
man consul bad already been asked by his
government to investigate the nature Of
the circulars.
Many kilograms Found.
Many kilograms were found in Best
manns trunk, most Of them short notes OF
instruction from the anarchist leaders Of
the day and were so worded that nona but
the initiated could solve their socret i'm
portance. One telegram read
DEAR CoMRADE BEsTAfANN-Aly wife is
Ill. Matter off tonight. PARSONS.
Another read:
DEAR Co,RADE BEsTMANN-The time
isright My eight hours are nearly up. Re
member the promise. Yours
Among the letters found was the fol
lowing;
COLUMBUS, o., Feb. Is, 1886.
J. Bestmann:
DEAR CoMRADE-Of course 1 was more
than glad TO hear from you. My wife soni
your letter to me- and It has been follow
ing me around This is the r3ason it took
mo so long to get It, / am sure that il
you manage things right, you can make o
great success financially Of the commune
celebration. Mrs. Lizzie NJ. Swank (neC
HoImes) would be a very suitable person
to deliver the address on that occasion.
Now go ahend with your arrangements
Pitch IN. Don't stand back. II every
comrade would take right hold and work
the celebration will prove a great success
feel certain of It.
l organized a large American group il
this place last week. Please give my bes
regards to all comrades. Where Is Sohwab
With revolutionary socialist greeting,
A. r. PARSONS
Inspector Fitzpatrick and Assistan
-
the assistance OF a stenographer trying {
decipher the documents, but without sue
cess.
Police Have No Doubts.
"Thore Is no question that Bestman
was plotting something when he ha
tboso bombs said Inspector Fitzpatrick
Nor Is there any doubt that he was /
the inner circle of anarchists IN the VI
rising of 1856. 1t is remarkable that h
should have escaped detection. L neve
heard of him in connection with the cast
1.-THE only good evidence we have q
present Is the letters and kilograms he r,
ceived from these people. The onso is no.
so old that it would bo practically usele.
to try TO convict him on that now. Br
we shall look into this matter worry tho
oughly We shall find out what he ht
been doing In recent years We shall tn
TO find what was his purpose in hayin
all those explosives in his possession.
we find he has been doing something II
Gently which would warrant his arres
he will be apprehonded at once. He wi
be watched so that this can be done at an
time -
Bestmann originally came to Chical
from Kansas City and while there reside
at 102 East Sixth street and 572 TrC
street. He is a skilled workman, sob
and Industrious. Lyon & Healy employC
him for several years as awoodworker
their west side factory.
Leper Discovered In New York.
NEW YORK. Sept. %. What is believ,