The San Francisco call., 1899-11-18

that was TO have been used in the de-
structive work
Every effort is being made 20 shroud
the affair in deepest mystery; the strict
est secrecy is being observed and al
though the police feign absolute ignor-
ance five suspects have heen arrested
and their names are registered on the
small book at the City Prisol-a book
which is inaccessible TO any one save
Chief Of Police Hodgkins. his captains
and sergeants. a. Edward Cushing, su-
perintendent OF the works. was exceed
ingly 10th at first 10 discuss the affair
or give out and particulars. He expresses
the opinion that perhaps the motive OF
the dynamiters was not the destruction
OF the big plant with its huge oil tanks,
but robbery, burglary and safe-cracking.
However. Il the latter theory proves ten
able then u would appear that the Md
night mSrauders, who, in the late hold
ups. terminating in the cold-blooded muir
der OF John Thomas, a West Oakland
saloon-keeper, and who have thus FAR
successfully evaded the police. nave
criminal occupation.
1t appears that yesterday afternoon,
shortly after O'Clock, two small boys
whose names Superintendent Cushing in
the excitement Of the moment. failed TO
learn, found two sticks OF dynamite con-
cealed beneath small pile OF twO-iach
planks on an inclosed lot in the rea- OF
the OIL plant and facing DaltOn's fOun-
dry. The boys were playing hide and seek
at the time and one OF them, crOuching
behind the lumber pile nearest Cedar
street, discovered the sticks. Whether
the boys intuitively suspected the dan
gerous nature OF their find or regarded II
as valuable material mLslaid and belong
Ing 10 the oil works is not known.
However. they promptly carried the
dynamite around the corner 10 the oil
eompany's office. where. they .apprised
Superintendent Gushing OF what they had
found and. how and where.
A hasty inspection. and the superintend-
ent, realizing the character OF the sticks
OWNED the criminal purpose with which
the dangerous things had been concealed.
Visions OF the ruined plant OF the big ell
tanks blown up. OF the office safe cracked
and the days collections therein deposited
gone, ftitted through Superintendent Cush-
ing's mind. and ne promptly sent word 10
police headquarters.
Chief of Police Hodgkins early in the
evening detailed Sergeant Mckinley. Of
ncers Pardee and Murray and two others
on the case. The officers were sent out
TO keep sharp lookout in the neighbor-
hood for any and all strange and sus-
picious characters and report at intervals
10 Sergeant Mckinley at DaltOns Foun-
dry. opposite the oil plant. on Cedar
street. The district Is an extremely de-
serted one at night and is poorly lighted
the oil works being scarcely $50 feet from
the bay shore. All through the cold night
the officers patrolled the district. eagerly
d "
which time five suspects had been round
ed up and landed I'm the City Prison As
for absolute clews. IL is not known wheth-
er the police discovered any: but at any
rate the police In their jealous vigilance
succeeded in frustrating the plot that IN
questionably involved criminal motive
Just what the motive OF the pIotters
who concealed the dynamite beneath the
lumber In the uninclOsed lot back OF our
works might have been" said SuDartn-
tendent Gushing to-day. I'VE do not knew
but there was the dynamite discovered
by the merest chance by those two hos.
II the scheme was 10 blow up the works
cannot imagine what. impelled the pur-
pose We have had no strike or trouble OF
any KIND among our workmen and heIce
j am inclined to believe that the motive
was TO blow open our Office safe and Sc
cure what money might be deposited there
To say the least l was perfectly as
founded when the boys brought me the
dynamite. l instantly knew what II was
and. OF course. / Immediately notified the
police. l understand the officers lay IN