The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-09-30
PLOT IN BALTIMORE.
UNION MEN WERE PREPARED TO
BURN THE CITY IN 1861.
A Counter .sement To One which IL Was
Believed southern sympathizers Had on
FOot-coniidentiaI Disclosures Made by
the Old TObacconist.

ing incidents Of the great rebellion,
business connected with the recruiting
and equipping of volunteers in PennsyI-
vania took me frequently 10 Washing
ton, and, as the hotels in that city soon
became crowded and uncomfortable.
made 1t custom 10 stop at Barnums
III Baltimore, remain overnight there
and run over 10 the capital early in the
morning, and thus | passed many
nights during 1861 in the famous old
hotel Of the Monumental City Near il
was large tobacconist's shop, where /
discovered superior grade Of cigars
was sold, and of this shop became
regular customer Ordinarily / was
served by young salesman, but fire.
quently saw in the shop an old gentle.
man who, presumed. was the proprie-
tor. One day | was rather surprised by
the old gentleman stepping forward
10 wait on me himself After | was
served he said:
II you are not in hurry, sir, !
would be pleased 70 have You walk into |
my private Office and have a smoke.
Il readily aSscnted, and he led the /
way 70 room at the rear OF the store.
separated from it 10y 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:
Here, for many years, have been
accustomed 60 receive my friends, of
whom | had many, but L am sorry 10
say that now the number is sadly di.
minished.
" Why SOP l asked
Because of differences in opinion.
he replied. i need not remind you Of
the condition the whole country is in.
or tell you how completely men vary in
their ideas Of duty Nowhere is that va.
/ Rance greater than here in Baltimore. I
and nowhere is there greater danger Of
Its leading to a calamity. I
You surprise me, | exclaimed. L 9
knew there was considerable secession c
sentiment here, and that months ago il q
exhibited itself openly, leading 10 blood. b
shed on the streets, but l thought all a
that had passed away d
BY no MEANS be replied. The q
rebel sentiment in Baltimore is as in. q
tense and bitter today as il ever WAS
Inc apparent quiet is only on the sur. u
Iace' lou are IN the service Of the II
Union and 1t may be- as wen for you 20 lie
De informed exactly W.T. the situation
here Is.
Ihrce-tourths Of the people of Bal
tlmore are intensely southern in their Nc
ieellngs and prejudices All the slave II
holders are 50, and they are the LEADING az
citizens. Following them is the class II
which always tOadies TO what is con.fd. tn
req the arlstocracy, and after these SCI
omes large disorderly element known ! kn
Is the plug uglles, who are willing and tel
eady TO do anything that looks like re. } al.
lstance to constituted authority. Now. of
know beyond doubt that the leading ido
ecesSlohlsts here are thoroughly organ we
led and are determined, the first favor. tri
Die opportunity that offers, to declare res
penly Tor the new Confederacy and car. WI
Baltimore certainly, and MARYLAND ito
possible, ont of the Union rs
How Is all this to be done?' in. vel
uired. - go.
Their plan is this They know the
very man upon whom they can RELY tho
ld their strength is well understood of
hey have clubs organized. which meet tim
guIarly The leaders have control of ina
elty OF money, and supplies Of arms full
= -, aS"liaole. Regular communication boo
had with the Confederate leaders in per
lrginia, and they are waiting only for
Ietlnlte tangible opportunity to STRIKE
lch an opportunity would como if fine ~
'iIeaef"te army made an advance to- Gov,
lru "ashinSton--a thing they EXPECT .
or should the Union army meet with -
other serious reverse in the east. If a Ll
had pursued Mcdowell after l'o''
battle OF Bull Run. they would a.,
We risen then, and many were tbo IN
'ses heaped upon him for his failpro VI
they expressed it, to follow up his a a+u
tory not
what, asked, do you Union '" ~,
II propose TO do if the movement won
icipate is made?' anus
Burn the city, he replied Inst
certainly as the Russians burned "AA n.
scow will we burn Baltimore if tbe -,
els here take it out of the Union s s
How can you, so few comuarative. III q
n numbers, do this? 81
wen, sir, we, too, are organized - -,
Tor this one purpose. in every mart -, -
he city preparations have been made. o. !
when the time comes 100 or more ~"
J VIII be started at once Do Won I'm
W what this is?' he asked, taking spun
n closet ball Of tow. cotton. or
am about the size Of large cocoa. r..
1T Is fire ball. thoroughly satin. So
d with turpentine Plenty of these an IL
ready, and at AN understood signal -" 90 g
Will be lighted and thrown where ~,
viii certainly prove effective. oh. IL IL
know well enough that we cannot s .,,.
81 the organized rebels, but YOU can , ,ro,
upon it that only the ruins of Bal. - -.
IRE Will ever become part of the -
eholding Confederacy , 49,
never saw my old Union loving aroIe
cconist after that evening, for not -.
he -. 200 90iiV W 'iie army best
the end of the war. We all know -