Connecticut western news., 1897-11-18
PLOT IN BALTIMORE.
UNION MEN WERE PREPARED TO
 BURN THE CITY IN 1861.
A Counter Movement to One Which It Was Believed Southern sympathizers Had on Foot-Conndential Disclosures Made by the old Tobacconist.

Believed Southern sympathizers Had on
 the old Tobacconist.
 During the first year of the war;" a grizzled colonel remarked, while recall Ing incidents of the great rebellion, business connected with the recruiting and equipping of volunteers in Pennsyl- vania took me frequently to Washing ton, and, as the hotels in that city soon became crowded and uncomfortable, l in Baltimore, remain overnight there and run over to the capital early in the morning, and thus I passed many nights during 1861 in the famous old hotel of the Monumental City. Near it was a large tobacconist's shop, where l discovered 8 superior grade of cigars was sold, and of this shop became a regular customer Ordinarily I was served by 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
 
 served he said:
 |" If you are not in hurry, sir, l would be pleased to have you walk into my private office and have a smoke. "I readily assented, and he led the way to a room at the rear of the store, separated from it 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:
 Here, for many years, 1 have been accustomed to receive my friends, of whom I had many, but am sorry to | say that now the number is sadly di- unfinished. .. Why so?' I 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 riance greater than here in Baltimore, and nowhere is there greater danger ot its leading to calamity.
 You surprise me, exclaimed ] knew there was considerable secession sentiment here, and that months ago ii exhibited itself openly, leading to blood shed on the streets, but thought all that had passed away
 By no means he replied 'The rebel sentiment in Baltimore Is as in tense and bitter today as it ever was. The apparent quiet is only on the sur. face You are in the service of the Union, and it may be as we'll for you to be informed exactly what the situation here is.
 | 'Three-fourths of the people of Bal. timore are intensely southern in their feelings and prejudices. All the slave holders are so, and they are the leading citizens Following them is the class which always toadies 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 do anything that looks like re- sistance to constituted authority. Now, I know beyond doubt that the leading secessionists here are thoroughly organ ized and are determined, the first favor able opportunity that offers, to declare openly for the new Confederacy and car. ry Baltimore certainly, and Maryland if possible, out of the Union | How is all this to be doner I in quired
 Their plan Is this: They know every man upon whom they can rely, and their strength is we'll understood. They have clubs organized, which meet regularly. The leaders have control oi plenty of money, and supplies of armi are available. Regular communication is had with the Confederate leaders ir Virginia, and they are waiting only fo1 8 definite, tangible opportunity to strike. Such an opportunity would come if the | Confederate army made an advance to- ward Washington thing they expect or should the Union army meet with another serious reverse in the east. Il Beauregard had pursued McDowen after the battle of Bull Run, they would have risen then, and many were the curses heaped upon him for his failure, IS they expressed it, to follow up his | victory
 "'What,' I asked, do you Union men propose to do if the movement you anticipate Is nader
 "'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 in numbers, do thisp
 We'll, sir, we, too, are organized and for this one purpose In every part of the city preparations have been made, and when the time comes 100 or more fires will be started at once. Do you know what this is?' he asked, taking from closet ball of tow, cotton, o1 oakum about the size of large cocoa nut. It is fire ball, thoroughly satu- rated with turpentine Plenty of these are ready, and at an 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. timore will ever become part of the slaveholding Confectionery
 "I never saw my old Union loving tobaoconist after that evening, for not long afterward was sent to the army in the southwest and remained there until the end of the war. We all know that Baltimore remained in the Union and was not burned, but we know, too, that the Confederate army never made serious advance on Washington, so that the opportunity waited for by the rebels in the Monumental City never came How much truth, if any, there was in the old mans story must remain unknown. only tell the tale as it was told to me. ''-New York Sun.