El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-07-01
Plot To Steal
Capt. DreyMS
Romantic Tale Of A Scheme
Among Philadelphia Jews
To Rescu. the Exile From
DEVILS Island.

Aueut the celebrated Dreyfus case
which has thrown into such fe-men'
of excit ,ment the people OF two COZ
sinents, Pniladelphia might boast OF
sensation in connection therewltf
probably more startling that all the
terrible things that have been writer
about the DEVILS Island prisoner.
Who would have believed that in the
st sid old Quaker City lot was con-
cocted. says the Philadelphia Times
which. for originality and daring, has
scarcely bad peer: plot involving
no less than the stealing OF the Inn
prisoned French captain from Devlis
island in the dead Of night and spirit
ing MIN away to me place known on
" TO the conspirators; or. II necessary,
to dare all opposition and remove him
by force of arms.
This is what John Miller. OF Balti-
more. Md, identified with marine en-
zine designing for quarter OF a cen
sury and who WAS prominently coz
nected with Freyer's chemical vessel,
the steamer Cassary, positively de-
elares.
Mr.. Miller visited Philadelphia re-
Gently. He had bust ne-s on that oc-
easion with the Cramps and the matter
was no less than consultation regard
ing the possibility Of rebuilding the
Howard Cassard and fitting her with
new and improved machinery. This
unique vessel. after the failure OF the
Arrow Steamship Company, was lowed
from Baltimore to Alexandria, Va,
and sold at public action for $1,000
She cost 20 build over $500, 900 and
ruined several prominent business
men of Baltimore. Now she ia moth
ing but mass of rusty iron.
The Cramps discouraged the project
Of rebuilding the freakish craft, and
after lengthy interview with their
expert, Mr.. Miller returned to the Nc
nun snt.l City. Through g. story
shat time various marine: papers were
informed that the Howard Cassard
was to have trial against time and
again to attempt to revolut1oniZe ma
vieation. This was the reasonable as
sumption at that time, but now Mr..
Miller tells q strange and different
story.
He was seen at Green's hotel yester-
day by a reporter OF the Times. When
pressed az to what was to come OF the
revival of the Arrow Steamship COM
psny's project he replied:
II was not here in the interests OF
the Arrow company. They are well
rid of the Howard Cassard. L was
simply commissioned to get the most
advantageous offer for the rebuilding
of the machinery of that vessel. She
was, when complete. to be turned over
to certain parties in Maryland. L can
too, which. although il seems pretty
wild, 1 fully believe myself. The
Howard Cassard was to rescue Captain
Dreyius. You know this peculiar
craft is fast. Even with her original
and defective machinery she develop
ed a speed of 35 miles an hour. She is
224 feet long, only Is feet wide at the
widest part and has a hull whose
peculiar construction makes her in
destructible and unsinka BILE.
II don't know a great deal about the
scheme. do know, however, that
wealthy Jews in Philsdelphia, Bslti-
more and New York were impressed
with the manner in which it was pres
ented and quite an amount OF money
was promised to get the Cassard In
shape.
That vessel was an ideal one for the
purpose. She could have cleared from
port as though on a pleasure cruise.
By slow stages she could have reached
the proximity of DEVILS Island. Then
as far my own opinion goes L can see
moth ing which would have prevented
the kiduaping of the prisoner. Once
aboard the old craft, his safety was as
sured as far as human agency could
make it. The Howard Casssrd with
the present lines of her hull unaltered
and an ordinary triple-expansion en-
CINE substituted for the clumsy COrliss
gear would be lightning unclaimed.
At speed of fifty miles an hour she
would have borne him to safety and he
could have laughed with impunity at
all a tenn pts at pursuit"
The most remarkable feature in con-
nection with Mr.. Miller's story is the
sincere manner in which he relates it.
Il is evident tina, all the ramifications
of the daring plan had been most care
fully considered. But, as he said yes
terdsy in concluding his story, "tt is
all off now" AS it was not practicable
to rebuild the strange craft the bottom
fell out of the scheme. Had the rust
not done its work so well the world ere
now would doubtless have experienced
q great sepsation.