Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-10-12
PLOT IN BALTIMORE.
UNION MEN WERE PREPARED TO
 BURN THE CITY IN 1861.


 Believed Southern sympatbizers Had on Confidential Disclosures Made by the Old Tobacconlst.
 During the first year of the war, q grizzled colonel remarked, while recall ing incidents of the great rebellion. business connected with the recruiting and equipping of volunteers i'll Pennsy1- vania took mo frequently to Washing ton, and, as the hotels i'll that city soon became crowded and uncomfortable, made it custom to stop at Ba1num 5, in Baltimore, remain overnight there and run over to the capital early ill the morning, and thus 1 passed many nights during 1861 i'll the famous old hotel of the Monumental City. Near it was large tobacconist's shop, where 1 discovered @ superior grade of cigars was sold, and of this shop became regular customer. Ordinarily l was served by a young salesman, but fre quently saw in the shop an old gentle man who, presumed, was the proprie tor One day I was rather surprised by the old gentleman's stepping forward to wait on me himself After l was served he said;
 If you are not i'll | hurry, sir, would be pleased to have you walk into my private office and have smoke.
 T readily assented, and he led tho way to room at the rear of the store separated from 1t by glass partition, plainly but comfortably furnished, and having the appearance Of long and ha- bitual use Pushing toward me large split bottomed rocker, my host remark. ed:
 4 Here, for many years, have been accustomed to receive my friends, of whom 1 had many but 1 am sorry to say that now the number Is sadly di= unfinished
 q Why so? I asked.
 t' Because of differences in opinion, he replied I need not remind you of the condition the whole country is ill, or tell you how completely men vary in their ideas of duty. Nowhere is that ya- rianoe greater than here in Baltimore, and nowhere is there greater danger of its leading to a calamity.
 .' You surprise me, l exclaimed l l knew there was considerable secession sentiment here, and that months ago it exhibited itself openly, leading to blood shed on the streets, but 1 thought all that had passed away.
 t' By no means he replied. Tho rebel sentiment in Baltimore is as in- tense and bitter today as 1t ever was. Tho apparent quiet is only on the sur i face Ton arc in the service of the Union, and it may be as well for you to be informed exactly what the situation here Is
 . 'Ihree-fourths of the people of Bal timore are intensely southern ia ther feelings and prejudiees. All the slave holders are so, and they are the leading citizens. Following them Is the class which always toadics to what is cOnsid- cred the aristocracy, and after these comes large disorderly element known as the plug uglies, who are willing and ready to dc anything that looks like re sistanee to constituted authority. Now, I know beyond doubt that tho leading seeessionists here are thoroughly organ ized and are determined, the first favor able opportunity that offers, to declare openly for the new Confederaey and ear " Baltimore certainly, and Maryland if possible, out of the Union.
 How is all this to be done?' 1 in- quired
 .. Their plan is this: They know every man upon whom they can rely, and their strength Is well understood They have clubs organized, which meet regularly. The leaders have control of plenty of money, and supplies of arms are available. Regular communication is had with the Confederate leaders i'll Virginia, and they are waiting only for definite, tangible opportunity to strike. Such an opportunity would come if the Confederate army made an advance tO- ward Washington--a thing they expect or should tho Union army meet with another serious reverse in the east. If Beauregard had pursued MeDowell after the battle of Bull Run, they would have risen then, and many were the curses heaped upon him for his failure, as they expressed ii, to follow up his victory
 = What, asked, do you Union men propose to do if the movement you anticipate IS made?'
 Burn the city, he replied Just as certainly as the Russians burned Moscow will we burn Baltimore if the rebels here take it out of the Union
 How can you, so few comparative ly i'll numbers, dc thisl'
 Well, sir, we, too, are organized and for this one purpose. In every part of tho city preparations have been made, and when the time comes 100 or more fires will be started at once Do you know what this is3' he asked, taking from 8 closet ball of tow. cotton. CT oakum about the size of large cocoa nut 1t is fire ball, thoroughly satu- rated with turpeniine. Plenty of these are ready, and at m understood signal they will be lighted and thrown where they will certainly prove effective. Oh, we know well enough that we cannot resist the organized rebels. but you can rely upon it that only the ruins of Bal tiu1p,,p will eyer bpnolne a Dart of the